East Brainerd residents Tammy and Johnny Martin teach yoga to children ages 3-16 at area schools, day care centers, churches, birthday parties and more.
Young Yogaletts owner Johnny Martin leads children in a stretching exercise during one of his yoga classes. Young Yogaletts owner Johnny Martin leads children in a stretching exercise during one of his yoga classes.Owner: Johnny Martin
Opened: 2017
Background: Johnny Martin and wife Tammy, administrator and co-instructor for the business, previously worked in the health and fitness industry as trainers and consultants. Johnny Martin, a resident of East Brainerd, started Young Yogaletts about a year ago after reading numerous studies on the benefits of yoga for children, which include higher self-esteem and increased self-awareness, flexibility and ability to concentrate, he said.
“We both have a love for mentoring and working with children,” said Tammy Martin, who is also a teacher at Barger Academy of Fine Arts.
What they offer: Young Yogaletts teaches yoga to kids ages 3-16 at day cares and learning centers, churches, expos, birthday parties, and summer and after-school programs across the Chattanooga area. The business also does mommy-and-me classes.
Classes are typically held weekly and range from 45 minutes to an hour depending on the age group. They begin with breathing exercises, which help the children deal with anxiety, Johnny Martin said. The students then go through yoga poses while being read to from an age-appropriate books, such as “The Very Hungry Caterpillar.” Games and dance are also incorporated into each lesson.
“Once they learn to breathe, they focus a whole lot better,” said Johnny Martin, who stays abreast of the evolving world of yoga by training at East Brainerd studio Thrive Yoga and Wellness. “With a lot of kids, we’ve noticed their behavior has changed tremendously on the positive side. Wherever we go, providers are realizing that yoga is something that the children need.”
Contact: Email youngyogaletts@gmail.com, call 544-5418 or visit youngyogaletts.com.