It all started with two athletes…

The nugget of SloBody lies in the fact that we, the owners Kirk and Janine, were competitive athletes who still love a good work out, we are curious about movement and passionate about teaching and helping others.

We met at the George Washington University in our first semester and clicked from the beginning.

Kirk

I was on the swim team and after practices I would wander upstairs and watch the gymnasts practice as I recovered from the gruel of my second workout of the day. My roommate and I would watch the girls with muscles fly around the bars, run the track, practice rolls, handstands, and floor routines, taking on these impossible tasks with their bodies. Janine was one of those girls.

In my last year at school I began having issues with my blood pressure. Determined to find a way to avoid taking medication for the rest of my life, I tried a yoga class. I liked it. I began practicing daily, oftentimes twice a day, and found a new perspective on what it was to be balanced, restored and grounded. Remarkably, my tendency towards hypertension subsided. Not one doctor had suggested an alternative to medication, not one. It was my resolve and belief that I could make a change that lead me to a great trade off – do yoga = no meds.

My teachers began to ask me to sub classes here and there and I enjoyed that as much as my practice. Not satisfied with my “job situation” at the time, this turned out to be the beginnings of my new profession. I explored many styles and teachers and the benefits were great, but I felt something missing. The traditional vibe of Guru and their sycophants didn’t jive with my personality. I didn’t want to smell the incense, hear the chanting, or deal with nonsense/dogma that was a distraction to my goals. For me it was a natural progression to blend yoga postures and breath awareness into a more athletic conditioning structure. SloBody was born.

Janine

I stayed close to my athletic roots in gymnastics and dance, and began teaching in college and continued after graduation. From Physical Education program director to coaching elite level gymnasts to instructing and dancing professionally my life was filled with exploring movement.

I came to practice SloBody after being injured in a car accident. The practice resonated with my body and rehabbed my injuries with much more efficiency than the physical therapy I was assigned. To my surprise, I also found it extremely beneficial to my dancing, performance and teaching. I was hooked.

We joined forces professionally upon moving to Seattle in 1999. We were teaching a lot, taking many other classes and learning a ton (as we still do) from our students and each other. A few things became apparent that motivated us to further develop and codify our system. First, even though we knew the benefits firsthand it was amazing to see how others lives were changing from this practice. Secondly, we found a niche with folks who were looking for a yoga that is practical, athletic and relevant to their active, professional lives and activities. And third, we noticed a lack of quality teachers out there. It didn’t matter what discipline, there were very few folks who knew their craft intimately and could parlay “how to” to a group.

Determined to have a home for SloBody we opened our first studio in 2005 and developed and implemented a teacher training program in 2009. We  continue to expand our services through online offerings including workout videos, short tutorials and teaching aids.

Our mission is twofold: 1) help active minded individuals live healthier more vibrant lives by providing the tools, skills, motivation and accountability, and 2) become a respected resource for trainers and teachers by improving their level of knowledge and training skills so they can better communicate, engage and motivate their clientele.