“It happened by chance,” Sowers said. “My husband and I were living in the cities, and we were going to move back to New Ulm. And the place that I took yoga at, Core Power Yoga, was offering teacher training. And I was like, ‘I’ll give it a whirl.'”

Power Haus Yoga is celebrating its ninth anniversary this July and is continuing to grow.

“After I took the training, friends and family nudged me to start teaching,” Sowers said. “So I started teaching at German Park and started making connections.”

Power Haus Yoga currently has a space in the WELLness Collective building on South Minnesota Street.

“We started off in a smaller studio [in the WELLness Collective building], but we needed a bigger space,” Sowers said. “So we renovated this area to become a studio space. Then of course COVID happened, and that changed everything. So we switched to virtual classes for two years, and then I went to parking lot classes, and now we’re back in studio for three or four years now. That’s been really great to see people come back or just new people coming.”

Power Haus Yoga puts on classes in the morning on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays and in the afternoon on Mondays and Wednesdays. A typical class could be divided into one of several types of exercise.

“I used to do just sculpting yoga,” Sowers said. “And now I have a low impact class and a HIIT [High Intensity Interval Training] class and some different types of yoga classes too … Sculpt is a mixture of yoga, free weights and cardio, weights totally optional and cardio there’s lots of options given.

“You don’t need to be experienced in yoga to take these classes. They are fast-paced and set to up-beat music to get your heart pumping. The other types of classes are low impact, meaning no jumping, but still high-intensity, and then we have our HIIT Plus class, it’s usually a theme added to it.”

Sowers is introducing a few new things to help celebrate the anniversary.

“I’m doing some outdoor classes in Sleepy Eye and a Sunday Series in German Park on Sundays,” she said.

Power Haus Yoga classes typically have between a handful and a dozen members in each class, with any adult welcome to join. Over the years, Sowers has seen her students grow in both numbers and in their wellness journeys.

“Just seeing the yogis grab a heavier set of weights — I had to purchase 25-pound weights now because they are just growing so much — they are not just going to the three-pounders, they are climbing and going to the heavier weights,” Sowers said. “That’s been fun to see. Or they try doing push-ups from their toes and from their knees, so it’s been great to see their growth over the years.”

One such long-term student, Samantha Wilfahrt, said Power Haus Yoga is an excellent opportunity for those looking to improve their fitness goals and encourages others to try it out.

“I attend Marja’s classes consistently in the mornings before the busy day of work and kids,” Wilfahrt said. “It’s been a game changer for me with my health journey and taking time for myself. I look forward to the accountability, group of women that go, and the energy she brings to class.

“I would encourage anyone who wants to try something new and feel supported to try her classes,” she said. “I think there are a lot of people looking for a group fitness that fits them and want to incorporate something into their exercise or wellness routine. Be prepared to feel accomplished and sweaty when you walk out. It might feel intimidating at first, but I can guarantee you won’t regret it after your first class.”