Believe Studio’s yoga classes are designed for all fitness levels. Photos by ModusPhotography.com
If your New Year’s resolution is to embrace a healthier lifestyle, Seaside’s newly open yoga and fitness studio is just in time. Under ownership of Michael Magruder and Eric Isham, Believe Studio on Quincy Circle is ideally designed to help you cultivate a routine that focuses on overall health and longevity, offering yoga, dance, Barre and fitness classes for adults and kids, and locals as well as visitors.
Yoga was the genesis of the class offerings. Both athletes, Magruder and Isham turned to yoga to help with muscle recovery and found it was exactly what their fitness routines needed.
Magruder, an Ironman triathlete, was struck by a car while training for the swim-bike-run event. He turned to yoga for rehabilitation. “When I came to on the side of the road, I was in pretty bad shape with a lot of bumps, bruises and a bad concussion,” he explains. “Afterwards, I was living with lower chronic back pain and a good friend of mine who owns a yoga studio suggested I come to her class. Fast forward six months and yoga had changed my life.”
Isham also turned to yoga when he was injured. “I had developed shin splints from running and cross training,” he says. “I needed to find a low to no impact workout. Yoga was the perfect fit, and I loved it from day one.”
Through the men’s mutual interests, they determined a fitness studio would be a fun entrepreneurial endeavor. And Believe Studio quickly broadened its services to include a wide variety of fitness classes.
The studio offers yoga for adults at all fitness levels. In addition, Jodi Lyn Magruder and Kimberly Isham, both certified yoga instructors, teach afternoon classes aimed at kids with a Kids Karma yoga class. “We found a solution for the children that attend Seaside School and that have to wait to be picked up at 4:30,” Magruder says. “We can fill that hour time slot with an activity that is healthy and positive teaching a younger generation.”
Also new, a Mommy and Me class. “And yes, the babies will be a part of the class,” Magruder says. “You will be amazed how quickly they pick up down dog.”
Barre classes are also offered. “Barre is a very controlled and isolated muscle movement that incorporates a fixed ballet bar on the wall,” Eric Isham says. “Barre workouts rely mainly on your own body weight for resistance and the moves challenge your core stability and balance.”
Dance classes are taught Monday through Saturday. Classes include kids dance, jazz and ballet.
Fitness classes include high-intensity interval training (HIIT), core conditioning and Latin dance-inspired aerobics. “And all classes are available for one-on-one training,” Magruder adds.
Monthly, yearly, family and corporate memberships (for Seaside merchants) are available, allowing clients to attend all the classes they want.
The partners also bring a fresh look to the studio, utilizing the talents of designer Erika Powell from Urban Grace Interiors in Santa Rosa Beach to redesign the place. The studio has a modern beachside feel to it with light creams, azure blues, reclaimed wood and accents of chrome, creating a transformative atmosphere in which guests can relax.
“We are bringing a world-class yoga and dance studio to complement the world-class destination of Seaside,” Magruder says. “We offer classes for everyone, regardless of your age or experience. We have such a diverse team of talented instructors–we welcome you to try them all.”
For membership information and class schedule, please visit TheBelieveStudio.com.