Jason Freskos Presents His Favorite Innovators Shaping Yoga Right Now
The year 2020 may have felt like it held the yoga world back. However, yoga is a progressive activity and a progressive state of mind. Yoga instructor Jason Freskos explained that despite not being able to attend in-person classes, the yoga industry has significantly advanced in the past year. The following are his favorite yoga innovators shaping the practice right now.
“Yoga is constantly changing, even amidst the coronavirus pandemic,” Jason Freskos said. “I think this pandemic has made certain yoga teachers shine. Those who have been able to adapt have been able to keep the practice alive and thriving.”
Jason Freskos added that one of his favorite yoga instructors right now is Sadie Nardini. He explained that this is because she brings a different attitude to teaching and life. She’s fully authentic, and she’s even created her own yoga style, which she calls Core Strength Vinyasa Yoga. Jason Freskos explained that Sadie Nardini is focused on the exercise side of yoga, including flexibility, strength, and calorie burn. However, her unique personality and programs also lean strongly toward promoting confidence and self-awareness.
“Lara Land is another shining light in the yoga industry,” Jason Freskos said. “She has combined her teaching abilities with social justice work and charity efforts that aid the yoga community and far beyond.”
Jason Freskos explained that Lara Land is an Ashtanga Yoga teacher and the owner of a studio in Harlem. In addition to operating her studio, she has traveled to countless impoverished countries, taking yoga therapies to kids and adults living with HIV. She also founded the Uptown Yoga Festival, which has brought numerous free yoga courses and activities to the Harlem community. Jason Freskos added that Lara Land is continuously working to include her community in her practice, as opposed to gentrifying it.
“Another yogi I’m constantly following for his innovative approach to the practice is Derreck “DJ” Townsel,” Jason Freskos said. “He’s an ex-NFL player who is dedicated to getting more men into yoga.”
Jason Freskos added that DJ Townsel shows that flexibility and athleticism are closely intertwined. The NFL athlete has a passion for yoga that Jason Freskos describes as “contagious,” and he’s become an excellent resource for athletic men who want to start or improve their practices.
“It’s exciting to watch the yoga industry transform each and every year,” Jason Freskos said. “Yogis are a creative bunch, and that’s why we can guarantee the practice will continue no matter what the world throws at it.”