Parkside Fitness studio goes with the yoga flow

The stresses of everyday life melt away soon after K.J. Torgerson unfurls her yoga mat.

After an hour-long yoga and Pilates fusion class in the spacious Parkside Fitness studio in downtown Coeur d’Alene’s Parkside high-rise building, a rejuvenated Torgerson stepped aside for a water break. Between sips, she offered an insight into what has become her preferred form of exercise over the last four years. “It’s a great mental break. You’re not thinking about the grocery list or what you need to do when you get home, you have to focus,” she explained about the hot yoga-Pilates session. “And it definitely keeps you tight.”

As an advocate of the class offerings at the new fitness studio on the second floor of the recently built tower overlooking Lake Coeur d’Alene, Torgerson is a firm believer in the healing and conditioning power of the training disciplines. Since its fall 2008 opening, Parkside Fitness has been bringing peace of mind and body to dozens of dedicated clients like Torgerson under the guidance of founder and fitness director Kara Lemmon and fitness professionals Amy Gates and Alli Rodriguez.

Through Vinyasa flow-style teachings, which emphasize smooth transitions between the more stationary yoga postures, the wide-ranging classes are designed for women and men of all ages and fitness levels. They include yoga, Pilates and resistance training, with the aim of creating a long, lean, and sculpted physique along with a strong and peaceful mind, explained Lemmon, a North Idaho native and graduate of the University of Arizona with a degree in nutritional science.

Some of the more specialized offerings include senior fitness, prenatal yoga for expecting moms, mommy-and-me programs for new moms, and a kids’ yoga class for ages 3 through 10. Hot yoga and total body training are also popular classes at the studio.

Before branching out on her own, Lemmon spent more than a decade in the health and fitness industry. Prior to Parkside, she worked for about six years as a certified instructor and trainer at Peak Athletic Center.

“It’s always been my dream to have my own studio,” she said, after wrapping up the Friday morning session.

With the help of her husband Jef, an architect with the firm Miller Stauffer Architects, which also designed the building, she designed the studio from the ground up as a relaxing workout space. Located on the second floor, the room features an airy interior with bird’s-eye views over Sherman Avenue and a corner of the lake. Adding to the “urban-Zen” atmosphere inside Parkside Fitness, Lemmon said the business caters to smaller group sizes with an emphasis on each individual. “You get the individual attention from our trainers,” she offered.

Talking about the benefits of the exercises, Lemmon went on to say she encourages everyone to at least give yoga or Pilates a try.

“I’ve taught everything from kickboxing to cross training to strength training,” she explained. Yoga and Pilates “give you the best results, make you feel good and make you want to come back. It revitalizes you. Those are the two things that everybody could and should be doing.”

As the recent Friday midmorning session came to a close, participant Jane Hammons echoed the workout’s various rewards. In the time since she attended her first Parkside class more than a year ago, Hammons said the studio has literally changed her life for the better.

“What sets the instructors (at Parkside) apart is … they care about the people and they are passionate about the people,” she explained. “They really want to make a difference in their lives. And, seriously, it’s changed my life since coming here.”

The yoga teachings carry over from the floor mats into the outside world, too, Hammons added. “They really teach you to breathe your way through stressful situations.”

For Torgerson, Parkside offers an outlet for her entire family. As the group of midmorning class participants gathered their gear and trickled out the door, the mother of two young girls said even her little ones look forward to taking part in the ancient exercise through the studio’s kids’ yoga class.

“They love it,” said Torgerson, referring to her 4- and 6-year-old daughters. “It’s great for all ages and it’s great for whatever else they are doing, too,” she added, such as soccer, basketball or any other sport.

By focusing on the body-mind connection and providing a personal touch to the students, the staff at Parkside has fostered close relationships with each person, Hammons said. “It’s all about the heart,” she offered, “and I think that’s what people need in this world right now.”