Julie Moore has always been into movement, but it wasn’t until she had her second son that she realized she was not taking care of herself — physically or mentally.
Feeling overwhelmed with two small children, she went to see a doctor who asked her to take a breath. She did. He asked her to take a deeper breath, and in that moment, she changed her outlook.
Moore began exercising by first attending a boot camp program, but when she wanted to take those deep breaths the doctor had asked her to take, she turned to yoga.
“I first did it more for physical movement, but physical movement is now the bonus,” Moore said. “It’s a blessing that I get to do it and that I take time for myself. It has changed my outlook on life, raising kids, interactions with family — they all shifted.”
Moore is now a Registered Yoga Teacher 200, which requires 200 hours of yoga training. Besides teaching yoga classes at her studio Moore Yoga, she also blends her discipline with any fitness program to get people out and active. She has collaborated with Kimberly Montgomery at Balance Health + Body and in early 2019, the two created CardiYoga, which begins with a walk/run segment and is followed by a yoga session.
“It’s all about supporting big breath and movement,” Moore said. “I am just partial to yoga.”
For 14 years, Moore wrote for Kentucky Monthly, but now describes her job as the “sharer of info, fun and positive vibes” at Legends, a sports store whose motto is #doactivities #stayhealthy.
Legends has always created opportunities for people to join in fitness routines in the community and promoted events that do the same.
“We have quality retail products for active people and a quality team that supports, encourages and even creates fun opportunities for customers and friends to get or keep moving — trail runs, bike workshops, Tuesday Night Runs — all types of movement,” Moore said. “People can be just beginning or moving forever.”
Moore has taught yoga classes in the store prior to her employment, but she is now partnering with Legends to offer an opportunity for people to get active and finish with yoga.
Saturday will be the first of Moore’s Summer Saturday Movement Series. At 8 a.m., participants will meet at Legends and walk, run or bike to Kentucky Wesleyan College’s front lawn where, at 8:30 a.m., she will do a 30-minute yoga session. The series is open to anybody of any age and Moore encourages families to try it together.
“This is for anybody. It’s about being happy, feeling good and combining breath and movement,” Moore said.
And when it is over, people can “get on about the day” by either biking home or walking or running back to Legends.
Moore will have 12 yoga mats available for people at Wesleyan, but people are encouraged to bring their own mats or towels as well. If participants don’t want to do the first segment, they can meet on the front lawn at Wesleyan for the yoga.
Moore will hold three more events in the Summer Saturday Movement Series on the last Saturday of June and the first and last Saturday of July. For more information on these, visit Legends Facebook page or the Summer Saturday Movement Series event page.
A special CardiYoga class is being held on June 15 that begins at the downtown fountain. For more information, visit Balance Health + Body’s Facebook page.
