Allison recently completed our 200 hour yoga teacher training. She is teaching his first public class Saturday, July 30th at 6:00 pm. All proceeds will go to Beverly’s Birthdays.

Why did you decide to go through teacher training?

It took me 32 years to finally realize what I wanted to do in life as far as my career. I bounced around between the ideas of typical careers: lawyer, doctor, musician, perpetual college student, etc.  It wasn’t until I found CrossFit two years ago that the idea of a career in the fitness field really emerged.  I had been doing yoga recreationally for about 10+ years and after becoming a CrossFit Level 1 Trainer I knew that I had to merge my two favorite hobbies into a career.

What is your favorite pose and why?

My favorite pose is Corpse pose. I love it for so many reasons! I love the stillness I feel, the sense of peace and  the sense of accomplishment it gives me. I love the few minutes of total silence— a rarity in my life. I love the complete surrender, the ability it gives me to just let go and yes, sometimes, the extra few minutes of nap time it provides— another rarity in my life.

What is your least favorite pose and why?

My least favorite pose is also Corpse pose.  I hate it for so many reasons! It may seem odd that my favorite and least favorite pose are the same but hear me out! I hate it for some of the same reasons I love it. I hate having to give up control.  It’s a constant battle in my life to let go and find stillness, so this is a pose I struggle with. I hate the silence it provides at times because then my mind starts to rattle off the mile long to-do list I have yet to accomplish.  I hate the stillness because as a fitness instructor and a mother of four-year old twins, movement is my life— if I don’t keep moving I fear I’ll fall asleep or never get up again! Yet, Yoga is an amazing thing. It allows you to find the balance between a love/hate relationship with a pose, or a person, or a situation, or anything.  It gives you the space to work through it– one pose, one day, one person, one situation at a time.

If you could offer one piece of advice for someone who was thinking about going through teacher training what would it be?

Do it! You won’t regret it! From a practical sense, really do your research first. Go take a class at every single studio in your area. Take a class in every different style of yoga. Figure out which style of yoga resonates with you the most. Find a teacher that really speaks to you and how you see yourself as a future teacher. Read books on yoga—lots of them. Figure out where you want to teach. You don’t need to have a “good” reason to become a yoga teacher but knowing what you want to do after teacher training can be helpful.  Ok, whoops, that was more than one piece of advice!

What is one thing you wish people knew about you before meeting you?

That the way to my heart is through Rice Krispy Treats. And if you give me some, especially homemade ones, I will love you forever.