Today we’d like to introduce you to Carmen Martinez.
Carmen, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Yoga slowly crept into my life over the years till one day it all clicked and yoga started to change me. Yoga made me feel great in ways I’d never felt, my personal practice became constant and then I decided to become a yoga instructor. I had this whole plan that I would teach other people about yoga… I wanted yoga to be approachable and fun. It was really important to me that I not become another Lululemon yoga clone… Meaning I wanted to teach everyone… All bodies, all races and all ages. I started off offering free classes to my community, then I started teaching events at Axelrad, BARC, joining the fitness team for UHD where I am currently teaching weekly and also teaching at a low-income neighborhood gym which I really love… I love it so much. I love sharing yoga with people who would otherwise never have the courage to take a yoga class or even afford to take a yoga class.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Finding my community in yoga… Let me start by saying I am not a size 0 nor have I ever been… I’m Brown, thick and Latina, something I haven’t seen much of in the yoga world. Finding my yoga comity has been hard, so I set out to find my community of people… All bodies, ages, races and incomes. If your community does not exist then build not right??
Please tell us about your business.
I am a yogi. I teach approachable, down to earth yoga to all walks of life. I am here to serve those who are ready to receive. What am I most proud of?? My BARC Houston event… I love animals and working with BARC to help animals get adopted is something near to me. I adopted my best friend Harley from BARC years ago. My Axelrad events… I did a Screwed-up yoga event (DJ screw tribute) that was really fun to see Houston come out and do yoga with me… It was packed that day… Doing my events I have also been able to help other small businesses… I have done a lot of events. what sets me apart? I am down to earth, I love people, I love yoga and I think that really shows in my classes. I want everyone to feel like yoga is for them. I want everyone to leave with that yoga high.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
Leading my friend’s into new adventures. Even when I was little, I was always the leader, I always had a plan, a new game. I remember hyping everyone up to play a new capture the flag game leading is into a victory… I feel that way when I teach yoga sometimes… Like I am leading everyone into a battle… A very zen, challenging, fun relaxing battle. Lol
Contact Info:
- Phone: 832 248 7349
- Email: carmiemichelle87@gmail.com
- Instagram: See_Me_Shell_Go
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Yoga-with-See_Me_Shell_Go-1405534682944104/
Image Credit:
Andrea Jarvis, Anancelia Ramirez
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