Teachers.

Don’t you just love them?

I know I do.

There are those that inspire me and those that make me laugh. Some help me solve problems in my classroom and others that help me solve problems in my life.

I’d like to introduce you to some of my favorite teachers here.

Teachers in studios, classrooms and in the world at large. These are the folks you will see featured in my new series of interviews here at Teacher Goes Back to School.

I hope you enjoy these teachers as much as I do!

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Have you met Jed? He’s February’s Featured Teacher. Public school teacher by day and musician/executive by night. Oh and a yogi too!

And let’s not forget my husband.

Here’s Part 1.

When did you start practicing yoga?

I started yoga about 10 years ago.

Why did you start?

My wife {that’s me!} and a good friend wanted to attend a yoga class, so I went along.  I was dealing with stress from work and pains from playing baseball, so it seemed like a good idea.

Where did you practice?

The first few years I practiced at Midtown Athletic Club and my first instructor was Patricia.  She was a great first teacher from me, because she was really supportive and let you work within your abilities, while also correcting things that could be better.  I’ve also practiced at the YMCA, Pipeworks, and now It’s All Yoga.

How has your practice evolved over time?

There have been three main “yoga eras” for me.

The first few years were predominately Hatha.

The middle years were “California Flow,” with a lot of the pilates core elements going on.

The recent years have been more of a nuanced practice.  Part of that is because of elbow tendonitis and some especially stressful years at my previous school site.  You can’t do a lot of plank and push-ups when your elbow is screaming.  I’ve done enough of the Hatha Flow stuff to be able to do it on my own.  The things someone like Michelle Marlahan brings to the table, or yoga mat, are way more methodical and beneficial than your average American yoga class.

Do you have a home practice? What is it like? How often? Where? How’d you start and how do you keep at it?

My home practice ebbs and flows.  I tend to practice at home when I’ve had a scheduling conflict with whatever regular class I’m taking.  I tend to do favorite poses or poses that aren’t coming up much in my classes.

I usually practice in the kitchen.  It’s just the right size and the linoleum feels ok.  I usually turn off the lights and put on some drone music.  Sometimes I practice in front of the TV if the Giants are in the postseason and I don’t want to miss a pitch.  Obviously, I’m not really clearing my head this way, but I’m still getting the stretching.

I’ll occasionally bust out a knees to chest in the classroom if my back is hurting.  The students think it’s weird, but then one of them will have a sore back and I’ll be coaching them through the same pose.

What’s your favorite pose? Why?

I really like knees to chest.  It’s the one pose I do almost every day.  It’s been a real life saver.  I also like down dog.  When I first started, Patricia said that down dog was a resting pose and I thought she was absolutely mad, because it hurt my shoulders so much.  Now I get it though, and it doesn’t hurt.

What’s your least favorite pose?

That’s easy – head stand.  I just feel so vulnerable in the neck.  Patricia always used to say that you had your whole life to get a pose, so I actually like that there is something like head stand that I can chip away at.

What other blogs do your read? Why?

I don’t read a whole lot of blogs.  I read Heckasac because it tends to cover the culture stuff around midtown that interests me.  A few friends have blogs that I like such as Art For Spastics, Rabbits Against Magic, The Daily Jar, and of course, Teacher Goes Back to School.

I also like End Hits and Midtown Monthly.   In recent years I’ve sent my San Kazakgascar CDs to music blogs.  It took me awhile to even realize that is how most music is covered now.

Who and what inspires you?

I’m drawn to people that are smart, creative, and weird.  Occasionally, I need some boring down time to recover from everything, but I like watching, hearing, and talking to people that let it all hang out.  People that risk embarrassment or being misunderstood to do something that’s a little different.  Not the Jackass people, but creative or even political people.

I also get off on stuff from the natural world.  I’m fascinated by topography – land shapes, gorges, mountains, rivers, etc.  And animals, of course.  The Amazing Yans inspires me just about every day.

BONUS MUSIC VIDEO!