"I had fractured my L1-L4 in a bicycling accident and was doing physical therapy exercises daily to help ease the constant ache of my back. I wanted a yoga mat for the physical therapy, so I wandered into a Hot Yoga studio to buy one. They didn't have any mats, but it was so hot I had to ask just what they did there," Beth says.

Once the instructor explained Bikram Yoga, Beth said she thought it would be easy. "The first class I took kicked my butt to the extent that I was exhausted, went home and collapsed into bed: no shower, no food, just sleep!" Beth loves a challenge so she continued through two weeks of soreness and kept trying. "I have always wanted a career that was physical and helped others, and I love the challenges, so teacher training seemed a natural choice."

Beth's favorite posture is Awkward Pose (Utkatasana). "New students always have a pose that they can do well even on the first day and awkward has been that pose for me," Beth says. "It is a challenging pose for the legs, but I have always had the leg strength to hold it. The challenge was lifting the heels and knees in the second part of the posture and being able to hold it. My teacher would hold my feet up as I sat down to train me."

Beth's recommendation for students new to this pose is: "Try to sit down lower and lift heels as you do. If you fall, you did a good job. You will not know your limits until you push them."

Many students come to Bikram Yoga with physical challenges and Beth is no exception. She has arthritis in the knees from two surgeries, as well as soreness in her lower back. As long as she continues to practice, the pain in both knees and back is controlled.

Originally from Chagrin Falls, OH, Beth's yoga instruction has taken her to Seattle, WA; San Francisco, CA; Phoenix, Pacifica and Chagrin Falls. In the past, she served as a crew leader on the Appalachian Trail for three years and sold heavy construction equipment. "I enjoy working in a man's world and proving that a woman can do just as well or better," she says.