Conversations with Izzy Martens

Today we’d like to introduce you to Izzy Martens

Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in Boulder and my parents were the very typical “Boulderites” of their time. They moved there in the 80s, opened the first food co-op and practiced Ashtanga yoga with Richard Freeman. I spent my childhood surrounded by yoga mats and downward facing dogs.

When I was 16 I walked into a yoga studio class for the first time. As a teenager, my mind was filled with all the typical angst and worry that teenagers tend to carry. I was excited by that first yoga class. I loved how it made my body feel strong and my mind feel soft. This sparked a lifelong love of the practice.

At age 22, I had moved to Washington, D.C. for a job and I was struggling with the pace and frenzy of the city. My job was in leadership development and they wanted to integrate more mindfulness into their sessions. Feeling bold, one day I told my boss that I had a love of yoga and could maybe lead a centering. This turned into a new path of my career – in the upcoming years, I not only completed my yoga teacher training and started teaching in the city, but I also received my Executive Certificate in Facilitation from Georgetown University. I started leading mindfulness sessions for organizations across the country. My boss and I agreed that there was something magical about teaching mindfulness to people who might typically shy away or scoff at it, and in using it as a tool in designing and hosting large gatherings. We decided to write a book about what we were learning and released Holding Space: A Guide to Mindful Facilitation in November 2022.

These days, I’m back in Colorado, living in the lovely town of Fort Collins. I’m teaching weekly classes at a few local studios – Old Town Yoga and YogaPod Fort Collins. My passion project right now is my weekly newsletter, What I Taught in Yoga This Week, which is an offshoot of my website – Yoga Humans.

When I was a yoga teacher just beginning, I still had so many questions about teaching. I had graduated from my 200hr YTT, but there was so much more left to learn. I started to imagine creating an easy resource and community that would help answer those questions. That’s how Yoga Humans was born. Now, there’s a wonderful community of teachers who are part of the Yoga Humans Substack (yogahumans.substack.com). Each week I share the real sequence I taught in my class and I also share some tips or tricks about teaching that I’ve picked up along the way. Readers can comment, ask questions and talk to each other. It’s been a beautiful thing to watch unfold.

It would be an undersell to say that yoga has truly changed how I interact with the world. It has given me a greater awareness and understanding of my mind and body. More than that, it has connected me with a greater sense of unity to the world around me. I consider it an honor to be able to teach and share the practice.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I don’t think any road is always smooth, that’s the nature of life. Mine is certainly no different. Many of the challenges involved in teaching yoga and finding my own voice are similar to those that others experience. I’ve had moments of imposter syndrome, times where I felt drained, or now, being on the internet, moments where critical comments or hateful words get in my head.

It’s an interesting moment to teach yoga. A time when conversations about cultural appropriation and anatomical correctness are top of mind for many in the yoga world. It’s an ancient practice, one that needs to be honored and understood at its roots. And, it has evolved in many different ways. There are a lot of competing voices about “what’s right” in the yoga world. It can be tricky to navigate. For me, I try to understand as much as I can and always lead from a place of respect and compassion.

Mostly, I understand what an impact yoga can make in the lives of others. It certainly has in my own life. I think the more people who are able to tap into their mind, body, and breath, in the way that yoga teaches us, the better.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
As a yoga teacher, I specialize in creative yoga sequences and classes that really tap into the “flow” of a Vinyasa practice. In addition to Vinyasa, I have a background in Power, Hatha and Rocket. Coming up with creative ways to move through class is one of my favorite parts about teaching. I often have students come up to me and say they enjoy my classes because it feels like a dance. I believe that yoga is a beautiful dance. A dance between all elements of your attention and awareness.

I’m also passionate about helping new yoga teachers find their unique style and voice. As I mentioned, I share my experience, tips, tricks and sequences online at yogahumans.substack.com. It can be intimidating to teach. It’s a big energy pull, and it’s also a great gift to give to others. I want to remind teachers that we’re not alone on this path. We share many of the same challenges and doubts. I love Yoga Humans because it’s given teachers a platform to connect and feel more unified.

Mostly, I simply want to give others the gift of the practice. A handful of minutes in an extremely busy world where you can let that all the rest of the noise fall away and tap back into the silence.

What matters most to you? Why?
At the end of the day what matters most to me tends to be the simple things – my family and friends, my two little kitty cats – Moose and Meeko, the community I’m living in, taking care of the house and garden, and taking care of myself and those around me. Those are the simple things, but I actually think they are the really big things.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://yogahumans.substack.com
• Instagram: @yoga.humans
• Other: @martensizzy (instagram, personal)