MICHAELA MARTIN
Michaela’s relationship with yoga is one of continuous evolution, curiosity, and self discovery. Having started yoga asana in her late teens, with a background in dance, Michaela’s initial attraction to yoga drew from the beauty and fluidity of a Vinyasa yoga practice. After several years of practicing, Michaela completed her 200 Hour Bhakti Vinyasa Yoga certification with Gopi Kinnicutt in 2012. She then spent two years teaching at Hot Yoga Saratoga, where she was known for her challenging and creative sequences, before moving across the country to study nutrition and dietetics at Bastyr University in Seattle, WA. There, she continued to teach multiple yoga classes a week along with her full-time studies.
It was during this time studying the human body in the context of food and nutrition that Michaela’s interest in anatomy, physiology, and movement deepened. This new fascination led Michaela to take electives in anatomy, attend yoga anatomy workshops, and to ultimately pursue her 500 Hour Yoga Medicine certification under the teachings of Tiffany Cruikshank. Michaela has completed several modules of the Yoga Medicine training and is enjoying learning the deeper, more therapeutic applications of yoga.
Under this new lens of yoga, Michaela’s classes have slowed in pace, but not in intensity or challenge. Along with yoga, Michaela also runs, hikes, uses kettlebells, barre, and body weight calisthenics to round out her fitness routine. She integrates lessons and movements learned from these modalities into her yoga classes to create well-rounded, unique, and intentionally sequenced classes that build functional strength, a healthy range of motion, and support injury prevention. In Michaela’s classes you can expect to move at a steady, moderate pace with generous holds to build strength, stability, and grit. Between her focused alignment cues, Michaela weaves in lighthearted humor and insight into how to create a balanced and intentional life that can be translated outside of the yoga class setting.
