About Us

In March 1993 in the city of San Francisco, Marit Sathrum, the founder of Inner Fire Yoga, walked into Bikram's Yoga College of India for her first ever yoga class. Half way through the first exercise which was pranayama deep breathing, she was hooked. Almost immediately she participated in a 30-day yoga challenge which resulted in countless benefits: she quit smoking, lost 17 pounds, gained nearly an inch in height from improved posture, plus she felt a new sense of well-being and confidence.

In 1997 as a result of the clarity gained from a regular yoga practice, Marit made a life-changing decision. She quit her job as an equity analyst in the investment banking industry and enrolled in a 500-hour teacher training program at Bikram's Yoga College of India in Los Angeles.

In August 2000 Marit gave birth to a son in San Francisco. One year later, on the eve of 9/11, she became a single mother. It seemed to Marit as if the world was crashing down around her. So she took a close look at life and decided to return to her Midwestern roots to raise her son, choosing Madison for her home.

While visiting Madison in June 2002 in order to job- and house- hunt, Marit came across a for lease sign as she drove by what would become Inner Fire Yoga's first location on University Avenue near Midvale Blvd. With great faith, she borrowed money from several credit cards in order to build the space into a yoga studio. She opened the doors of Bikram Yoga Madison on October 14, 2002, employing three Bikram Yoga teachers, Darlene Vanderhoop, Maira Rivera and Carrie Newton.

The studio's name changed to Inner Fire Yoga in 2007 in order to reflect the wider offerings of yoga styles then offered at the studio, including Original Hot Yoga, Power Flow and Yin Yoga, as well as to reflect the deeper meaning of yoga – to burn off impurities that block the "inner fire". Then, to bridge the divide between those who practiced Original Hot Yoga and those who chose Power Flow Yoga, Marit choreographed the signature Inner Fire Flow sequence with help by a few senior instructors. Also in 2007, the flagship studio moved to its current location on University Ave and Whitney Way.

In 2013, Marit took over a failing studio in the Lucky Building in the center of the UW campus, downtown Madison. This location, known as Inner Fire Yoga's Campus Studio, operated successfully until 2020, when it closed due to the pandemic. In December 2018, Inner Fire Yoga East opened in the Marling building on East Washington Ave.

In March 2020, both studios closed down temporarily during the height of the Covid-19 pandemic. All yoga offerings were converted to a virtual class setting, or outdoors with safe social distancing. After 1.5 very difficult years (and thanks to the many generous members who kept their memberships active and helped keep Inner Fire Yoga afloat) the studios finally reopened with health & safety measures in place (yes, we did Hot Yoga with masks on – now that's dedication!). Slowly, the studios started to feel like themselves again, eventually bouncing back stronger than ever.

In March of 2026, Marit sold the East side studio business to long-time employee, yoga teacher, and Director of Marketing and Operations, Hannah Moran. Hannah and Marit are now partners in the ownership and operations of Inner Fire Yoga. Today, Inner Fire Yoga continues to offer Original Hot, Power Flow, Inner Fire Flow, Slow Flow, and Yin Yoga, as well as a 200-hour yoga teacher certification program since 2011, retreats, workshops and fundraising events.

Since day one, Inner Fire Yoga has been committed to serving the Madison community with an authentic yoga experience at the highest level of expertise and integrity. The entire staff strives to encourage, guide and motivate the community to achieve healthy bodies, clear minds, and generous hearts through a disciplined yoga practice.