Practice Yoga is a vibrant, friendly community of yogis of all shapes, sizes and ages dedicated to health, wellness and transformation through powerful and proven yogic practices.
Located at 504 E. 5th St. in the Oregon District, they just celebrated their 6th birthday! As part of their celebration they are offering a Summer Pass: Two months of unlimited classes for $150 (you save $26) AND a sweet PY tank top! Buy anytime through June8; your pass activates on first visit.
This seemed like a good time to get to know owner Kathi Kizirnis, so we asked her to do a MostMetro.com 10 ? interview! And she did! Meet Kathy:
Growing up, what did you want to do for a living? 
I wanted to be a doctor: brain surgeon, no less! Now I study ‘rewiring’ the brain in much different ways…
How did you get into yoga?
I started with prenatal yoga, hoping to relieve aches and pains. It was a crappy VHS tape with a fairly well-known teacher named Alan Finger. It worked!
For someone who’s never tried yoga- why should they?
Oh, my. How much space do you have? The physical and mental benefits are well-documented: strength, flexibility, balance, improved stress response, immune function, etc. What’s not so obvious is the “hidden” practice … the changes in perspective, in behavior and, if you’re paying enough attention, biomechanics (how you sit, stand and move) that come with self-study. For me it’s about observation: If you find a new sense of wonder in how the body works, how your mind works, how they work together and how you interact with the world, that’s invaluable, whether or not you ever master headstand or the splits. Self-care and self-study are the real rewards.
Six years in, what advice do you wish someone had given you before you started your business?
Worry less and work more. Other than that, nothing, because every business is unique — especially small businesses — and there are few, if any, “magic bullets” that work for all.
What’s the most rewarding part of owning Practice Yoga?Our amazing community. Having a space in which to meet and connect with a wide variety of people in a super-relaxed and casual environment. The “Third Space,” or home away from home. Priceless.
The most frustrating?
The nuts and bolts of running and building business on a small budget. Also, it’s difficult to provide services for those who can’t afford studio classes. Yoga is and should be for everyone, but the reality is that quality continuing education is expensive, and teachers need to be paid what they’re worth. Plus, we’ve gotta keep the lights on. I’m working on expanding our community-outreach programs, though, to provide classes for underserved and in-need populations, including veterans, the mentally challenged and kids with attention disorders/behavioral problems.
What would you tell others about owning a business in downtown?
I wouldn’t do this anywhere else. The ‘burbs might be more lucrative, but the people who live, work and venture downtown bring a special spirit to the studio, and want to support other downtown businesses. There’s a palpable sense of community and optimism, a kind of pioneering spirit. People talk to each other. And we’ve never had safety issues.
What do you do when you play hooky from work? 
Um, yoga 🙂 And housework, and hang out with my husband, kids, cats and rabbit (none of whom practice yoga).
If you weren’t in the Yoga business, what would you be doing for a living?
Writing and editing, or physical therapy.
What 3 places in the Dayton Region should visitors not miss?
Roost Modern Italian in the Oregon District; any of the MetroParks; Second Street Market; Neon Movies (I’m not great with numbers).
