I have made a mental list of older people who have aged gracefully and that I would like to be like when I get older. These are folks who stay active, look great, and only get better as the years go by. Two of the people on the list are Bruce and Trudy Swenk, owners and teachers at Bikram Yoga Studios in Greensboro and Winston-Salem.

My first time at the studio, I noticed that the Swenks can bend their bodies in ways my 30-year-old body could not, and they always have a youthful glow to their skin. The Swenks found their fountain of youth with Bikram Yoga and have enjoyed sharing it with the Triad for the past 14 years.

“It’s one of those things,” said Bruce. “After you do it the first time, you can’t put your finger on it, but something in life is better. It kind of found us. Yoga has a way of finding you.”

The Swenks are trained and certified in a type of yoga created by Bikram Choudhury. This yoga involves two breathing exercises and a sequence of 26 yoga postures.

“These specific postures … systematically work every part of the body to give all the internal organs, all the veins, all the ligaments, and all the muscles everything they need to maintain optimum health and maximum function,” said Choudhury in his book, “Bikram Yoga.”

If you have tried other types of yoga, you may be wondering what the big deal is about this type. The big difference is the 105-degree room. The heat helps protect your muscles to allow for a deeper stretch, it detoxifies the body, and it increases your heart rate for a better cardiovascular workout.

Kelly House ’04 finds the multiple benefits to be a major selling point.

“There was something about being able to detox, exercise, stretch, and get it all done in an hour and a half,” said House.

Alexandra Umstead, a Bikram Yoga teacher, has done marathons, strength training, aerobics, and boot camps. Umstead was not interested in yoga until she found Bikram Yoga.

“I think it takes much longer to realize the true benefits the less frequently you practice,” said Umstead. “I became more centered emotionally, I started to sleep better, I lost over 20 pounds, some of my physical problems began to resolve, and I was in general a happier person.”

Attending a class, you see a range of ages and hear a variety of reasons why people attend.

Senior Daryn Lane liked the overall feeling of trying Bikram Yoga.

“I enjoyed the feeling that I was doing something that was good for my body and my emotional, spiritual, and mental well-being all at once,” said Lane. “Bikram definitely helped with my ability to focus on my studies.”

Swenk speaks highly of any young person that attends a class, especially if they make it a regular practice.

“It takes a very astute young person to recognize that this would be good for them,” said Swenk. “If you start out with no issues, you will continue to have a great body. It’s also going to give you a discipline that’s unmatched.”

Bikram Yoga has versatility for the young and old alike.

“I like what it does for me,” said 60-year-old Stephen Young. “I’m trying to hold onto something for my later years and I was leading up to having surgery for my sciatic pain. The spine strengthening series in class has helped me a lot.”

Bikram Yoga has something for everyone. If you have the same goal to age gracefully that I do, and you want to learn from some of the best in the Triad, then you definitely should check out Bikram Yoga Studios.

For information for first time students, what to bring, and more go to http://bikramyogawinstonsalem.com/bikram-yoga.asp