Marsha Hartley has a passion for personal health.

It’s a field the Rochester resident has been involved with for years as a yoga and Pilates teacher. She even combines the two for classes, which she calls “yo/lates.” Hartley spends most of her days traveling from Rochester to Carver to other towns near the Cape to teach that passion.

Her newest venture? Teaching Pilates and yoga at Buzzards Bay Play Productions in Wareham on weekday evenings.

Though she teaches at gyms or health centers already, this is only the second time Hartley has leaped into running her own programs.

“Pilates is a full-body workout that creates long, lean muscles,” Hartley says. “It strengthens the core, improves posture and encourages better breathing. I just love it. I love being active and classes like these just keep me going.”

Hartley, a martial artist since 1984, got her start in Pilates and yoga after feeling “burned out” from the tedious weightlifting programs.

“I wanted to slow down,” she says. “I needed something softer on my mind and my body.”

Though it may not be as stressful on the body, she says, Pilates and yoga can be a challenge. One has to remain focused on every stretch and step, staying precise and be aware of each movement.

But the payoffs are worth it.

“A person’s whole body can change,” Hartley says. “I want to share this with people who work all day and feel the need for something different. I’ve been given an awesome gift and want to share that.”

Hartley held a free “Pilates-palooza” at Buzzards Bay Play Productions in December and had nearly 40 people show up. Advertising was mostly word-of-mouth too.

Many of the classes Hartley teaches already take place in the morning or afternoon, and she thinks hosting evening classes will bring in more people.

The classes started Monday and will run for six weeks.

“People are responding,” Hartley says. “I hope I can share it with a whole different population.”

Hartley will also host a $4 “yoga-palooza” February 11.

For more information on the yoga and Pilates classes, call Marsha at 508-322-0998 or download a PDF of the fees and schedule below.