Welcome to Body by Brian's blog space! 2017 has started out with an inspiring Big Bang for me, and I am using that energy to create a new way of connecting with the world wide web! This is the Body Blog. A space where I will share all of the insights I have learned about the human body through my exploration in study and practice. Just a brief introduction to start.
I'm Brian, a yoga teacher, holistic health coach, ayurvedic practitioner, fitness and movement specialist, and a big nerd when it comes to the human body and all it can do! Since my time as a child I have always been inspired by the human body and human movement. I remember watching sporting events like the Summer Olympics and thinking how amazing it must be to move with such power, ease, and grace. Through many mixed experiences I somehow found the Kinesiology, the study of human movement, during my undergraduate studies at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. It was in this space that I learned to appreciate the body as a whole, and began my lifelong commitment to helping others understand how their bodies work in everyday life. This led my foot to step through the door of a little studio called evolve Fitness Club. It was a step into the fitness industry, where I have worked ever since.
As I began my work in Chicago as a personal trainer at Equinox Fitness Clubs I was able to gain some great insight into the business of fitness. Under some great guidance from my many mentors there, I found that my passion was not in training the most elite and impressive athletes. Rather, I found my purpose helping people who were in pain, stuck, or with limitations and teaching them to move better. In some cases, just helping people move at all became a very healing practice, not just for my clients and students, but for myself. As I gained experience in the practice of yoga under the guidance of my teacher Jim Kulackoski, I found even more effective methods of helping and healing those around me which I continue to cultivate in myself and with my students today.
In 2014 I began working exclusively as a teacher of yoga, acknowledging that "yoga" isn't only found in downward facing dogs, but rather is the integration of mind and body through the experience of any movement or posture. While working one-on-one and in group settings, I was able to support my growth and expand my curiosity in what kinds of movement would bring people back to their bodies. I have continued to expand my understanding of the body and its possibilities with many forms of movement and theories of movement assessment, including Gray Cook's Function Movement Screen, Tom Myer's Anatomy Trains for Movement, Animal Flow from Mike Fitch, Aerial Fitness, Aerial Yoga, AcroYoga, the Darshan Method and the list continues to grow.
Leading movement classes is only part of my passion in this wonderful life. I also wish to share my understanding of the body with other trainers, coaches, yogis, and health professionals who also have a mission to heal the wounds of the human body, mind and spirit that have been created in this modern age of desk work, smartphones and long commutes. It is a passion of mine to teach others about the human body, sharing the many methods of understanding the art of movement and posture. I have led educational classes as a Master Instructor for Equinox and their EFTI program for personal trainers. I have also created and led extended workshops on topics including posture and alignment, athletic balance and recovery, and running. In 2016 I was blessed with the opportunity to lead a 200 Hour Hatha Yoga Teacher Training at SoderWorld Wellness Center and Academy, exploring the deeper aspects of human being that are the heart of the practice of yoga. Finally, I began 2017 co-leading my first ever yoga retreat! With eatstretchnap and best friend Cat Aldana, I was able to share a unique introduction to yoga, meditation, and Ayurveda to some wonderful individuals and new friends at the beautiful Xinalani Resort outside Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. Another blog will likely follow with some highlights of this life changing experience. But I'll wrap it up, bring it home, and back to the Body Blog!
The Body Blog will be a space where I share new perspectives in human anatomy, posture, manual and movement therapies, holistic health modalities, and nutritional tips and recipes that will give my readers a balanced perspective on what is possible within any personal health and wellness practice. I hope this becomes a space where other interested individuals can learn, share and evolve the world of human movement and human health.
I am grateful to be on this journey, and I hope through my expression in this web space, I will connect to more people and we can all bring together the best ways of being human!
May all the Universe be open to you should you seek It!
Brian