Gilroy Dispatch, March 19, 2021

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A self-proclaimed "cleaning fanatic,"Wendy Mosgrove's reputation has served her well. Especially now in this era of Covid-19, as the owner of Best Yoga Studios in downtown Gilroy is already ahead of the pack.

Mosgrove invested heavily in an HVAC system when she opened the studio at 60 Fourth Street in 2015, which replaces room air every 20 minutes with a mix of fresh and ultraviolet-sanitized air. Two large exhaust fans refresh the air after every class.

Best Yoga Studios reopened on March 15, after Santa Clara moved into the Red Tier of the state's reopening framework 12 days prior, allowing yoga studios to operate indoors with capacity restrictions.

The 3,200-square-foot space offers 25 classes a week, with a 60-minute version of Bikram Yoga and Hot Pilates along with deep-meditative, non-heated Yin Yoga, Hot Fusion, and Hot Power Yoga classes. Temperatures reach 105 degrees Fahrenheit with 40 percent humidity.

Mosgrove said clients range in age from 25 into their 70s, and about two-thirds are women.

Mosgrove, a professional ballerina from Hartford, Conn., was trained as a workout instructor by Jane Fonda in 1981 after she moved to San Francisco. She became interested in hot yoga 13 years ago when she agreed to accompany a friend to a studio in San Jose.

At the time, she suffered from insomnia, took medication for depression, and had limited neck movement as a result of an automobile collision. After 10 days of hot yoga, Mosgrove said she was sleeping through the night, no longer required her medications and had full range of motion.

"I knew it was going to change my life," she said. "This is such a healing type of yoga."

She opened her first studio in Morgan Hill in 2011, and closed it in 2018 after she opened the Gilroy studio.

Participants of Best Yoga Studios are required to practice social distancing, wear masks in the building and undergo temperature checks. Mosgrove provides mats and cleans after each session with a hospital-grade disinfectant.

"We are delighted that we can welcome customers again to a safe, clean studio for practicing hot yoga and Pilates," Mosgrove said. "It has been a difficult year for everyone and we look forward to continuing to expand our services."