Committing to LYT
A little over five years ago, I received a “last call” email for the LYT Level 1 Yoga Teacher Training. Within minutes, I committed to the training: Cohort 1. I was already a 200-hour certified yoga teacher, teaching at multiple apartment complexes as an independent contractor. I worked full-time. And the shocker: I did not practice LYT! I was still very much obsessed with Ashtanga yoga and dedicated to that practice.
So why did I enroll into the Level 1 training? In 2019, I started to feel like my teaching was stagnant and I couldn’t really explain the reasoning behind poses or sequences. I knew loose explanations of the “why” behind poses, but even then, my knowledge of anatomy was lacking. I’m grateful for the foundation my first YTT gave me, but I was starting to feel like it wasn’t enough anymore to be the mindful student and creative and intelligent teacher that I wanted to be. I was practicing one style of yoga (Ashtanga) and teaching another (more accessible Vinyasa). And finally, as a triathlete, balancing training for races and practicing Ashtanga was just becoming too much all around. Why was I trying to put my leg behind my head in the morning, run 5 miles in the afternoon, and teach beginner yoga poses in the evening? Things just weren’t aligning. I was likely on my way to an injury as well.
In summary, everything felt unorganized and unbalanced. And for those who don’t know me, I love organization. So when I started seeing ads for the YTT with Lara, a functional style of yoga developed by a physical therapist, I didn’t see it as, “Oh, I’m already 200-hour certified.” I saw it as, “This is what my mind, body, and life need to continue to learn, grow, and find synergy.”
Long story short, it was. The training was excellent and what surprised me the most was the community of like-minded people as well.
Evolving with LYT
Well, we all know what changed the world in 2020. Once I got certified, like many teachers, I took my teaching online to Zoom and taught over 100 hours to people across the world. I stopped practicing Ashtanga. My confidence grew as a teacher. My yoga practice better complemented my triathlon training. I continued racing more half Ironmans and completed my second full Ironman in 2021. I took on private clients with more specific issues that I knew I could tailor my teaching to.
But that’s not all that happened, I found LYT weaving its way into other areas of my life: I had more awareness of my posture and movement throughout the day. I became more curious about types of movement on and off the mat. I became a more critical learner again, similar to how I was in graduate school. I even felt like I was more creative with ideas at work.
Since I was so impressed with the LYT Team and the Level 1 YTT, I committed to the Level 2 YTT. I took my time and worked on one module a year, completing the three modules (300 hours) in February 2024. I worked on these modules through two pregnancies, working full-time, racing triathlons, managing the social media accounts for LYT, and still teaching here and there. If you’re reading this and worried you won’t have time, know this: Life is short, but it’s also long. You want to enjoy what you’re doing. You’ll make time for the things that matter and excite you. And this training is truly an investment for life. And the truth is, when things complement and even support each other, it’s easier to continue doing them.
As an aside, after my first YTT, I meticulously kept a spreadsheet documenting my teaching income and exactly when I recouped the cost of training. With LYT, I never did that. I think from the start, I just knew that what I learned would be invaluable for the rest of my life.
Embodying LYT
Now as a busy mother of two little ones, no day is quite the same, but every day I am LYT up. From the physical demands of carrying kids around, crawling on the floor, and just keeping up with them, to the mental load of managing everything else (shoutout to other default parents!), The LYT Method helps me every step of the journey. Just last night, I found myself doing the LYT “flashdance” move as I was putting my son’s diaper on after his bath. We were on the floor and I turned, lifted my hips up, and reached for the wipes on the dresser. What a feeling!
I also know if I’m ever feeling off mentally, I can tune into my breath to find balance. Core work helps me feel connected to my strength. And Lara reminds me to find the little joys in life. That is what the practice of yoga is about. Finding patience and kindness for yourself on and off the mat.
Finally, I am not currently teaching, but I’m ready to get back to it. Regardless, I firmly stand by my point that there are countless reasons to study the LYT Method beyond teaching yoga. Becoming a LYT Method Certified Yoga Teacher has truly been one of the best decisions of my life.
