Ben Benedetti, studio operations manager of Thermal Horizons Yoga and Wellness Center, said what makes his business unique is its approach — to make exercise fun and unique with an emphasis on mental health and wellness.
This approach was on full display on Saturday, when Thermal Horizons hosted its Blackout Buddy Burn — an event where the center’s members pair up, put on their most fluorescent workout gear and some UV body paint, then step into an all-blacklight lit room for their workout.
Benedetti said this is just one of the ways he wants Thermal Horizons’ members to feel safe and consider the studio a safe place to be.
“There’s a lot of things that make us unique. The most important thing that we do for our members and our clients is create a safe place where they can just whoever they are, whatever they are, whatever they’re doing,” said Benedetti. “Yoga is so much about mental, spiritual, as well as physical challenges. So we’re very atypical from regular gymnasiums, we create an environment where people can come here and just feel safe and feel welcomed and feel at home.”
While also meant to be a safe space, it also needs to be a fun one — hence events such as the Blackout Buddy Burn.
“There has to be a sense of not only safety but fun about it. We’re here to have a good time and enjoy and celebrate life. That’s what this is all about, too, this is so much fun,” said Benedetti.
Stacy Henrich said she’s been going to Thermal Horizons since it opened up in July of last year. Henrich said the goal of the morning’s event was just to let loose and have a good time.
“Just having fun, just letting loose and having some fun for sure,” said Henrich.
One thing Henrich also enjoyed about Thermal Horizons was its heated rooms, which give the center its name. While not heated during the blacklight event, these rooms are said to offer more benefits when performing yoga.
Another thing attendees mentioned they loved about Thermal Horizons was its head fitness instructor, Molly O’Brien. O’Brien said her goal as an instructor is to continue making things interesting so her clients can achieve their goals.
“My whole goal, with anything fitness, is just do something that you love, make it enjoyable. Working out doesn’t have to be so serious. It really should be something that you look forward to and it’s not something that you dread,” said O’Brien. “So just figuring out ways to make it that way. Whatever it may be, whether it’s doing it with another person, whether it’s joining a class, maybe it’s doing it at home or finding the right trainer for you. Really it’s just finding ways to stay healthy that you actually enjoy and can stick with it, that’s my goal.”
