Kristin Olsen, owner/director
Bikram Yoga Teacher Certification (500 hours), Graduated Spring 2001
Re-certification, USA Yoga Judges training & Advanced Seminars:
Los Angeles (2003, 2004), Hawaii (2005), Las Vegas (2006), Acapulco (2008),
Palm Desert (2009), Barcelona (2010), Malta (2011), Croatia (2012)
Inferno Hot Pilates Training:
Las Vegas (Summer 2015), Memphis (Spring 2016)
Raja Yoga Academy - Faculty position, therapeutic core 26 hot yoga training:
Gold Coast, Australia (Spring 2016)
Owner/Director, Kristin Lowenberg Olsen received her Bachelor of Science in Speech Communication from the University of Nebraska.
Kristin began teaching cardio fitness and dance in Nebraska as a college student. Once a full time mom, she continued to teach as an AFAA certified cardio instructor, in Atlanta, and Chicago. It was the Bikram method however, that finally gave Kristin a way to share a therapeutic/cardio endeavor, for anyone, at any fitness level.
In December 2001 Kristin formed Hot Spot Yoga LLC. "I enjoyed taking yoga classes of all kinds, but ultimately got the results I needed from the Pure Bikram 90 series, so that is what I decided to share and keep sharing with my community." "Maintaining a personal long-term practice, and getting back to the source of my training every year, has been a very important part of my personal growth as an instructor." Incorporating the Inferno Hot Pilates therapeutic cross training option in 2016 for myself and my students has been an added blessing for the studio.”
Kristin has had the honor to teach thousands of students in the Louisville area, and guest teach and practice at wonderful Bikram Yoga Studios in the US and Europe.
“Sharing the love, with the people and community we love, is what Hot Spot Yoga is all about.”
KRISTY MERCKER, Senior Teacher
Bikram Yoga Teacher Certification (500 hours)
Graduated 2002, Recertified 2006
Kristy took her first yoga class 18 years ago and has been an avid practitioner ever since. She was instantly drawn into the awesome, therapeutic work-out and the blissful state yoga produces. She then became passionate about sharing this with others. In 2002, Kristy completed the 9 week, 500 hour yoga certification course with Bikram Choudhury in Los Angeles. In 2006, she was recertified by Bikram and has been back to international headquarters on several occasions to study further and take the advanced classes with Emmy Cleave and Rajashree Choudhury. Kristy teaches yoga from the heart. She has worked with a wide array of students, ranging from professional athletes to brand new students. She believes yoga is for everybody; young, old, flexible, inflexible. Yoga is a gift that keeps on giving and it’s never too late to begin! Kristy is also a ballroom dance and country western dance competitor. She currently competes with her partner Spencer Cottrell at various competitions around the USA. Their most recent accomplishment in finishing 3rd place at the 2015 UCWDC World Championships in the Newcomer Division. Prior to ballroom, Kristy was a professional flamenco dancer. She credits her yoga practice with allowing her to enjoy a long, healthy dance career.
Kristin swan, ihp instructor and mentoring bikram Teacher
Inferno Hot Pilates Training - July 2017 - Hot Spot Yoga, Louisville
After 11 years of a regular and strong practice at our studio, Kristin inspires participants to achieve their goals in IHP classes and has been working with senior teachers at BYL to share Pure Bikram classes with the Louisville community. Kristin’s interest in running and aerobics influenced her college studies where she received her Bachelor of Science from Valparaiso University in Physical Education and Exercise Physiology. After college she received her ACE (American Council on Exercise) certification and taught a variety of exercise classes including hi/low impact aerobics, step aerobics, and aqua aerobic classes. Working in Corporate Fitness and Wellness programming in Chicago for several years she was able to influence many in the benefits of a healthy lifestyle. Then after running the Chicago Marathon in the fall of 1997 she moved to Louisville and ran the Mini-marathon in the spring of 1998. Years later after moving to Crestwood she attended her first Bikram Yoga 90 class in 2006 and instantly fell in love with the challenge of the practice. She has been practicing at the Hot Spot regularly ever since and enjoys the numerous positive effects that a regular practice has had in her life. In 2016 she started attending IHP and sees the benefits of cross training HP with her Bikram practice. Kristin truly believes that as you age you "use it or lose it" when it comes to both the health of your body and your mind. The Bikram Yoga series and IHP, combined with the heat, provides a complete workout both physically and mentally. Working physically on cardiovascular strength, muscle strength, balance, and flexibility, while simultaneously working on mental focus and maintaining calm controlled breathing allows her time to really center on herself. She knows that this time set aside for herself then benefits her family and those around her everyday when she can share her best with them.
adam Hedges, bikram Teacher
Hot 26 Certification 2019 (200 hours)
Adam’s yoga journey began 10 years ago when a friend invited him to a Bikram class. He knew little about yoga, and even less about HOT yoga, but made the choice to step outside his comfort zone and attend. Much to his surprise, he fell in love with the Hot 26 series. From that day forward he continued to show up on his mat, and the love for his practice grew. He decided to dive deeper, completing a 200-hr Vinyasa yoga teacher training in 2015, and deeper still with an additional 50-hr Yin and 200-hr Hot 26 in 2019.
Adam’s goal as a teacher is to make a difference in the lives of his students by providing an outlet for them to feel safe and to experience personal transformation. He wants to show people that through a consistent yoga practice they will be able to better manage and/or overcome the stresses of life, ADHD, anxiety, depression, chronic pain, and so much more.
Outside of yoga, Adam likes to hangout with his dogs, enjoy music, bourbon and watching anything from The Real Housewives franchise
mary ann arnett, bikram teacher
May of 2019 marked Mary Ann’s 19th year as a teacher in the Louisville community with over 31 years of experience in the fitness field. She taught aerobics years ago and found yoga through a Raquel Welch home tape. It was love at first sight. She immediately started incorporating yoga in a semi-heated room, and the rest is history. Mary Ann loves the practices so much, she wishes for a super power that would allow her to move a myriad of personalities, shapes and sizes of people to help them all fall in love with hot yoga. If that’s a super power, then Mary Ann is our resident Wonder Woman. After all these years and her hundreds of hours of training, her roots stay true to Bikram Yoga because of the changes she’s witnessed in people almost immediately with regular practice. And in 19 years, she’s had a lot of students, witnessed a lot of transformations, and inspired many of those students to become teachers. Her smile is infectious. Her spirit is striking. And her voice has the ability to command a room with a combination of wisdom and humility.
Kristie Fithian, ihp instructor
Inferno Hot Pilates Training - April 2017 - Bikram Yoga, Toledo
I began my yoga journey in 2009. It has become a huge part of my life. It has helped me grow stronger, both on and off my mat. It has taught me so many things about myself and how to become a better person inside and outside of the yoga room.
Inferno Hot Pilates was introduced to me summer of 2016. I found that the cross train of the Pilates and yoga made me feel "complete" physically. I wanted to share that feeling with others. I attended my Inferno Hot Pilates training in April of 2017.
In my classes, I love to combine creative sequencing, the spirit of playfulness and a dose of inspiration while guiding students through their journey. My hope is that they step off their mat feeling awesome and sweaty from an incredible workout.
Travis arkon, ihp instructor
Inferno Hot Pilates Training - July 2017 - Hot Spot Yoga, Louisville
Travis works in the corporate world as a Recruiting Manager for an IT Staffing and Consulting firm, but her passion is teaching Inferno Hot Pilates. Travis has always been active and spent most of her teenage years and adult life running. She has completed 5 marathons and many half marathons. While training for her last marathon in 2014 she was also taking Bikram Yoga classes at Bikram Yoga Louisville. She found incorporating Bikram Yoga into her running made her faster and greatly reduced her recovery time. Since 2014 Travis has been a regular at Bikram Yoga Louisville (with occasional runs) and immediately fell in love with Inferno Hot Pilates. When the opportunity to train as an instructor was discussed, Travis signed up immediately! Travis is now a regular on the calendar teaching Inferno Hot Pilates. She loves guiding students through the high intensity, low impact, fun workout and gets great satisfaction hearing that students love her class and appreciate her instruction. Maybe one day Travis will make it to Bikram training as well…