Our Teachers

Oliver

Owner & Instructor

Today, as always, I am at service.

My purpose here is rooted in a simple instinct: to provide – Life, Nourishment, and always Love, to the space & to the community.

I’ve learned that chasing “motivation” or imagining some future version of success pulls us away from what actually transforms us. Real change comes from showing up, being present, and giving fully to the moment in front of you. When we focus on providing rather than striving, everything we need arrives naturally.

Sweet Heat Hot Yoga functions on this principle. My intention is to hold a space where you feel supported, challenged, and deeply connected to your own potential. In each class, my goal is to guide you with clarity, honesty, and compassion — so that what you practice here strengthens how you live out there.

I’m honored to welcome you into this community and grateful for the opportunity to serve.

ASHLEY

Teaching Since 2014

I began my yoga journey in 2011. I was looking for this kind of yoga; I just didn’t know it yet. Starting with the Intro special, I jumped on a 60-day Challenge in 2012 – after that, I was hooked. I practiced as often as I could and watched as my life slowly transformed for the better.

This yoga is extremely challenging but worth every bit of effort you put into it. I became a certified Bikram Yoga instructor in 2014 to help people heal themselves through yoga. Anyone can try this class, and it’s my mission to teach and encourage the patience, self-control, faith, concentration, and determination required to succeed. See you in the hot room!

Janie

Teaching Since 2018

I’ve been practicing Bikram Yoga since 2009, first arriving in the hot room to explore healing options for my injured runner’s joints (hips, knees, lower back) while maintaining a challenging physical workout. This powerful series of asanas has offered me both and more. The studio quickly became my favorite place, a consistent high point of my day. When I walk out the door, I strive to maintain that magical yoga feeling (uplifted and grounded, strong and relaxed, focused and peaceful).

I completed my teacher training in September of 2018, and I’m deeply honored and grateful to bear witness and offer support to all students of this practice.

LESLIE

Teaching Since 2000

I began doing yoga in 1999 as a way to cross-train and heal some minor sports injuries. When I discovered Bikram yoga, I intrinsically knew there was something far more powerful happening. What I received in return for my efforts far surpassed what I thought was possible from a yoga class. What do you need? Yoga can show you the way.

I hold degrees in kinesiology and exercise physiology. I have been teaching Bikram Yoga since 2000 and teaching at Sweet Heat Hot Yoga since 2013. It is my greatest joy to help people understand the miraculous workings of the human body!

MIKE

Teaching Since 2022

I’ve practiced various forms of yoga asana for over 20 years. Finally in 2022 the call to teach brought me to the Ghosh Yoga Institute where I earned my 200 hour certificate. I have been teaching at Sweet Heat ever since.

Welcome Everybody! These are words that have guided my teaching philosophy from the beginning. I am here for you in your practice. To guide you, encourage you, and celebrate your accomplishments in this yoga asana. This movement is important, profound, and fun. It has helped me and countless others realize more of what they are capable of. Humility, discipline, and curiosity is all it takes to succeed. See you on your mat. Cheers!

Judy

Teaching Since 2003

Judy was not always a yoga teacher; she worked for 20 years in the semiconductor industry. She started practicing Bikram Yoga to relieve stress and stay in shape. It hit home on a business trip on 9/11; life is short, and you need to follow your passion. She loved Bikram Yoga but felt a need to explore the wide range of yoga options. In 2003, she completed a Yoga Alliance 200-hour teacher certification from the Carmel Yoga Center. It was a great introduction to the many styles of yoga, but deep in her heart, Judy knew her calling was Bikram Yoga.

In January 2004, she moved to LA for nine weeks to study with Bikram Choudhury and received her teacher’s certification. Judy wants to share the physical and mental healing of Bikram Yoga with everyone. It’s more than getting fit; it’s about learning to listen to your body, realize you are stronger than you think, and follow your heart.

Melinda

Teaching Since 2010

Hello yogis. I completed teacher training in 2010 and have been teaching at studios in the South Bay since. I believe that these 26 asanas and two breathing techniques that we practice are life-changing. So much is accomplished in 90 minutes in the hot room. Our bodies and minds change as we dedicate ourselves to returning to the mat again and again. I practice meditation (zen/vipassana). For me, this is a perfect complement to the Bikram series. Bringing the mind into the body using the breath is a beautiful thing.

I enjoy hiking, swimming in the ocean, boogie boarding, and taking care of two goats, two puppies, and one husband. I look forward to meeting you all in the Sweet Heat hot room – namaste.

alyx

Teaching Since 2024

I began teaching group fitness classes in 2000, became a certified personal trainer in 2005, and began practicing Ashtanga yoga around that time, receiving my first 200-hour yoga teacher certificate in 2016. While teaching, I took my yoga practice to a new level and had to work through some injuries. In 2018, I visited Sweet Heat Hot Yoga and loved it! I would practice sporadically and eventually realize how good I felt and that I was healing my injuries from Ashtanga with Bikram Yoga. I saw the diversity of students in every class and realized that if yoga were a part of my life forever, this is where I needed to be.

After consistent practice for six years, I decided to get my Bikram Yoga Teacher Training certificate in Fall 2024, and it is, by far, one of the best decisions I’ve ever made.

Grace

Teaching Since 2013

I began practicing yoga in 2003 and, while I enjoy many other types of movement and meditation, yoga has been the constant that has kept me grounded for more than 20 years. After years of Ashtanga practice, I was introduced to the 26+2 series in 2007 and was immediately hooked. The heat, therapeutic sequence, deliberate pace, and the distraction-free environment unlocked a new level of mind-body connection I had not yet experienced.

I completed a 200-hour teacher training program in Nashville, TN in 2013 and became certified in Vinyasa, 26+2, and restorative practices. As a former massage therapist with training in anatomy & physiology, kinesiology, and Ayurveda, teaching yoga has been a natural continuation of my holistic health journey. I am thrilled to be able to share my love for this practice with our community!