Yoga studio comes to downtown Porterville

Soon, Portervillians will have a chance to learn how to contort themselves into pretzels in the name of fitness and flexibility.

Exeter resident Jenni Bovetti will open Porterville’s sole yoga and pilates studio on Dec. 9.

The business is opening in a previously vacant space located near the U.S. Post Office at 40 W. Mill Ave.

“We didn’t and still don’t know how it’s going to be received ... but it feels like the time may be right,” she said.

Bovetti will initially hold classes for adults on Mondays and Wednesdays in the morning, afternoon and evenings.

She said she hopes to add children’s classes in January.

“It’s been a dream for a long time for me to have my own studio,” she said.

Bovetti said she noticed the open spot a month ago and liked it because of its proximity to a parking lot, as well as other businesses and the post office that draw foot traffic.

“It’s right in the heart of downtown,” she said.

She said pilates and yoga can help any age, “children through the elderly,” with healing injuries, stress relief, weight loss or general fitness.

Bovetti said the fitness regimens can help those, such as people in wheelchairs, who can’t participate in traditional exercises become more fit.

“I always say, ‘If you can breathe, you can do yoga and pilates,'” she said.

According to Porterville Chamber of Commerce CEO Donnette Silva Carter, a previous yoga studio in Porterville that closed in 2006 left an audience without a place to practice.

“People were missing it,” she said. “ I know that when they closed, people were looking for another place,” she said.

Bovetti said she will add on more classes in accord with demand.

Personal trainer Sharon Hall, owner and operator of Olympic Gym, said she hopes the new studio will be successful.

“[Yoga] is a wonderful exercise for people,” she said.

Porterville In-Shape City manager Gayna Hulstine said since the studio will offer classes twice weekly, yoga and pilates practitioners may look to the classes at In-Shape for days when the studio is closed.

“Usually, with something like that, it helps our member base,” she said. “We can go back and forth for each other.”

Hulstine said some people in the area don’t know a lot about the fitness options yoga and pilates offer.

“People have some misconceptions ... they think it’s just meditation and just weird breathing.”

For more information, call Jenni Bovetti, 304-5550.

-- Contact Sarah de Crescenzo at 784-5000, Ext. 1045, or sdecrescenzo@portervillerecorder.com.