Each week, we’ll toss out six questions to a local health or fitness expert. Topics will range from new workout trends to healthy eating tips and everything in between. We all have fitness goals: Here’s to helping each other achieve them. 

Much like starting your own restaurant, opening a fitness facility can be daunting. From finding reliable instructors to creating a niche in the industry, there are many factors to take into account. And for Daniel Max opening JP Centre Yoga was no different. So let’s get to know this Boston-based entrepreneur and yogi a bit better, shall we?

Caroline Earle: How long have you been practicing and what made you want to open your own studio?

Daniel Max: Prior to my first yoga class, I had been practicing meditation for about a year and as a result was become increasingly aware of how much tension I was holding in my body.

My first experience of yoga was 13 years ago while in Thailand, amidst of a two-year backpacking adventure. In my first yoga class I felt like I was given the tools to engage areas that felt ‘stuck’ and to release them in a way that felt profoundly healing. I remember feeling incredibly empowered despite the fact that I had no idea what I was doing. I spent the next year teaching myself postures out of an old book.

Then arriving in the US, broke, I’d spend any little money I earned at yoga studios. Practicing in the presence of others developed a desire to contribute more towards social change. I think yoga and community act as key components to a fulfilling life and making that more accessible to others feels important to me.

CE: Are there any specific Boston yogis you admire?

DM: The list is long, filled with both teachers and students alike. The Boston yoga community is filled with practitioners who are doing incredible work instilling mindfulness and yogic values within their personal and professional circles.

When it comes to instructors, I’m personally drawn to those who are skilled at safely advancing their students through intelligent sequencing, and are authentically humble in their leadership. Regardless of the level of physical rigor offered in a class (I love it all – from high intensity to restorative,) I enjoy a teacher who stays true to the practice of harmonizing body, breath and mind.

CE: You’re stranded on a deserted island … What’s one item you would bring?

DM: A sail boat?

CE: What sets JP Centre Yoga apart from other studios?

DM: I’m so incredibly proud of the quality of our teachers and how we all work to compliment each other’s specialties. Our team is built of yoga, bodywork, acupuncture and nutrition practitioners, all working together to support the individual needs of our students.

The students practicing here are what make the place special. We specifically wanted to open in Jamaica plain since this neighborhood shares our ideals of diversity, individuality, and community. These play a central role in the structuring our studio, down to the very layout of the space.

CE: Are there any other types of fitness you partake in (cycling, running, CrossFit, etc.)?

DM: As much as I enjoy them, I don’t attend any specific fitness classes on a regular basis. Daily yoga and meditation keep me both physically and mentally fit, and I lead a fairly active lifestyle by commuting by bicycle to most places.

CE: If you could practice yoga anywhere in the world, where would it be?

DM: Anywhere that might inspire someone else to start practicing as well.

Interested in more? Feel free to contact Daniel on Facebook or email him at daniel@jpcentreyoga.com. You can also find him teaching at JP Centre Yoga the following days and times:

Mondays – 6:30 p.m. – Heated all levels

Tuesdays – 6 p.m. – All levels

Thursday – 9:30 a.m. – All levels

Thursday – 6 p.m. – Fundamentals

Saturday – 9 a.m. – All levels

Sunday – 9:30 a.m. – Heated all levels

Sunday – 11:15 a.m. – Fundamentals