While many find themselves pulled away from hot yoga during the summer months, Caleb Homan has doubled down on his practice. That’s because he’s getting ready to head off to college at N.C. State this fall, and he’s making the most of his time at HYA. And we are thrilled to celebrate him as our August Student Ambassador!
Caleb started coming to classes last fall with his mom, longtime HYA community member Betsy Homan, and quickly found the benefits from his practice during his senior year in high school. “It was a good counterbalance to cross country and track and swimming and I started to come about once a week,” Caleb said. “Then when I had more free time this summer, I upgraded my membership and I come a lot more.”
When asked what it’s like to practice with his mom, Caleb laughed. “I kind of stick her on this side of the room and I stay on the other side as much as possible. I told her that before I go to college, that we can actually practice next to each other. Sometimes we ride in together and we talk after, but class is a very face-yourself-in-the-mirror situation, so the in-class bonding isn’t really a thing.”
Caleb primarily practices Hot 26 but has recently added in more BLAST classes as well. He hopes to continue practicing a bit while at N.C. State, where he plans to major in economics and history.
HYA: What drew you to HYA, aside from your mom?
Caleb: “I really like the practice. There is a perceived difficulty level, that it’s going to be 105 degrees, it’s going to be 90 minutes. There’s an extremity to it, so definitely sometimes before class it’s like, do I really do this? But when you do it, then it’s fun. It’s a nice setup for the rest of the day.”
HYA: When did you first start practicing?
Caleb: I was first exposed to yoga about 3 years ago, but have been consistently practicing primarily Hot 26 at HYA for a year now.
HYA: What’s your favorite style of class and why?
Caleb: My favorite style is most definitely Hot 26. I enjoy the clarity, consistency, stability, and challenging nature of the practice. It is the 90-minute highlight of my day 3-4 times a week.
HYA: What would be your advice to a new yogi?
Caleb: I would suggest to any new yogi but especially in a heated practice to hydrate and be disciplined. For potential die-hards of 26, I think it is incredibly worthwhile to completely give oneself to the practice. Surrender to the dialog and our kickass teachers as much as possible.
HYA: What do you love about HYA?
Caleb: What I enjoy most at HYA are the fantastic teachers. They are experts in their craft and extraordinarily knowledgeable.
