Martin Hunke

Even though I had never met Martin Hunke, my instinct told me he was the one carrying the motorcycle helmet into Grace Cathedral Park that afternoon.

“Riding a motorcycle was my first experience with meditation,” he would later tell me. “I really enjoy riding, but I’m not concerned with or commenting on the coolness of it – I’m just doing it.”

As a devoted yoga teacher for many years and founder of Inner Heat Yoga in Berkeley, Martin has become a well-known face among the Bay Area yogic scene.

From Germany to Yoga: Martin’s Early Path

Born in Germany, Martin Hunke came to the States to pursue a master’s degree in Computer Science at Carnegie Mellon University in Pennsylvania. Having suffered from scoliosis for years, Martin tried yoga to get some relief.

He began Iyengar classes with Dean Lerner and was hungry to learn more. Dean suggested he go to India to study with Mr. Iyengar himself.

A Handwritten Letter from Mr. Iyengar

“I wrote him a letter; it is so funny in retrospect,” laughed Martin. “He sweetly wrote back, with a handwritten letter, in about two weeks. He must have written it right away. He said, ‘I’m very happy to hear of your enthusiasm, but I don’t teach beginners.’”

Mr. Iyengar suggested that Martin take a teacher training course first and then come to study with him in India.

A New Direction in San Francisco

On his way to Australia, Martin stopped over in San Francisco to take a two-year teacher training course. “I just wanted to have more knowledge to fix my scoliosis. I had no intention of teaching. Frankly, I found teaching to be the most boring job.”

To his surprise, teaching became a requirement during the program, helping him overcome his shyness.

Founding Inner Heat Yoga

Realizing he enjoyed helping others, Martin shifted away from a computer science career and opened Inner Heat Yoga in Berkeley. “When I thought about what kind of studio I would like if

I were still a student, it became clear that I didn’t want the things that were typically offered. Drop-in classes left me feeling as if I wasn’t going anywhere [with my practice].”

Meeting Zhander Remete and the Shadow Yoga Path

In 1995, Martin met his current teacher, Zhander Remete of Australia, who shifted his yogic interests toward Shadow Yoga. “I started as a very controlling, type-A personality in yoga.

Zhander influenced me so strongly that I stopped fishing for more advanced poses. Instead, he would advise me to go back to the basics and truly master those.”

Martin’s Philosophy on Yoga Practice

“People would do well to focus more on how they feel, not how they look, in a pose,” Martin shares. “Advancing in yoga is not about doing more difficult poses; it is about continually increasing one’s awareness.”

He adds, “Some people just want to turn off their minds. They don’t want to hear a teacher talk too much or think during practice. I really expect my students to bring themselves in and really try.”

Inner Heat Yoga’s Unique Approach

While Inner Heat offers daily drop-in classes for Iyengar and Ashtanga, the studio is best known for its immersion programs. With as little as a four-week commitment, students can deepen their practice under focused guidance.

“For those ready to take their practice seriously, no matter their fitness level or yoga experience, it’s the perfect opportunity to connect with a studio and teacher committed to long-term growth.”

Yoga’s Impact on Scoliosis

Just how is Martin Hunke’s scoliosis doing these days? “When I applied for a Green Card, they did an upper body x-ray to check for tuberculosis, etc.

I asked to see it because I had scoliosis and wanted to see how the yoga was helping. The doctor came back and said there was no x-ray with scoliosis. The curvature had dramatically changed.”

According to Martin, asymmetrical poses have been most effective in healing his scoliosis. These poses allow for independent focus on each side of the body, addressing imbalances.

Guiding Students Beyond the Pose

“I think one of the biggest obstacles is that the average student today is not given a map of where a yoga practice is supposed to lead,” Martin says. “You need a teacher who is willing to look beyond the social conformity of a student-teacher relationship; someone who will find out what your problems are.”

“I’m not interested in giving people a specific sequence but in showing them their habits and how they show up on the mat. That is what this studio is about – creating a place for someone who wants to change.”

Continuing the Journey in Tucson

Martin Hunke currently teaches in Tucson, Arizona, where he continues to inspire students with his thoughtful approach to yoga and life.

Innerheatyoga.com – Victoria Everman is an active member of the yoga and creative communities in San Francisco, working as a writer, model, environmentalist.

Read next >> Yoga In Bed