By popular demand and countless referrals within the Bend and Zen community, I chose to write about Bryan Arnett this week. That’s just how loved he is, and the kind of impact he has on the people around him. Bryan has a quality about him that simply makes you want to get to know him better.
Bryan is a Louisville native who spent quite a bit of time in the world of banking and finance. A few years ago, he “hung up the suit” and started working for Marine Sales and Service to follow his passion of boating and being on the water. His yoga journey began while he was still at PNC bank downtown, taking yoga classes over at Humana. Yoga and going on runs were his way to get out of the office and clear his head during the busy workday. Bryan always wanted to try out hot yoga, knowing its level of difficulty and the challenge it would bring him. He didn’t get into it, however, until his great friend Lisa came to Bend and Zen in 2015 just as it opened. Two months later, she encouraged Bryan to join her at a Bikram class, even purchasing the 35 days for $35 deal for him. He admits that before coming to the class, Bryan extensively researched the dos and don’t prior to taking a heated class; needless to say, he was prepared for the journey. He took Meredith Conroy’s Bikram class, loved it, and has never stopped coming to the studio since. Nowadays, Bryan comes in to take class on average 4 times each week. He wanted to incorporate yoga into his life and routine for the mind and body. For the mind, practicing takes him out of his head and allows him to be in the moment and breathe- in and outside of class. For the body, Bryan came to terms with the fact that running was doing more harm than good, as he was in and out of physical therapy constantly, so yoga was the better workout for him. He also tells me that when his yoga journey was beginning, turning the big 5-0 was fast approaching. Not looking like a typical guy in his fifties and truly feeling better inside and out motivated him to keep up with his yoga and adjust his diet to eating healthier. Practicing does a lot for Bryan spiritually as well. His wonderful friend and yoga confidante Lisa passed away only one month ago; this was- and still is- very difficult for Bryan. Being at Bend and Zen and taking class provides him with that connection of feeling closer to her. He says when he goes, he honors her spirit. Lisa brought Bryan through the doors, which was such an amazing gift; she gave him a place with a beautiful community to practice in, and change his life forever for the better. The community of Bend and Zen is so important to Bryan. He finds it is a place of no judgement, with genuine and very caring individuals. Through his grief, so many studio friends reached out to him; he finds this loving embrace from staff and students every time he walks into the studio. When it comes to taking class, Bryan tells me his favorite is still his first love, the Bikram (Hot 26) practice. Usually coming in after work, he says he looks forward to going to class all day. If he doesn't make it to class, Bryan finds himself really missing it- a sentiment he had never felt about a workout before! Occasionally, you’ll see Bryan at the studio with one of his twin daughters right beside him for some father-daughter quality time. His favorite poses include dancer’s pose, crow, and bridge pose, all for the hard work he puts into them and the fun progress he sees each time. Bryan has an amazing Bucket List goal of going through the teacher training. Somewhere down the road when he has the time, he says, he would love to instruct, work deeper into his personal practice, and learn more about the different types of yoga and spiritual practices within the yoga world. Amazing goal. Please, if you haven’t, take the time to know Bryan. You’ll thank me later.
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Madison Kommor is a guy you’re going to want to know; whether you’re looking for a friend, or a doctor five years from now. Currently wrapping up his third year at University of Louisville’s medical school, Madison keeps his life balanced by going to Bend and Zen’s yoga classes each night after a long day at the hospital.
His yoga journey started when his mom took him to a yoga studio after telling him, “if you go and hate it, you never have to go again”. Turned out, he loved the practice. He kept going back for a number of reasons, including that Meredith Conroy taught at this previous studio and her classes were really fun. Another reason was that he had finally found an exercise that didn’t leave him feeling terrible, but actually better afterwards. Madison also came to realize that when you kept practicing, there was a noticeable, tangible progress; micro successes every day! Plus, it certainly helped that there was a girl he had been crushing on at the studio. All valid reasons to keep up a yoga practice. A few years ago, Madison began his new life devotion to the field of medicine, and around the same time brought his practice to Bend and Zen Hot Yoga. These two seemed to compliment each other very well in his daily life. The community of Bend and Zen was a major pro for Madison, as he built many wonderful friendships with other yoga regulars. Being with the same peers in a hospital all day long makes the social aspect of yoga very appealing; it is crucial to his career in medicine to have a life and friends outside of it all. Practicing yoga has also greatly benefited Madison's day to day with ADHD. He tells me that his medications help him stay on track throughout the day, but as evening rolls around and meds start fading, he takes his mind to yoga for some moving meditation. Madison says that busying his mind with focusing on movement makes yoga the ideal exercise tailored toward the ADHD brain. Along with focus, getting to the studio for an hour long class is his time to be selfish. In medicine the “entire profession is built around giving to others” he says, making their lives better, happier, and healthier. Eventually, it takes its toll, and you run out of compassion to give. “Being so busy on fixing everybody else, you never focus on you. When you’re in class it’s about you, when you leave it’s about everybody else”. Madison finds that many of the people in the studio are similar in that they are very giving individuals in their everyday lives, and coming to yoga is a time for themselves that is often hard to come by. Many medical students use their time away from studying and being at the hospital to participate in different kinds of “fad exercise” classes for their mind and body. Another reason Madison chose to stick with yoga was because being around patients all the time, he noticed (especially in older people) how many of the long term runners and weightlifters have crippled their bodies over time. Yoga is a “sustainable exercise”, and thinking long-term, Madison wants to be upright and walking 50 years from now. For him, yoga pushes the narrative of a healthy choice for the body and self care. At Bend and Zen, Madison’s favorite class is Yoga Core. It is the heart of his yoga practice, and conveniently works great with his schedule coming at the end of the day. Flying pigeon is his favorite posture because he loves the physics of the pose. Stacking and positioning is key, versus the strength you would assume is necessary; the pose helped him to understand the world of arm balances. Madison says that the longer you do yoga, the harder it is; goals get bigger, and postures are more challenging and dangerous, “the honeymoon phase is over!”; however, it doesn't seem like Madison is the type to back down from a challenge. “You know, sometimes all you need is twenty seconds of insane courage. Just literally twenty seconds of just embarrassing bravery. And I promise you, something great will come of it.” -We Bought a Zoo How would I describe Shannon Kessler? Fun, fierce, styling guru, yogi all-star, and the list goes on! Shannon began her yoga journey in 2001 while living in northern Virginia. At her fitness gym she saw a yoga class was being held, so she thought, “why not, this might be something I’m good at!” She was right about that, and loved the practice from the first downward dog! Shannon quickly connected with her instructor, and having a teacher you love really helps getting into a yoga practice. In 2007, Shannon attended a Bikram class, not realizing it was going to be heated. Shannon tells me she went into this class hungover (if you’ve done this, you know what a challenge it is), but she absolutely loved how she felt when she finished the class. It was a detox for her and she walked out feeling like a million bucks! She was convinced she had found the secret cure to hangovers.
Shannon moved to Louisville, and sticking with a Bikram practice, hopped around to different studios. Having taken Meredith and Abbey’s classes before, she was a big fan of both of them, so when Meredith opened her own studio she knew exactly where to go. Not only did Bend and Zen have some of her favorite instructors, the location was super convenient for her daily schedule with her kids. She says the staff is so friendly and easy to connect with. Also the vibe at the studio is so inviting, it’s easy for her to feed off of the energy. The studio being in the radius of where her life happens allows Shannon to come in at least three times a week to take class. The rest of the time, she’s either being a super mom, or crazy busy running her two blow dry bars called Primp Style Lounge where she is a personal stylist for many clients. For many years prior to exploring yoga, Shannon did barre classes to get a good workout and keep fit. Now with her life being so busy, and only so much time devoted to classes, she prioritizes yoga to benefit both the mind and body. It is still a great workout, but that aspect is now secondary to being a place for her to check back in with herself. Running her two businesses, Shannon makes many decisions throughout the day, so when she gets on her mat it is her time for someone else to guide her and make the decisions. You’ll often see Shannon practicing with her BFF Brittany Swan, whether it be at the studio or posts on social media. They crush it together and make some of the toughest poses look like a walk in the park. Shannon holds their friendship and shared love of yoga very dear as they motivate and encourage each other, and see one another break through goals they have in their practices. Taking yoga into her everyday life, Shannon’s practice has helped her with non-attachment. She tries to not get attached to hitting a specific number in her business, or being too hard on herself, “I am more than an expectation, I am more than a goal that I set on myself”. Shannon has been trying to learn to have mile markers in her life, but then know that if she doesn’t hit them, it’s going to be ok; “you’re not dependent on any of that” she says. Yoga has helped her fine tune what’s important and what is not in her life. Shannon says, “don’t attach the success of your day to how many things you can cross off your list”. With her home life, non-attachment is key to be able to roll with it when a kid is sick or there’s an unexpected change in plans. You’ve got to be able to pivot quickly and keep moving. Shannon’s family knows the important role yoga plays in her life; even her children tell her to go to a yoga class if she is in a grumpy mood. Yoga is a great way to press a reset button. At Bend and Zen, Shannon's favorite class to take is the Power Vinyasa; however, she says the best bang for your buck is Hot Fusion, which she refers to as the “yoga buffet”- you get a little bit of everything! Tree pose is her favorite posture because is helps her feel grounded and connected. From her first yoga classes, her instructor would say that wavering in your tree pose in normal because we all have windy days, and we live with it. Shannon also has recently taken a journey with her wheel pose, which was originally a pose she did not like. She challenged herself to embrace it head on and see what happened. It turns out that after a lot of work, she has learned to really appreciate the pose and its important aspects of hip, back, and shoulder flexibility. Now when she comes out of the pose, Shannon says that the heart opening feels like getting a hug from a friend you haven’t seen in a long time. Shannon is quite an inspirational woman, and beautiful both inside and out. Come see her at the Bend and Zen, then treat yourself to paying her a visit at her Primp Style Lounge! Here’s a power couple for you, David and Tresa Horlander. The two love going to workout together, and in their 19 years of marriage have probably tried every gym in the city of Louisville. They’d go to a gym together but participate in different exercises, whether it be crossfit, cardio, or weightlifting. When they started practicing yoga, they finally got that shared experience of a workout; David calls it “couples therapy”. David and Tresa were looking for a different form of exercise to layer onto their usual routine, so they took yoga classes at Milestone where they practiced Hatha and Ashtanga styles. When their favorite yoga instructor moved to Louisville Athletic Club, so did they. David and Tresa loved her teaching, and when she left LAC, the two stopped their yoga practice all together. Years later, they picked it up again, but the on-and-off again relationship with yoga continued as life threw David a curveball when he ruptured a disc in his spine. This was due to what David describes as “years of abuse” that he had put on his body. The disc rupture created nerve problems resulting in David losing function in his right leg, “drop foot”, causing his leg to frequently give out from under him. Full of worry and despair about his future mobility, David’s neurosurgeon recommended he take up yoga.
In the meantime for Tresa, nursing invoked all kinds of daily stressors for her and her coworkers at the hospital. She got a group of nurses, and together they took on hot yoga. Tresa says that after about seven years away from her practice, the first time back knocked her on her butt! Although she had still been doing weights and cardio, Tresa says she lost a lost of strength by not doing yoga. Yoga brought her and her nursing friends a lot closer as they encouraged each other through their shared love of the practice. Tresa emphasizes how much yoga is need in nurses’ lives, for the mind and body. Tresa and David came to Bend and Zen Hot Yoga about a year and a half ago after hearing wonderful things about the studio, and they’ve been regulars ever since! To both of them, yoga became an important part of their routine. Balancing postures were a big challenge for David, but after six months of coming to yoga, he was beginning to see a correction in the limb. He speaks about it often; how yoga has done such wonders for him and his healing process. Both David and Tresa are approaching fifty years of age and they tell me that they hadn’t realized until recently how much abuse one puts on the body over the years. Tresa used to run competitively, sustaining injuries and undergoing surgeries along the way. She had to learn to slow down, “That high intensity, no pain no gain is over with”. With all of the exercises Dave and Tresa do that mainly target strengthening their bodies, they’ve discovered that for their overall health, flexibly is most vital in getting older. The benefits on the mind, learning to breathe through the tension and stress of daily life, and getting a better/deeper night’s sleep had the two wishing they started a regular yoga practice long long ago. David also talked to me about how great yoga has been for his golf practice; hip stability, hamstring flexibility, and rotational movements are all things worked on in yoga and taken onto the course. David and Tresa love coming into class together, you rarely see them taking a class apart. Seeing each other grow in their practice brings them even closer. Tresa has been working on getting up into a handstand recently, and David tells me how he loves to spot her handstands and support her in her accomplishments. The two encourage and teach one another, bettering their practices. They told me about their recent trip to Gatlinburg where they created original yoga sequences to share with one another, taking turns being the instructor and student. Couples yoga is the sweetest thing! At Bend and Zen they participate and crush the yoga competitions we hold to reach a certain number of classes in a given amount of days. It’s never a problem for the two to knock it out! The best part for them about the studio is the amazing community we all share and the friendships made. It truly is a wonderful place for all yogis! Power Vinyasa and Hot Fusion are their favorite classes to take. Tresa’s favorite poses include Eight-Angle, Dancer, Splits, and Fish pose. David’s favorites are Warrior 3 and Airplane pose because they remind him of how far he has come with his leg strength, giving him a great sense of gratitude. These two people are incredible and inspirational. I highly recommend you come meet them and make two new amazing friends. Odds are, you’ll go hang out at Wild Eggs with them after a yoga class! “If you want others to be happy, practice compassion. If you want to be happy, practice compassion.” Yoga is a transformative process. People come into the practice differently and experience it in various ways, but ultimately we are all changed by it. Matt DiCapua started his yoga journey in December of 2017 after landing in the hospital several months prior because of a potential heart attack. It had been his third time in the hospital over the past five years for intense stress mimicking heart attack symptoms. Living a workaholic life, his mind was constantly churning in the office and at home, day in and day out, and he didn’t have a way to turn it off. Matt’s ‘escape’ from the intense pressure he put himself under was food; it was his coping mechanism for his stress. He knew it was time to make a change in his life to break the toxic cycle. He began Baptist Milestone’s HMR diet plan, and began cycling at CycleBar every day. After losing a lot of weight, Matt wanted to add another activity to his routine that wasn’t strenuous on his knees and other joints. A friend from his home state of Florida recommended Matt look into trying yoga, and the hunt for a studio was on!
Extensively looking through reviews on the internet, Matt came across our very own Bend and Zen Hot Yoga and found nothing but positive feedback on the yoga classes and the studio. He came into Elizabeth Spears’ Friday morning, 75 minute Hot 26 class, and for many months that was the one class he did each week. He loved the class, loved Elizabeth, but wasn’t seeing the progress he wanted. After talking with some of the guys in the studio that are there daily, it clicked with him that this practice wasn’t something you do like going to the gym a few times a week. Yoga was more of a consistent part of a lifestyle. Matt then signed up for an unlimited membership and began coming any and every chance he got. Yoga was a new world to Matt, and as intimidating as it is to try new things and to make yourself vulnerable by being a beginner at something, he found Bend and Zen very comforting. The studio had a very ‘easy intro’ to yoga for him by providing a free mat and towels; it was “very accommodating and welcoming, unpretentious and nonjudgemental”. Another aspect he loves about the studio is the teachers’ respect and support they show for one another. Matt says he has never met people super successful and gifted at practicing something, and still consider themselves to be students first; it’s a mutual respect for the practice they share with their own students. Originally, Matt thought he was coming to yoga for the physical health, but he soon discovered that for 60-75 minutes, his anxiety was completely wiped out as his mind was forced to be so present in the moment. His practice became his personal time and oasis. Matt is a good husband and father, but tells me “you can do all the right things for all the right people, but if neglect yourself, you’re obviously not doing the right thing for them because you could potentially shorten your life; stress and anxiety, it can kill you.” This time for himself was where he could build up who he needs to be for the people he loves. Social media has allowed Matt to reconnect with people from his past that share an interest in yoga, and cheer on and support his practice and progress. A cool thing about yoga is how it can unite groups of people who are otherwise so diverse, whether it be their backgrounds, politics, or beliefs. Matt promotes yoga, mindfulness, and self care with the hopes that people will just give it a try. He especially wants to reach out to mothers, fathers, and business people who could really use an hour to themselves. His goal and mission is to crush the stereotype of yoga- yoga pants and looking a certain way- and show the diversity that yoga supports. Life is an extremely difficult journey, but through embracing his faith and practicing yoga, the day-to-day can be a bit easier. Matt didn’t want to ‘oversell it’ on what yoga can do for you, “there’s no silver bullet to get rid of the really hard stuff”; however, all the clutter of stressors and noise can be pushed away by the yoga. It’s a daily journey that can help you see clearer. Matt says, there are still mountains you have to face, but with the small stuff gone, you can just focus on the big stuff in life. Yoga was the missing piece for him in his practice of mind-body-spirit; the three go hand in hand. He does a lot of reading for the mind, his Christian faith feeds the spirit, and yoga brought a stillness and calmness to the body that Matt needed. “You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream.” —C.S. Lewis Ryan Ho is another one of Bend and Zen's all stars. New-ish to the yoga world, Ryan took his first class alongside his brother and friend in November 2017 when his brother came in town for a visit. He began with the 35 days for $35 deal at the studio, and was determined to get his money's worth. Ryan admits that if he has only done a drop-in for that day, he probably wouldn't have come back! (The heat is quite a shock for the first couple of classes!) But having 35 days of unlimited yoga, he was not going to back down from the challenge.
Prior to November, yoga was never on Ryan's radar; he thought it was all Bikram style, and only women were good at it. Now, he loves his Vinyasa practice and finds many similarities between it and his martial arts career in Taekwondo (TKD for short). Ryan's life in TKD began 28 years ago, and with his hard work he has earned a 5th degree black belt-- a master level. The two types of martial arts that Ryan has practiced have been Taekwondo (more power oriented) and Hap Ki Do (flowing movement). He tells me that yoga is the happy medium of these, and he finds a lot of overlap in all of the practices. For example, he came into yoga with the advantage of understanding linking breath and movement, which is huge for Vinyasa; there are also similar postures including Warrior I and II. Ryan's yoga and TKD have benefited one another through strengthening balance, flexibility, and mental awareness. This determined yogi takes a class every single day at Bend and Zen, and three of those days each week he "doubles up" taking two classes back-to-back. He says in TKD he would do two to three classes a day sometimes, so doubling up in yoga was eventually bound to happen. This is a guy that loves a challenge! Ryan says that when he goes on vacation now, he will purchase a yoga studio's week unlimited package in order to continue practicing while he's away. Yoga doesn't take a vacation! To Ryan, yoga is not just part of a daily routine, but it's part of his way of life. Ryan has been a TKD instructor in Louisville since 2003. With his experience in teaching and his love of yoga, he may one day go through yoga teacher training; however, he wants to be a student for a bit longer before that happens. In the meantime, Ryan incorporates segments of Yoga Core that he learns from class into his TKD classes to get the students' abs fired up. Before and after his classes he has the students do Tan Jun belly breathing. He explains it has a similar concept to savasana for clearing the mind, which Ryan says is the most important part of practice. If you want to see Ryan, swing by the studio and he'll most likely be in class with you! He loves Power Vinyasa classes, and his favorite posture is side plank- challenge him to a side plank showdown, I dare you! A couple quotes Ryan shares with his TKD students: "Don't think. FEEL." "Don't stop at the minimum requirements if you have the mental and physical capacity to go above and beyond." If you've ever been to the studio, you probably have seen this man: always wearing a smile, and happy to see you. Not only is he one of the most intense athletes I know, Yuri Escartin is also one of the most dedicated yogis of Bend and Zen Hot Yoga. Coming from Mexico, Yuri has been in Louisville, Kentucky for about 15 years. Only for the past year has he seriously taken on the practice of yoga; having dabbled a few times with classes many years back, now he is at Bend and Zen every single day (with a few exceptions, of course).
His yoga practice began due to his dyer need to loosen his tight muscles and ligaments to prevent injuries. Yuri participates in extreme endurance sports; always training for an Ironman, and now starting up with Ultra marathons (100 miles of running…). The Ironman is 120 miles of swim/bike/run, which has Yuri training 3-8 hours each day. His next Ironman is in Alaska this July! Yoga was something he needed for his body and mind to make these races achievable. Besides the necessary stretch, flexibility, and balance yoga gives him, Yuri takes away a greater ability to focus and silence his mind for the long periods of intense exercise. He has learned the great advantage of getting inside one’s self to be present and concentrate on the moment; not thinking about how much he has left to do, or the amount to hurt he will feel at the end of the race. Yuri tells me that in these extreme sports, you are always going through levels of high pain, and the only way to get through it is through your mind. Since having yoga in his life, Yuri’s performance and headspace has greatly improved. Hot yoga was a whole new challenge. Even an incredible athlete like Yuri had a rough time adjusting to the heat. He says that his first three weeks practicing at the studio were really hard for him, and he wasn't even able to stand, spending half of the classes laying on his mat. Being from Mexico which is temperate and dry, Yuri says he doesn’t have the capacity to support extreme hot, cold, and humid environments. So the super hot and humid yoga room took him to his edge, and after three weeks of just acclimating his body to his surroundings, he could begin the next steps of working on flexibility, presence, focus, and learning relaxation. It takes one step at a time to reach the benefits of yoga. Yuri does not have a favorite class at Bend and Zen, but lately he has developed a bit of a preference for Yoga Core because of the importance of core in his training. His favorite posture is savasana, and when he first told me this I laughed because of course that’s everyone’s favorite- it means you’re done with class! But no, Yuri has a different, much deeper reason for loving this posture. He takes on a meditation in the pose, visualizing his ideas passing by, and learning to control his mind. Yoga, Yuri says, is a separation process, physically taking you into postures and loosening muscles, while opening chakras and tapping into that energy. The process can exhaust you by the end, giving you the ability to quiet your mind and not think about a hundred things per minute like we do in our daily lives. This time of stillness allows you to let your thoughts pass on, and start meditating and relaxing. Yuri told me, “the real goal of yoga is to put you in a state that you are so relaxed, so focused within yourself that you feel some kind of spiritual connection. ‘Spiritual’ could be whatever, but basically it’s within you. And that happens at the end of the class when you’re physically exhausted- when your muscles are done- and then your mind is in this good state for meditation, and that’s savasana! The sad thing is, it’s always short, but I love it when I get there.” Very wise words. We don’t always appreciate or take advantage of the still moments in our lives. Come in to the studio, any day, and you’ll most likely get the chance to meet this incredible, rare gem of a yogi athlete. “"Live with purpose and chose to be happy every minute of your awesome life!” —Yuri Escartin Elizabeth Spears, if you know her, you love her! She’s a native to Louisville, but Elizabeth actually began her yoga journey in Memphis, Tennessee. In 2004 she graduated from college in Memphis after playing division 3 field hockey for all four years. Having lived such an active lifestyle, following school Elizabeth was looking to add a workout to her routine for both her mind and body.
Bikram Yoga Memphis was the first hot yoga studio to open in the city. Its opening sparked a lot of curiosity in the town, including for Elizabeth! She knew almost nothing about yoga, except that Bikram was supposed to be a good, sweaty workout. That was no lie! Elizabeth says that she went in for her first class and about died; however, for her it was love at first posture. “Everyone remembers their first Bikram class”, if you’ve tried a class, you know exactly what she's talking about. Bikram was Elizabeth’s sole practice until about three years ago when she began incorporating Vinyasa into her yoga life. During those years of hard-core “hold… and change” with the 26 postures, Elizabeth took it to the next level and in 2013 began competing for USA Yoga. Her coach Glen Brown has taken her through the last four years of training and competition. She says that training for competitions has greatly improved her practice, but the best part for her is the people she has gotten to meet. Elizabeth also clarified the controversy around the idea of a “yoga competition”— two words that do not go together. She told me that it is not a competition between you and the other participants, but for yourself. You get to see yourself improve, and show your community your yoga practice. Yoga has transformed Elizabeth into a different person who now looks at things differently. Along with the maturity that comes after graduating college and stepping into the adult world, she believes having yoga in her life has helped her grow to not be so quick to react to things in any situation. It has helped her look inward more, being more patient with herself and others. She has become more mindful all around. Elizabeth continued her yoga practice through both of her pregnancies, which really helped her during those months. The hot room was uncomfortable for her during one of the pregnancies, so she modified her practice to a normal- temperature room. She says when you’re not pregnant, you’re doing yoga for yourself; when you are pregnant, you’re doing yoga for your baby. “The baby is very aware from early on,” she could feel “a sense of peace for the baby” while practicing yoga. More recently, Elizabeth attended a training with one of her yoga idols, Mary Jarvis in Detroit. It was a wonderful way for her to deepen and strengthen her Bikram practice, learning from such an inspirational woman with an incredible spirit. Elizabeth met Mary at Nationals for her USA Yoga competition and felt a powerful connection to her instantly. Mary claims, “in order to strive to be a true yoga teacher, strive to be the most loving person that you can”. Elizabeth is striving to be a true teacher, and in the meantime is incorporating Mary Jarvis’ teachings into her own life and her classes. Elizabeth started at Bend and Zen Hot Yoga from the beginning. Knowing Meredith from another yoga studio, Meredith reached out to Elizabeth asking her to instruct a silent Bikram class at her newly opened studio. For a couple of years she instructed this class and also the student athletes at Kentucky Country Day School, up until she went through Bend and Zen’s first Teacher Training in 2017. Now, Elizabeth instructs three classes during the week at the studio, and three senior classes at Milestone. She has fallen in love with her group of yogis and has formed wonderful friendships. Her personal favorite class to take at Bend and Zen is the 90 minute Hot 26, and her favorite pose is standing bow pulling. Come by and see Elizabeth, take her class, and have your day brightened! We love her, so will you! “All you need to do yoga is a spine; two arms are optional.” -Michael Fine (super inspirational yogi, definitely look him up!) Hello all, I am pleased to introduce Andy Epstein, Bend and Zen’s own Superman. At least, that’s what Meredith Conroy dubbed him as at the end of our Yoga Teacher Training last year. It’s an appropriate character for Andy to assume being an attorney and theater actor by day, avid yoga vigilante by night.
Originally from Omaha, Nebraska, Andy has spent his last 18 years in Louisville, Kentucky. Yoga unexpectedly came into his life about seven years ago. Forms of exercise such as bootcamps, running, and weightlifting were a big part of his life up until 2011 when lower back pain began to interfere. Andy was a member at Intensity Fitness at the time, when the owner suggested he give the yoga classes at the gym a try. He was skeptical. At the time, yoga to him meant breathing, stretching, and not being a legitimate form of exercise. Also seven years ago, the world of yoga (at least in Louisville) was an activity mainly practiced by women. But was this latter factor a draw in or set back for young bachelor Andy? He will never tell. That is something that has amazed Andy in the yoga community- the huge growth of male practitioners over these past few years. Much to his surprise, he got hooked with both the physical practice and spiritual/philosophical side of yoga. Andy says he never would’ve guessed it, but he has never returned to his previous exercise regimes, and has adopted yoga as his primary workout. Since yoga, he claims to be in better shape than ever, stronger, and more toned. Gaining flexibility, good techniques for dealing with stress and calming down, and overall better health. These factors were never a part of his past ways of working out. Andy stuck with his Intensity Fitness yoga instructor Meredith Conroy up until she moved on to open up her own studio Bend and Zen Hot Yoga in 2015, where he began to practice. Growing in his yoga journey, Andy went through the studio’s first Teacher Training in 2017, now leading classes of his own. Power Vinyasa on Wednesdays at noon, led by Meredith, is Andy’s favorite class to take at Bend and Zen. His favorite pose is the forearm stand because of its interesting and beautiful look, and also its Sanskrit name “pincha mayurasana” (feathered peacock pose). Come on over and take class with Andy Epstein (Superman), a true joy to practice alongside and be led by! “Yoga’s not just for girls anymore!” -Andy Epstein If you haven't yet taken a class from Carrie Irwin, put that as a top priority. She has such a beautiful brightness about her that shines through her teaching, making her classes such a joy— which is a wonderful thing to have at her usual 6am class.
Carrie began her yoga journey about 8 years ago because of low back and sciatic nerve pain she was experiencing, and a friend’s suggestion to take up yoga. Now, she wishes she had started her practice long before! The years prior, Carrie would take time out of the day to meditate, but adding yoga into her daily life gave her the breather she needed for a stressful time. Raising two teenagers and working in social work for neglected/abused kids takes its toll, and taking one hour in the day for yoga to just focus on herself is something Carrie needed. She told me, “you can’t think about whether or not you have your case notes done, or your teenager is going to meet curfew while you’re balancing on one leg”. In addition to helping her sanity, Carrie has experienced many health benefits from her practice. The Bikram series was what she started her journey doing, and its back strengthening elements helped relieve her back pain. The series helped teach her body awareness that she utilizes off her mat as well— engaging muscles for her posture while standing in a line or sitting long periods in a chair to help alleviate and prevent pain. Carrie learned to control her stress, “pause and reset”, by the power of breath. Her stress-related stomach issues improved so much from this, she was able to go off of her medication. I’m not saying everyone should stop going to their doctors and start going to yoga instead, BUT for a much lower price tag, yoga can bring long-term relief to many ailments rather than the popular, temporary fix of a cortisone shot and taking medications. Just saying. Carrie joined Bend and Zen when we first opened in 2015, then shortly after, she knew she wanted to teach. By 2016, Carrie was making the studio a better and brighter place as a yoga instructor! Carrie has two favorite classes at Bend and Zen, Power Vinyasa and Hot 26. She enjoys the challenge and spontaneity that Power Vinyasa classes bring, and the body awareness that Hot 26 teaches. She says that Hot 26 is one of those classes you “love to hate it, hate to love it”. Carrie’s favorite yoga poses are the Hatha style triangle because it is very expansive, and the eight-limb arm balance. If you haven’t met her, head to the studio. You’re in for a treat! “I found that through yoga I have gained an incredible ability to breathe through just about anything that life throws my way.” -Carrie Irwin |