Embody YOGA

04/27/2026

Calling all entrepreneurs, stay at home parents, 2nd & 3rd shifters and those with a flex schedule…

Our morning Pilates classes launch next week!

I did my best to set this schedule in a way that would give you the best of what EY has to offer on the Pilates side:

•Mondays, 9am: Reformer Pilates with Joanna

•Tuesdays, 9am: Pilates Mat (unheated) with Joanna

•Wednesdays, 9am: Reformer Pilates with Zuri

•Thursdays, 9am: Reformer Pilates: Abs & B***y with Joanna

I especially want to point out the Pilates Mat class. I know we LOVE reformer Pilates but we NEED the mat too. It’s the very foundation of the Pilates system and helps us develop alot of strength and control as well.

All of these 9am classes are open to students of ALL levels (including beginners).

Start your day with us. I promise it will be worth the effort 💪🏾💪🏾💪🏾

04/20/2026

What is Semi-Private: Classical???

A small group Pilates class focused on the Classical (original) Pilates method.

What to expect: A work at your own pace situation. While you are working out on the reformer another student might be working out on the mat and another might be on the low chair. The instructor will give you an exercise to do with a set number of reps. After watching a few reps to check/correct your form and ex*****on, we’ll go check on the other students while you finish your reps. I’ll then come back to you with your next exercise….so on and so forth.

We have several pieces of equipment in our semi-private studio: reformers, mats/towers, a Cadillac, low chairs and a ladder barrel. There are several exercises that can be done on each piece of equipment. Most students get to experience at least two pieces of equipment in our semi-privates.

Best for: Students who want/need a smaller group experience and/or individualized attention. The small group experience allows the instructor to program a workout specifically for you to address your goals/needs. Also great for pregnant students, students with limited mobility or minor injuries.

Schedule
Monday, 5pm with Joanna
Tuesday, 9:30am with Joanna
Wednesday, 5pm with Matthew
Thursday, 5pm & 7:15pm with Zuri
Sunday, 9am with Matthew

Let us know if you have any other questions about our Semi-Privates! Book via the 🔗 in bio

P.S. If you already have a Reformer Pilates package/plan, those passes can be used for Semi-Privates as well.

04/17/2026

NEW Classes. NEW Memberships.
You asked for them and they are finally here. MORE weekday morning classes, membership options that include yoga, Pilates Mat AND Reformer Pilates and so much more. Check your email NOW for our latest newsletter. We'll see you on the mat and/or reformer.

XOXO,
Joanna
Embody Yoga, Founder

04/14/2026

UPDATE!
1. We use a new platform, Walla, to book classes and purchase class passes. We no longer use MINDBODY

2. If you’ve ever taken a class with us, you now also have a Walla account and any previously purchased passes should have transferred over to that Walla account. To gain accesss to your Walla account, you just need to set a password. Please check for an email from us on 3/26 that will prompt you to set your password.

3. Once you’ve gained access to your Walla account, please check and make sure you see your previously purchased passes there, if not, please let me know immediately and no later than THIS Friday.

4. As of THIS Friday, our staff will no longer have access to MINDBODY.

5. Again, after THIS Friday our staff loses access to MINDBODY and we won’t be able to verify and honor purchases previously made in MINDBODY.

6. Friday is the cut off date 🤗

If you have any questions, I can be reached at joanna@embodyyogamke.com.

04/06/2026

03/30/2026

A class is the morning on a WEEKDAY???!!! 😲

Historically, we’ve kept most of our classes in the evenings and on weekends because that’s when it seems y’all are most available.

However, when we receive feedback/requests-we do consider!

That is why we are now offering a Reformer Pilates class on Wednesday mornings at 8:30am. This class officially begins THIS Wednesday.

This class is open to new AND experienced students. During class, we’ll offer modifications (for when you need to bring the intensity down a bit) and challenges (for when you need to turn the intensity up). That way, everybody gets what they need.

As with all of our other Reformer Pilates classes, you can expect exercises that strengthen your shoulders, biceps, triceps, abs, glutes, hamstrings and quads as well as exercises that improve posture and promote flexibility.

Available and interested??? Check our bio.

P.S. If you want to see more daytime classes on our schedule (yoga or Pilates), keep talking to us. We want it if you want it.

03/13/2026

We are looking for Pilates instructors and yoga instructors to join our team!

Here’s what’s most important to us in our instructors: 

Character
We are looking for exceptional teachers-who are also good people. Character matters so much to us because it impacts community. We want teachers who want to be a part of our community, are friendly, welcoming and care about the well-being of our students. 

Skill
The ideal yoga instructor candidate would be proficient and confident in teaching Vinyasa Flow or Power Yoga classes.

The ideal Pilates instructor candidate would be proficient and confident in teaching Reformer and Mat from a Contemporary or Classical perspective. The ideal candidate must also possess a willingness to instruct teens as well as adults.

We expect all teachers to demonstrate cultural competency as demonstrated through their treatment of our students, music selection, ways of being and more. 

Yoga Instructor Availability:
This is a substitute position. The ideal candidate would have availability to sub on weekday evenings and weekend mornings.

Pilates Instructor Availability: This is a permanent position. Most immediately, we need coverage for Tuesday and Thursday evening classes as well as weekend classes.

All candidates would be welcome to pitch additional class formats or specialty classes or events to be added to the studio schedule.

Pay: Let’s talk about it.... 
Additional benefits: Embody Yoga teachers take our classes at no cost (space permitting).

How to Apply: Please submit your resume to joanna@embodyyogamke.com by March 18th.

03/02/2026

Yoga is SO much more than just poses, deep breathing and meditation. It is an entire system with it’s own philosophy and a variety of practices to help us live a balanced and peaceful life. 

If you are curious about these other aspects of yoga or want to go deeper into your practice and study of yoga, then we highly recommend our upcoming Intro to Ayur Yoga series led by our partner Nailah of Creative Aliveness Ayurveda. Nailah is a Ayurvedic doctor and Ayur Yoga instructor. 

Over the course of 4 weeks, you will learn yoga philosophy, asana (poses), pranayama (breathwork), meditation, marmas (energy points on the body), mudras, and mantra (a repeated sound, word or phrase to focus awareness) to invigorate the body, still the mind, and increase focus and awareness. 

Beginners are welcome. Open to all levels.

AyurYoga® Class Dates:
* Saturday, March 7th
* Saturday, March 14th
* Saturday, March 21st
* Saturday, March 28th

Time: 1pm - 1:50pm

Location: Embody Yoga (Yoga Studios)

Cost: $60 (includes all 4 classes in the series)

Pre-registration required. See 🔗 in bio

02/20/2026

Intensity…

Context: When prepping for a marathon, most people start training 12-14 weeks out. My marathon is in October. While I’m not officially training for it yet-this is pre-season. I’m getting in shape for training. Part of that process is strength training. It keeps me healthy with the increase in running I’m doing.

Every Thursday I take a “real” strength training class. We use barbells and stuff. I’ve been going for about 6 weeks now. Periodically, my instructor (who I really like and trust), has been gently encouraging me to lift heavier. This past Thursday she said, “You’re stronger than you think you are”.

Today, I was in another workout class that’s a mix of running and strength training. That instructor has been checking in with me for the past couple of weeks and suggesting heavier weights. She’ll actually bring them to me and take the lighter weights away 😂 (in a very sweet way). As she was talking to me about this today and how it looked like I was lifting feathers, I just flat out told her, “I don’t like to work hard” 🤦🏾‍♀️. But I took the 20 lb weights she gave me in place of my 12.5s and knocked out the 15 reps with ease.

Thinking back on this, what I think I meant is I don’t like…INTENSITY. Sustained intensity. I can run but I prefer slower paces. I can lift but I prefer lighter weights. I don’t like to be physically uncomfortable for too long.

And if I feel that way right now, I might as well drop out of this marathon because what is it other than sustained intensity????

I’m NOT dropping out but I’ve realized that I have to start pushing myself out of my comfort zone. I ask this of y’all ALL the time. It’s time for me to take my own advice.

I was telling one of my other teachers/coaches that I feel like I’m stuck running at the same pace. He said, “this is going to sound crazy but to run faster you have to run faster”.

It might have taken SEVERAL deliveries but-MESSAGE RECEIVED.

I am destined for greatness. I am the daughter of Garry & Carol Brooks. Mediocrity is not for me.

Here’s to (safely) lifting heavier and running faster 💪🏾🏃🏾‍♀️

Thanks for listening/reading.

02/12/2026

I feel like the world needs to know that today is my mother’s birthday.

Her name is Carol. She passed away about 18 years ago (I can’t believe it’s been that long).

She was a dedicated mother.

She was afraid to drive on the freeway. I remember one time, when we were little, we were going to look at furniture without my dad. She accidentally got on the freeway and panicked. We got off at the next exit. We were fine. But I think she cried a little bit.

She was the oldest girl amongst her siblings.

She was an excellent cook.

For most of our early childhood, she stayed at home. My strongest memories of my mother are of me sitting between her legs on the kitchen floor on school days mornings getting my hair combed. And sometimes, after she finished my hair, she would put my earrings in and I’d be really cute that day.

I don’t know much about her life and experience as a woman (outside of her mothering). There are many things I would like to ask her about now. But she also didn’t really like to talk about the past.

One day, when I first started traveling, I asked if I could borrow her luggage. She primarily used it to hold her important documents. She said yes, and then, “that luggage has seen more places than I ever will”. If she were alive today, I hope she would have let me take her on many trips by now.

She loved Pepsi sodas.

She smoked Newports.

She talked to my aunties every day, often multiple times a day.

Easter had to have been her favorite holiday because she always cooked and set up the plate with the jelly beans and our decorated Easter eggs. Oh-and she always watched The Ten Commandments that day too.

She was strong. Opinionated. Of good character.

I miss her real bad. I hope she is proud.

Thank you for reading 🤗

01/27/2026

“True yoga is not about the shape of your body, but the shape of your life. Yoga is not to be performed; yoga is to be lived. Yoga doesn’t care about what you have been; yoga cares about the person you are becoming. Yoga is designed for a vast and profound purpose, and for it to be truly called yoga, its essence must be embodied”—Aadil Palkhivala

Embody Yoga

P.S. This video is from a couple of Saturdays back. I didn’t realize until watching it back that most of the back row was comprised of Black men ❤️

01/21/2026

Accountability post…

I signed up for a marathon.

In October, I’ll be running the Milwaukee Lakefront Marathon.

My only goals for this marathon are to be healthy leading up to and during the marathon itself and to feel good while running it. No time goals.

I am a bit nervous about it. I know it won’t be easy. I also know that I can do it if I put my mind to it.

So when you see me at the studio, ask me how training is going, give me words of encouragement (and tips if you’ve ever run a marathon).

I’ll be sharing my running journey here periodically ❤️❤️