INFO HELLO, fellow desperate yogis in quarantine! Welcome to the DEBUT of my video series: The Hermit Lab. It took me a while to decide how to best translate my teaching to a screen, and I think I've done it! Here we have a mildly Baptiste-inspired power vinyasa sequence that ended up 47 minutes long.

INFO Today in The Hermit Lab, we go through a full-length class (about 53 min) going back and forth between right and left sides. ("Isn't that every yoga class, though?" - you may ask...) That may be, but this particular sequence is very specific in sequencing "one posture" per side with an array of flourishes. Upon completion of that one little phrase on the right, we transfer it straight away to the other side. We toggle back and forth until we find balance in a fully X'ed out savasana.

INFO Eat your Wheaties and/or drink you a Red Bull because Pocket Rocket 35 moves FAST! It is punchy, crisp, and straight-to-the-point. We move right on through the basics of the Rocket series including Sun Salutations, the standing series, inversions, a couple of backbends, and the closing sequence into savasana.

INFO Let's take a dip into JIP and discover our powerful beginnings... JIP stands for Journey Into Power - a power vinyasa yoga sequence designed by Baron Baptiste shared far and wide. I achieved my initial 200-hr yoga teacher training through a Baptiste affiliate studio (Dancing Mind) in northern VA and it's been my home base style of teaching ever since! This practice is for YOU ... and you, and yes, YOU TOO! This little dip into JIP runs under 40 minutes and is heavily modified and abbreviated at every turn. If you've ever been hesitant to join a power yoga class because something in your mind has written the story of "I can't do it" or "it's not for me" or "I'm not strong/flexible enough" ... enough is enough! Turn that tape down and turn THIS tape on :)

INFO The Hermit Lab has launched a new series entitled, "Dang, That Was Hard." I did an IG poll to see if my followers would be up for a super challenging class and I got an overwhelming response of YES GIVE IT TO ME so... here we are! Inversions, transitions, and binds - OH MY... 😱!! I have a huge passion for movement language that’s not necessarily limited to the confines of yoga asana, but rather blends all forms of physical art I have in my bank. While this class riffs (and riffs HARD) on the JIP sequence, it asks a LOT out of you. Admittedly, there is not much breaking down or workshopping on these more advanced postures, but the intention was instead to teach a high-level class from top to bottom in its proper rhythm. I’ve subtitled it (pt 1?) because if you guys like this kind of sequencing and challenge, LET ME KNOW and I will build, practice, and teach more creative and difficult sequences for you. There will be a poll on my story tomorrow for you to offer up other poses you’d like to see in the next round of the “Dang, That Was Hard” series!

INFO Aaaaaand she's back with part 2 of "Dang, That Was Hard" - you asked for it!! Pt. 2 includes lots of inversions and compass-type binds. It is 55 minutes of WERQ.

INFO This class is brought to you by special request of Sarah, winner of the #invertedhermit photo challenge. Part of the prize was to request a specific style or focus of class, and she chose a twist and bind extravaganza... so here we are! But let's be honest.. this is basically Dang, That Was Hard (pt. 3) in disguise... In my mind, I use the stencil once again from the JIP sequence but I inserted as many twists and binds as I could imagine. Expect lots of compass variations, half and full binds, shoulders under knees, and mini-midi-maxi twists.

INFO Welcome to my first yoga Hermit HIIT class! It is not your typical cardio/strength with bursts of work and periods of rest, but consider it more like a power yoga class that drank a big Red Bull. We go through 5 series: Salutation, Warrior, Balance, Core, and Rest to the tune of 30 seconds of movement followed by 10 seconds of holding a posture/transitioning/teeny rest. There are 45 pairs altogether which brings the total workout to 30 min exactly. Enjoy a little warmup in the beginning followed by a short and sweet savasana before the send off!

INFO After I made my first HIIT It & Quit It class many moons ago, I declared it would be the only HIIT class I did.... welp! Here's to surprising yourself! "HIIT Me Hermie One More Time" circles back to the notion of merging a yoga practice with a HIIT style format. This class will take you through 5 sections, 4 movements per section, 40 seconds of movement followed by 20 seconds of pause or transition. That brings the whole thing to just 20 min of work! There's a little warm up and cool down sandwich, complete with a final savasana. The playlist slaps pretty hard, particularly for my fellow nostalgic millennial hermits out there. Let's get it right, get it right, and get it tight! :-D Happy HIIT-ing!

INFO Welcome to your hermit Ashtanga Half Primary series! I talk you through this very specific and set sequence with a medley of how it was taught to me, little memory tricks to remember the sequence, as well as variations on the countless jump-through and jump-back vinyasa work. We also break down the opening and closing chant, listening to an English interpretation, sourced from here: http://www.ashtangaworkshop.com/ashtanga_chants.php. I chant both the opening/closing prayer line by line twice so that you may join me the second time while the phonetic English words float on the screen. I owe much if not all of my knowledge of this sequence to Irene Pappas and Sam Lee Vetrano through the 300-hr training I took with them last summer in 2019 (a year ago... wait, what?!) through their Bodhi Yoga Academy based in Boulder, CO. Thank you for breaking down, teaching, and preserving this incredibly disciplined series and teaching me humility along the way! TBH, I didn't make a playlist for this class because I wasn't sure how long it would come out to. There's a lot of thinking and talking (on my end at least), so I recommend either flowing without music OR to something without words, like shuffling the "Brain Food" or "Lo Fi Beats" playlists on Spotify.

INFO Here she is... a one hour and twenty minute class I've donned "Guilty Pleasures." Using the Baptiste Journey Into Power sequence as my skeleton, I riff and I riff HARD. Leaning into intuitive movement, following the energy that showed up, skipping things, adding things, letting it be exactly ok to do exactly what I want (not a chaturanga in sight! *oopsie*)! Stay true to yourselves, my sweet hermits.

INFO Mandala as defined by Wikipedia: "A mandala is a geometric configuration of symbols. In various spiritual traditions, mandalas may be employed for focusing attention of practitioners and adepts, as a spiritual guidance tool, for establishing a sacred space and as an aid to meditation and trance induction." When it comes to designing and executing a "mandala" flow on a yoga mat, the intention is to create a sequence that takes you all the way around in a circle, and in this case, back around the other way. Simply put, we are all OVER the dang place in this class! We make our way through and around a R-sided standing sequence completing one full circle counter-clockwise, and rewind it back the opposite way on the L-side. We do another complete go-around for a juicy stretch series on both sides. Taking our time to close out, we enjoy some grounding post-savasana nadi shodhana pranayama before heading out to the rest of our day. The playlist is made up of world music including Afro-Cuban, Italian, Korean, Arab, and Hebrew to name a few. I truly hope you enjoy the cultural blend as we take our practice around the world...

INFO Today in The Hermit Lab we go around the world (in songs as well as all over our mat) in a juicy exploration of our hip joint.

INFO Make sure your seatbelt is securely fastened as we set off on a Round Trip journey all over your mat! In this 37-minute flow, we will sandwich a mandala-style sequence right and left side with a savasana on either end, retrograding our way down to our backs just as we made our way up to our feet. Put your listening ears and your thinking cap as this class is as much a practice for listening comprehension and a brain workout as it is a strong, beautifully seamless sequence of intricate transitions. Let's go!

INFO Join me for a spring time Merry-Go-Round mandala flow all around your mat and back again! I hit the deck, asked my dog to behave, and the swirling began. Clocking in at just over 28-minutes, this sequence packs a lot of postures, so my hope is that in the tangling and untangling of ourselves and our space, we end up feeling a little more centered. Enjoy!

INFO FREAKIN' FINALLYYYYYY it was a BEAUTIFUL day outside here in Richmond, VA!! I couldn't resist bringing The Hermit Lab to my back porch today and celebrating the sun with some sun salutations with lots of flair. I put together a playlist for those who like grooving and have a way to listen to music outside, OR I have left on the background noise today - lots of breezes blowing and birds a-chirping! It's a lovely 40 mins to spend with yourself and the fresh air in the outside world. I truly hope you enjoy!

INFO Truly, getting onto your mat can be the hardest part. I put myself on mine and allowed what wanted out to show itself. I call this class "Unmapped 32" because I went in with no plan, no structure, and no final destination. The only intention was movement itself, and it came out to about 32 minutes. I hope you enjoy your unmapped practice and it inspires you to step on your mat again and again and just see what shows up. Stay sane and safe, hermies.

INFO Happy 7/11 - my birthday!! Today I turn 32 years old, and to celebrate with you all, I put together a 32-minute playlist exclusively featuring Lady Gaga to accompany this 32-minute video, because duh :-D As one tends to be a bit over excited on their birthday, this practice moves quickly and visits a melange of some of my favorite postures, movements, transitions etc (aka lots of stretchy stuff and handstand play) - it's a doozy!! And finally, as promised - below I have compiled 32 bits of wisdom I have accrued this year and felt the urge to share with my hermit friends: 1. Establish a really in-depth dental hygiene routine 2. The AirPod pros are TOTALLY worth it 3. Don’t buy rollerblades 4. Watch as much TV as you like 5. Go for walks until it’s a habit 6. You don’t have to drink alcohol very day 7. Seltzer water is a blessing 8. One word: SURVIVOR 9. Sing Gaga in the car always - you’re getting really good 10. Yes, you can take hot baths in the summer 11. "Putzing” is your love language (picking up around the house daily) 12. Set up a drying line in the backyard to put a summer breeze on your clothes 13. You buy a lot of things online, and that’s ok 14. It takes time, but you will learn to do things your way 15. Lean into your creativity and jump on inspiration when it’s hot 16. Cicadas are so freaking cool 17. Keep talking to yourself in other languages 18. Human relationships are fragile 19. Treat everyone with respect 20. Regularly peep your Discover Weekly on Spotify 21. Hanes high-waisted big-butt underwear is an unexpected life changer 22. Use colored light bulbs everywhere whenever you can 23. Castor oil makes for excellent lip gloss 24. Get the Airbnb 25. You actually like eating raw food, so do it more 26. I’m proud of you for buying your first laptop on your own 27. Never underestimate the holy trinity of: diphenhydramine, good ear plugs, and a pillow face mask 28. You can stay in bed all day when your period is bad 29. Your website is super cool and you did it all yourself 30. It’s hard not to take things personally 31. Not doing “yoga” every day doesn’t make you an imposter 32. Remember: you may be the center of your own universe - but so is everyone else Thanks for coming to my hermit birthday party!!!

INFO EXHALE. EXPAND. MOVE. GET BIG. DANCE. SING. CRY. Today I bring you movement freedom after days of personal paralysis. With so much uncertainty lingering in the air, today turned into a GOOD DAY. I can't promise too much structure or professionalism in this particular class as this was my personal re-introduction to my mind-heart-body-breath connection after about 4 days of inactivity. There are some inversions, dancing, and random bouts of sobbing. But it's 70 degrees outside and the winds are changing. I am hopeful. It was time to move. And we have to keep going.

INFO In "Classy / Sassy" - we try on a series of fairly basic yoga asana postures and then reinterpret them via some wacky variations of the same postures along with more creative transitions.

INFO TWEET TWEET, hermits!! Welcome to my long-awaited "Bird Watching" class! It's a doozy - this class is composed of as many yoga postures named after birds as I could think of. Grab your binoculars and your tripod and keep your eyes peeled for a partridge, birds of paradise, a chicken, several crows, wren, flamingo, eagle, rooster, dove, heron, peacocks, and a phoenix! It's gonna be a BIG YEAR :-P

INFO Do you LOVE compass pose? It requires a harmony of hamstring flexibility, a deep hip flexion, side body opening, and shoulder mobility. For this class, I strung together allllll the variations on compass I could think of, be it upside down, sideways, right side up... you name it! I hope you enjoy your compass practice!

INFO "Metamorphosis" emerged from my love of seamless funky transitions between postures... those magic moments in which you find yourself thinking "How did we even get here?" ... when every moment is important, the transitions are precious, the destinations are blurred, and you both mindlessly and mindfully morph your way through your practice. Join me as we journey from here to there, enjoying little revelatory moments as they sprinkles themselves along the way.

INFO Is it yoga? Is it contortion? Is it dance? ... Does it matter?.... Ooey Gooey is a movement class (taught mostly through the lens of yoga asana) geared toward my fellow flexible folks. YES - it is important and healthy for flexible bodies to acquire and maintain a certain amount of strength and joint health. NO - I am not an expert on the ideal flexibility/strength ratio. What I do know is that sometimes, my body craves to go into its deep pockets of flexibility and make strange, stretched out shapes. I invite a slow, intuitive approach right alongside some enormous moves with broad range of motion ... the sequence melts like warm butter sprinkled with cinnamon. Give it a whirl and remember always that YOU are your own greatest teacher.

INFO WELCOME to a very special offering of The Hermit Lab - this is drop number *100*!! I decided on a reprise of "Power Vinyasa 47", which was the inaugural offering in The Hermit Lab back on March 26, 2020. This class is v. loosely structured off of Baptiste's Journey Into Power sequence, but heeeeavily Marge-ified, of course. That said - I am huge proponent of practitioners doing their own thing, so customize your face off! Since that first class, I have been creating and snowballing both video & audio material ever since, and today not only have I reached my hundredth offering, but I have also tipped the scales to over 50 hours of content!! Y'ALL! I had NO idea how far this quarantine baby of mine would go, but if you are here today - THANK YOU. Please enjoy and share this class with whomever you think will enjoy it as my gift to you and all hermit yogis who are still trucking through their home practice.