Fresno's Premier All-Female, Fun Yoga Studio!

Charyce Haynes

To say Charyce is 'tough' is an understatement. As a juvenile correctional officer, Charyce knows the meaning of being tough. "I have always been impressed with Charyce's determination both on and off the yoga mat," Chaz asserts. However, her strength has recently been tested.

Diagnosed with breast cancer in 2007, Charyce knew she had to fight the debilitating side effects of chemotherapy such as nauesa, vomitting, dizziness, tingling of the hands and feet, body aches and pains, just to name a few. "I told myself I am not going to let that happen," says Charyce.

Chaz informed Charyce of the healing and therapeutic benefits of maintaining a yoga practice. She has worked with many survivors and knew Charyce would accept nothing short of a fight.

"I have been a yoga student at Sisters Yoga for a year now. I attended Chill Out yoga 1-2 times a week," continues Charyce, and, as a result, "my symptoms were very minimal or none at all."

Kristin Heimerdinger " 'This must be the yoga that Hollywood does to look the way they do.'  Those were my thoughts after my very first happy hour class with Chaz a little over a year ago, "Kristin says.

"I have always exercised in one form or another.  Through high school (right here in Clovis) it was aerobics in all of its 80’s glory (I was minus the legwarmers).  At UCLA, my roommate and I headed to the Santa Monica YMCA five days a week where we embraced the 90’s via step aerobics classes.  Once I was re-settled back in Clovis, I hit the local gym (Family Fitness Center anyone?) where I sometimes took classes and sometimes ran and lifted.  I have always enjoyed the adrenaline rush that exercise provides.

After the birth of my first son, I waited for the baby weight to come off.  Despite all assurances that nursing would take care of it, eight months later I found myself feeling terrible about the way I looked and felt.  In January of 1999, I started getting up at 4:40am so that I could work out and be home by 6am ready to start the rest of my day.  I continued this absolute insanity until March of 2007, mostly because it was the only time of the day that I could guarantee my workout.  I teach at Buchanan and have two boys now (ages 10 and 8) and my husband is terrifically helpful, but life is busy.  Between the hours of 4:40am and 6:00am there could be no other demands on my time.  And I could never justify going to the gym after work while I left my children in daycare…that just seemed so wrong to me.

In March of 2007, I was told by a medical professional that I was suffering from long-term effects of sleep deprivation (duh).  I have struggled periodically with depression and have some compulsive tendencies.  I realized that my getting up at 4:40am to go to the gym was less about the enjoyment of exercise and more about a compulsive drive that was unhealthy and contributing to my somewhat questionable mental health.  So I decided that I was going to switch it up entirely."

Kristin continues, "And that’s where Sister’s Yoga comes in.  Different form of exercise, different gym, different time and totally different setting.  When I walked in the door for the first time, I couldn’t even touch my toes.  For me, yoga has been about stretching not just my body but also my mind.  No longer do I exercise because I feel obligated.  I come to see what my body can (or can’t!) do that day.  I come to relax my brain.  While yoga has not yet solved all my problems, it has made many of my problems seem less like problems. 

Chaz writes, "I have seen Kristin make great progress, both in a physical and emotional way. A huge part of our yoga practice is accepting your body for what it is at the moment, love it, and strive for improvement but not get discouraged. She seems healthier and happier!"

Kristin reiterates," The only kind of failure is not trying.I will never look like I belong in Hollywood and I’d still like to lose a boatload of weight.  Until I can make that happen, my yoga practice allows me to appreciate more my strength and health."

As a Physical Educator, Rachelle worked for Tranquillity High School and recently for Woodrow Wilson in Hanford, CA.  Looking for a new avenue to teach her students, she stumbled upon Sisters Yoga's website.  "I was only interested in the studio for its Pilates classes and Hot Yoga classes...and then I tried Chaz's class. Something inside of me was renewed.  My drive, dedication, and purpose I felt as an athlete was transformed into my yoga practice.  I felt calm but challenged.  My husband also saw a difference in my demeanor and said I was never allowed to quit (at the start of my practice I was getting my Masters in Kinesiology)."

Amazingly, Rachelle has kept up an intense yoga practice throughout her pregnancy. "You'll see her in a headstand before everyone else or doing the extra chaturanga pushups while everyone is huffing and puffing," says Chaz.

And most recently, Rachelle will be sharing all she has learned as a yoga instructor! A future RYT 200 hour Sisters Yoga school graduate, Rachelle will bring that same laughter to her yoga students. "Rachelle is going to make an excellent yoga instructor. She has this uncanny ability to laugh at herself and put everyone at ease," Chaz says. "It's a gift."