Fitness Insider: Desirae Pierce of Breath and Body Yoga

Desirae Pierce has been physically active all her life. She did ballet seriously as a youngster and experimented with different pursuits while running her own graphic design and advertising business in her twenties. But when she tried her first yoga class, she knew it was for her. In March 2006 she opened Breath and Body Yoga, a heated studio that teaches the Vinyasa yoga methods of several renowned American yogis. Pierce was recently appointed to be one of the Lululemon Athletica ambassadors for the Austin area.

What style of yoga is practiced at Breath and Body?
Vinyasa - flow yoga. It's the body and the breath linking together and it's a constant flow so you don't stay still in between. The particular type of yoga we teach is called Baptiste Power Vinyasa, developed by a man named Baron Baptiste. And also one called Shiva Rea developed by Shiva Rea. Instead of making up our own sequences, we actually study with other people in the country who have created sequences. In order to teach in my studio you have to be certified in those methods, which is what sets up apart from other studios. Also, the studio was designed for flow - it has hardwood floors, and it's heated. We focus not just on the Asanas - the postures, but it's also getting into the breath and into the soul, and we talk about that in our class.

Tell me a more about the benefits of doing yoga in a heated room.
Well, your bones heat up, first of all, and that allows the muscles to stretch. The ujjayi breath that we focus on that warms up the body. The heat lubricates the joints and it allows you to move the bones really safely. When you sweat, it's one way to detoxify, and get rid of the old. We talk about yeah - you're getting rid of your Saturday nights, but also, you can get rid of emotion. It allows everything to come out.

Tell me about the "40-day personal revolution" you offer.
It's based on Baron's book called the "40-day Personal Revolution." It's about becoming aware of your own self, the decisions you make and the movements you make. The first week is really about becoming aware - notice do you eat spicy foods, or do you eat cold foods. It's not about judging, just noticing. A lot of the times we're very mindless about what we do. When we're in yoga, the first week of the personal revolution is to be very aware of the moment. What you're trying to do is connect the mind back to the body. Now, it's also a 40-day practice and it's a build up to a meditation. The first week you might try just to meditate for 5 minutes and then you build it up. And when you learn to listen to your mind then you can listen to your heart. A lot of people believe that that's where God lives - somewhere near the heart. So when you can listen you can start letting go of your ego and the voice inside your head that tells you you can't do things. And when that happens you start to build up a lot of strength, and maybe traffic doesn't bother you because you know there's not a whole lot you can do about it. You begin to look at life with open eyes and rather than projecting energy out you start to feel from within. It just shifts your energy.

Do you set it up where people start on the same day and do it together?
We do it both ways. You can start it on your own and we can support you and provide you with the books and the juices. There's three days of juice fasting. And we partner with Daily Juice. That gives your digestive tract a break. At the end of your fruit fast you have a lot more energy than you think you would. Your relationship with food really changes. We just finished one - over the summer. We're going to have one start in January and we'll probably do one this fall.

How long have you been teaching?
I've been teaching a little over four years and I've been practicing ten years.

How did you get into yoga?
I owned a graphic design and advertising company in my twenties and it was very stressful so I needed a way to release. I tried jet skiing and running and ballet and a gym membership but none of it was very fulfilling. I took my first yoga class and it was like a beacon. It was a Bikram class - a hot class. I didn't get all of the postures the first year, but it was about exploring.

Why did you want to get involved with Lululemon?
Lululemon is the absolute best yoga wear every made. As a teacher I have to be in yoga clothes six, eight, ten and twelve hours a day. Lululemon absolutely wears the best, it moves the best. And I feel comfortable whether I'm in class or walking through Whole Foods. They're sexy. It's by far the best technical yoga wear on the market. They're really hard to find so I'm really excited that they're here in Austin.

Do I understand that you're the Austin ambassador?
Yes, I was the first Austin ambassador chosen, which was a huge honor. So I'll represent them on media events. The company's really supportive of yoga and they really understand all the postures. With Lululemon clothes in a heated studio their material is very breathable so it draws the moisture away to keep you cool. Whereas some clothes that contain cotton it can stick to you and get all gross. But Lululemon dries really fast so after class you can run to Central Market or Whole Foods because you're not all sweaty.

More on Breath and Body Yoga at www.breathandbodyyoga.com
More on Lululemon at www.lululemon.com and below.

designer insider
posted - beth / 7:01 PM / 09.05.07