rocket I (75min)

April 8, 2025 • 5:45 am - 7:00 am
5009 Country Club Road, Winston-Salem, NC
Allie Labate
I started yoga for all the wrong reasons—wanting to sculpt my body, achieve impressive postures, and push my physical limits. But yoga had other plans for me. What began as a pursuit of strength and flexibility became an unraveling, a deep questioning, and a discovery of something far greater than the body. Yoga shattered the illusion that fulfillment comes from external achievements and instead led me inward—to presence, to truth, to the infinite. I grew up in a small town in Virginia, deep in the heart of the Appalachian Mountains. In my early 20s, I turned to bodybuilding as a way to lose weight and build muscle, dedicating nearly eight years to sculpting my physique. But beneath the surface, I developed an unhealthy relationship with my body and food—one that slowly eroded my mental and physical well-being. Yet, through bodybuilding, I cultivated a deep fascination with biomechanics, anatomy, and human performance. I became obsessed with understanding how the body moves and functions. But it wasn’t until an injury forced me to slow down that I truly began to listen—to my body, to my mind, and to something deeper within. That’s when I found yoga—and through it, I found myself. Yoga is more than a practice; it is a path to awakening. Through asana, I learned discipline and mental focus. Through breathwork, I learned stillness. Through meditation, I learned that there is so much more to this existence than what we see on the surface. My practice and studies led me to embody yoga's eight limbed path, dive into the wisdom of the Vedas, embrace Ayurveda as a way of life, and explore the depths of consciousness through meditation. In 2020, I opened my first yoga studio in Durham, NC, with the intention of sharing not just the physicality of yoga, but the transformation that unfolds when you commit to the practice. When my husband and I moved to Winston-Salem, I continued teaching from my home before officially opening vyb studio in December 2024—a space dedicated to powerful, intentional, and deeply transformative yoga. My classes are rooted in Ashtanga and Rocket Yoga, blending discipline with play, effort with surrender. They are physically challenging, but the real work is internal—learning to move with awareness, breathe through resistance, and quiet the mind so that the soul can speak. Beyond the mat, I am a seeker. A student of ancient texts, a lover of philosophy, a believer in the unseen. I find divinity in nature, stillness in the breath, and truth in the silence between thoughts. Yoga is not about perfecting poses—it is about remembering who you are beyond the physical. Training & Certifications: Yoga Alliance Continuing Education Provider 300-Hour Chopra Health™ Ayurveda Health Teacher 12-Hour Handstand Seminar with Yuri Marmerstein 50-Hour Rocket Yoga Teacher Training with Carson Calhoun 300-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Ashtanga, Yin & Restorative, Ayurveda, Chair Yoga, Meditation & Pranayama) with Michelle Young 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Ashtanga & Rocket Yoga) with Carson Calhoun 200-Hour Yoga Teacher Training (Power Yoga) with Jennifer Eddins At the heart of it all, I teach yoga because it is the gateway to transformation. If you let it, it will change your body—but more importantly, it will change your mind, your heart, and your way of being in the world.

Description

Rocket I is a moderately-paced sequence inspired by the Ashtanga Primary Series, designed to establish a strong foundation while preparing the body for peak postures like arm balances and inversions. The class places a special emphasis on seated forward folds to develop flexibility in the hamstrings, hips, and back, while simultaneously building strength in the core and upper body. With breath as your guide, you'll refine foundational poses and explore the dynamic flow that makes Rocket Yoga so energizing. Think of Rocket I as the "baseline beat" of your Rocket journey, laying the groundwork for deeper exploration.

Rocket Yoga is a reimagined take on the traditional Ashtanga system, offering a dynamic and empowering flow designed to build strength, flexibility, and mindfulness. If traditional Ashtanga is the classical composition, Rocket is the remix—vibrant, experimental, and energizing, much like electronic dance music blending layers of rhythm and melody. With a focus on creative progression, Rocket Yoga introduces modifications and variations that make advanced postures more accessible, helping you break through perceived limitations and explore new heights in your practice. Each class emphasizes breath count, alignment, and fluid movement to cultivate a deeply meditative state.

Rocket is divided into Rocket I, Rocket II, and Rocket III, each of which take the traditional primary and intermediate Ashtanga series, and focus on targeted body strength and flexibility. The three series total 142 poses. Sweat and hard work are expected, and meditation comes easily at the end!

Rocket I: based on Ashtanga Primary Series
Rocket II: based on Ashtanga Intermediate and Advanced series
Rocket III: (aka "Happy Hour") combines the seated Rocket I and Rocket II