We are happy to announce Johanna as our featured March Yogi! She's recently completed the 30 Day Yoga Challenge and we've had the pleasure of being a part of her amazing transformation!

 

Q:  Where are you from?

A:  I'm originally from Pasadena, CA. I have also lived in the bay area and I am currently in Downtown LA.

 

Q:  Why did you start practicing yoga? How often do you practice each week?

A:  I took my first yoga class in 2011 when I was planning my wedding. I thought it would be a good stress reliever (it was!). But I didn't start practicing seriously until I started at tYp last August as cross-training for a half-marathon. I became hooked! I just completed the 30 Day Yoga Challenge which was amazing, and really expanded my practice. It helped me to feel more confident about practicing at home a little every day. I try to do 2 classes a week.

 

Q:  Have you noticed any changes in your life since you started regularly practicing yoga?

A:  Physically, I have generally increased my strength, but I think the most noticeable difference to me has been an improvement in my overall posture. I'm on the tall side and tend to hunch a bit, but yoga has helped to correct that. Mentally, yoga has increased my energy and reduced my stress. I work in a very high-pressure job and I find that I am able to let go of stress a lot more when I am regularly practicing yoga.

 

Q: What do you like most about attending classes at tYp?

 

A: The instructors! Everyone brings a little something different to their classes. Denise is great at inspiring me to push my endurance levels. Danielle has helped my form tremendously. Jino is so patient, and he always mixes it up a little. And Javanne's restorative class is so rejuvenating. I recommend everyone try it at least once. Every instructor I have had at tYp has been positive, informative and attentive.

 

Q:  What are your goals for your yoga practice?

A:  I'd like to continue focusing on my breathing practice and exploring the meditative qualities of yoga. Although the physical benefits are great, I find that I'm more and more interested in using yoga as a means to ground myself mentally.

 

Q:  What is your favorite yoga pose and why?

A:  I think my favorite right now is the shoulder stand. You can do lots of fun variations with your legs; I'm working on getting into a lotus position while in a shoulder stand which makes me feel like a super-yogi :)

 

Q:  What is something you'd like to reveal that people don't know about you?

A:  I'm a pretty open person, so there probably isn't too much to "reveal"... but something people may not know at first glance is that I'm a big video-game playing, Star-Trek loving, Comic-Con attending NERD :)