Teacher Spotlight: Meet Abigail
1. Tell us a little about you.
My name is Abigail Irlbeck and yoga has been a part of my life since 2012. I currently live in Denver, CO and teach yoga for OTY via Zoom. My husband, Tanner and I have lived in Denver for two years now and love to hike and ski. We have a 1-year-old Labrador Retriever, Charlie, who has become our entire world; he is truly our first child! Prior to moving to CO, I spent several years in Omaha, NE, where I established a solid yoga practice, did my yoga training, as well as my undergraduate and graduate work. I earned my Bachelor of Science in Public Health in 2015 as well as my Master of Arts in Health Behavior in 2018 from the University of Nebraska Omaha. I completed my RYT-200 in May of 2017 at OTY.
I have been passionate about physical activity my entire life, starting at the age of five as a dancer and gymnast, and later, engaging in other sports like volleyball and tennis. Being physically active is a huge part of who I am. You can find me frequently dancing in the kitchen (because why not) or hitting a daily step goal of 17,000 (thanks, Charlie)! When presented with the opportunity to teach asana, I couldn’t say no, especially being that it was where what felt like a second home to me, at OTY. I quickly developed a passion for teaching and have taught yoga for four years now. In addition to teaching for OTY, I am Adjunct Faculty for the Community College of Denver; I currently teach human nutrition and medical terminology. I am a Lifestyle Coach for the YMCA of Metro Denver, and I facilitate the national Diabetes Prevention Program. I am also the Program Assistant for The Health Education and Resources Institute, a non-profit organization that helps individuals kickstart their careers in healthcare and health education. I love how my formal education intertwines with the principles of yoga. I am committed to creating healthy and sustainable communities and the yoga discipline fully supports this commitment and passion.
2. What is the biggest impact that yoga has had on your life?
Yoga has slowly shifted my ability to relinquish control. I love to be in charge, to plan, to organize, etc., but I’ve learned that I can plan as much as I want, and life will often tell me otherwise! This used to and honestly sometimes still, upsets me, having to accept the fact that something that I had so thoroughly thought out, didn’t go as planned. However, yoga has impacted my ability to accept situations or moments as they are and to be more skillful in moving forward from those instances. Yoga emphasizes the dynamics of living and highlights how things truly ebb and flow.
3. When do you apply the lessons of yoga in your daily life?
I find myself applying (or at least trying to) apply the lessons of yoga quite regularly. I previously thought I could only utilize what yoga has taught me when my life is in a state of struggle and difficulty, which is useful of course, but what I’ve gathered recently is how the lessons of yoga can also be utilized when my life is truly blissful or when things feel incredibly mundane, and well, everything in between! The lessons of yoga are so abundant. I continually learn new ways to apply the lessons of yoga every time I am on my mat. The asana space is often referred to as a laboratory or a place of investigation and that analogy is so relevant to how I try to approach my practice as well as my life.
4. What are your 3 go-to poses if you need a quick practice?
My go-to poses lately consist of Supta Padangusthasana I, Supta Sukhasana, and Ardha Supta Virasana. My hips are so tight these days, as I work remotely and sit frequently so if I can’t carve out time for a formal class, I get on my mat and do these three poses.
5. What is your favorite style of yoga right now and why?
I am equally in love with several yoga styles right now. Hatha has always been a favorite of mine. I feel so strong and grounded after a Hatha class. I also appreciate the slower pace of Hatha; I love to flow, but it’s so important for someone like me, a busy body, to incorporate slower practices. The longer holds and the extra alignment focuses a typical Hatha class offers, works wonders for my hypermobile body and let’s be real, a hypermobile mind! I also have been loving Yin more these days. I used to dislike it, but this style of yoga practice is such a great antidote to my everyday grind. I have found myself desiring the quiet that Yin offers as well.
6. What is unique about your classes and your style of teaching?
My classes are intentionally planned. I love to create a stick-figure sequence before I teach. I’ve always been a planner so usually the day before I am to teach a class, I set aside quiet time to plan. This often consists of doodling, some on-the-mat work, and referencing some of my previous sequences. I find value in planning for class, knowing very well that what I develop may not go according to plan! There is, however, great value for me in the planning process. Being a yoga teacher comes with great responsibility and I hold myself accountable to my students. One of the best ways I can be accountable to my students is through careful planning. It’s also fun! I love sequencing; there are so many poses and variations of poses to utilize.