I teach a class called Muscle & Flow [yes, like Hustle & Flow]. I often give the caveat before we start class that one should not expect to hear “yoga music” just in case someone hasn’t read the description ahead of time. See, the thing is, I fell in love with yoga my senior year in college (late 90’s), not because it was a fad, it wasn’t really quite yet, but because it helped me cope with severe anxiety. But, I fell in love with hip hop in the mid 80’s (ish), not because it was a fad, it wasn’t yet, but because beats and rhymes were life. I am a yogi and a hip hop head. 

What brought me to my yoga mat back in 1999 wasn’t the allure of a trend. It wasn’t the desire to do dope-looking poses for pictures (social media didn’t exist back then!) It wasn’t the hope for a yogini’s body. It wasn’t even the want for more flexibility. It was quite literally the need for breath. 

Ah, the elusive headstand. It is often perceived as simultaneously alluring and frightening and for that reason can either bring people into class or drive them away. I’ve watched the pure joy in people’s faces when they get into their headstand for the first time and also witnessed the frustration of repeated attempts. At the end of the day, the headstand is not a make or break pose for your practice. [Spoiler alert: there are no make or break your practice poses!] You are still just as much of a yogi as anyone else if you can’t get into a headstand, I promise. 

In our new Realtalk Fitness series, we're sharing the realities of being a fitness instructor today. We know it takes a lot of effort to create a lasting career with a steady following, and we want to shed light on what it’s really like.

Sometimes yoga props get a bad rep. This is not always the case, and it’s not true for all form of yoga. There are actually some styles that are built on the use of props. But sometimes in flow or power-style classes, props such as blocks and straps carry a “beginner” stigma.

It’s been four months since I tore my hamstring tendons while running. Ouch. It has not been an easy injury to recover from. Though I’m grateful for being as healthy as I am and for being on the mend since the day of the injury. I’ve learned a lot in the process about recovery. While I would never wish an injury upon anyone, if it does happen to you, here are seven lessons that might be useful:

Need to freshen up your standard upper body routine? Here are four variations on classic upper body moves that will add some variety to your workout. All five of these exercises can be performed on their own, or you can combine them to build a routine. Even though it's not "new," we start with the basic push-up because it's always awesome and relevant, then continue to add from there.

Can't stand the thought of burpees? Does the idea make you want to unlace your sneakers and dive into bed? Well, do you realize they're 100% portable, 100% free and 100% effective? 

I absolutely love this time of year. While I reserve "the most wonderful time of year" title for March Madness, this is definitely a close second. Regardless of the holidays you celebrate, we're all in the season of festive everything. 

So, why not a "festive" workout too?

Playgrounds are not just child's play, y'all. I mean, they are, but that's not all they are. 

Sure, playgrounds are where we take kids to run, climb, jump, swing and hang to get them active, but just because we aren't little kids anymore doesn't mean we can't do the same for ourselves, right?

Oh, burpees. It’s no secret that many people either love to hate them or just actually hate them. I used to think that I fell in the “love to hate them” camp ... that is, until I realized that I actually love to love them! 

Excuse me while I burpee swoon. Seriously. I actually love them. How? Why? I mean aside from the fact that we know they provide a super portable and effective (kick ass!) workout...

I have never really been a fan of New Year’s resolutions, not because I don’t like goal-setting, but simply because I don’t think you need a certain day to do it. Starting over, starting fresh, or however you want to phrase it, can be done at any moment of any day. The beginning of a calendar year just seems arbitrary to me in this regard. That being said, I get the whole concept of reflecting on a year that is ending and awaiting another that is beginning.