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The Funny Thing About Yoga
Flipping the Script on Props with Jenny Clise
Season 3, Ep. 130
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This week, Giana and Bradshaw sit down with Jenny Clise, a San Francisco yoga teacher and author of The Complete Guide to Yoga Props. They dive into everything from moving and settling into new cities, finding community, and managing studios to carving out your niche wherever you are.
You’ll hear fun “get-to-know-you” stories from Jenny’s time teaching in New York (including her favorite class with septuagenarians) to stepping into a San Francisco class formerly led by a beloved Bhakti teacher, only to disappoint students when they discovered she couldn’t sing.
The conversation then turns to pandemic-era shifts that sparked growth, including Jenny’s pursuit of yoga therapy training and the creativity that led to her block-based eBook, which eventually became a full book deal! She shares insights into the process: researching prop uses, mapping it out, getting friends to demo poses, and weaving together years of experience into a valuable resource.
They also explore using props in fun, approachable ways, flipping the script so props are not just “modifications” but can be both supportive and deepening.
The episode wraps with lighthearted stories of frantic moments before restorative classes, chaotic retreat travel, and COVID-era travel challenges. Jenny is full of wisdom, warmth, and humor: you don’t want to miss this one!
Jennys Book: https://amzn.to/46BTNSo
Find Jenny Clise Online:
Ig: @jennyclise_
About Jenny Clise:
Jenny Clise (C-IAYT) is a certified yoga therapist with over 1,000 hours of training and has been teaching since 2012. She completed her yoga therapy training at Prema Yoga Institute, integrating therapeutic principles to make yoga accessible and inclusive. Jenny emphasizes mindful movement, breath work, props, and alignment tailored to individual needs, helping students cultivate physical and mental strength. An avid traveler, she leads retreats worldwide and writes for Yoga Journal on yoga, meditation, and wellness. She began with her ebook Blockasanas and later authored The Complete Guide to Yoga Props, empowering others on their yoga journey.
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140. Rooted in Rest: Lizzie Lasater on Teaching & Becoming
01:06:58||Season 3, Ep. 140Today on the podcast, we’re joined by Lizzie Lasater - teacher, writer, creator, and daughter of Judith Hanson Lasater, who has built her own vibrant path in the yoga world from her home in Austria. Lizzie shares how a chance meeting with her now-husband led her to move across the world, learn German as an adult (“why is this so hard?!”), and build a global online teaching career rooted in rest, clarity, and presence.We discuss what it was like growing up around yoga before it became popular, how she eventually discovered her own path into the practice, and how she deepened it with the help of her mom - from seeking early sequencing advice to eventually collaborating on online courses, books, and shared experiences. We explore continued learning, evolving as a teacher, and the strange, beautiful blur between being the student and being the teacher.We also dive into real-life stuff:• staying grounded while traveling• balancing teaching and social media work• her Sunday Reset newsletter & setting “rest buffers”• writing a book on Savasana + the restorative lifestyle• practicing what you preach when you’re tired• making time to take care of yourself as a teacher• cultivating inner wisdom + knowing when to use external resourcesLizzie also shares her philosophy on what students actually need, including the idea that “restorative yoga is a subtractive practice.” And stay tuned for a hilarious story about her and her mom recording content in a studio they shared with rappers.This is a warm, honest, and funny conversation about teaching, rest, growth, and finding your own way. Enjoy!Lizzie Lasater Bio:Lizzie Lasater shares the pleasure of lifelong learning through online and live workshops in creativity, functional movement, and Restorative Yoga. + Follow Lizzie on IG: @ Lizzie.LasaterSupport the podcast on Patreon & SubstackOur Upcoming Programs:APRIL 300-HOUR PROGRAM Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026Web: cayayogaschool.comIG: @thefunnythingaboutyoga | @cayayogaschool | @gianagambino | @bradshawwish
Q&A: Yoga Crushes & Keeping It Fresh
23:13||Season 3November's bonus episode brings you two heartfelt questions from listeners overseas - but before we dive in, we catch up on all things Patreon, the holidays, and the general chaos of this time of year.Then we get into the real stuff:✨ What do you do when you have a crush on a yoga student? We talk boundaries, ethics, awkward moments, and how to navigate human feelings while still being a professional teacher.✨ How do you keep your teaching inspired? We share honest tips, burnout confessions, and the practices that help us stay connected, creative, and excited about the work.It’s a short and sweet episode with plenty of honesty, humor, and those classic Giana-and-Bradshaw side tangents. Real talk, good laughs, and advice you can actually use.Enjoy!Want to support our podcast? Join our Patreon for extra content** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **🌊 Upcoming Retreats Nicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026 (2 SPOTS) Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026 Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026📚 Read the Podcast Blog:The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow UsPodcast: @thefunnythingaboutyogaSchool: @cayayogaschoolHosts: @gianagambino & @bradshawwish🌐 More Linksgianayoga.combradshawwishyoga.comcayayogaschool.com
139. Live from the Castro Room: The Truth About Yoga Teaching
01:15:14||Season 3, Ep. 139Step inside an afternoon of truth-telling, humor, and the conversations every yoga teacher wishes happened more often. This 75-minute live podcast experience pulls back the curtain on the yoga world - the myth of a yoga teacher, perfectionism, the burnout, the healing, the comparison traps, the joy, and the deeply human journey behind It all.Through stories, laughter, honest reflections, and audience participation, Giana and Bradshaw explore what it really means to teach, practice, and evolve in a wellness industry that often expects teachers to be serene, sculpted, and endlessly wise.What We Dive Into:- The Myth vs. Reality of Yoga Teachers- Perfectionism & Comparison- Burnout: The Unspoken Epidemic- Authenticity & Finding Your Voice- The Path of Healing & Growth- Rediscovering JoyPLUS Audience Q&A: Featuring questions from Kaushik Dash, Danny Peterson, and Fiorella Drozd.Want to support our podcast? Join our Patreon for extra content** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **🌊 Upcoming RetreatsNicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026 (2 SPOTS)Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026📚 Read the Podcast Blog:The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow UsPodcast: @thefunnythingaboutyogaSchool: @cayayogaschoolHosts: @gianagambino & @bradshawwish🌐 More Linksgianayoga.combradshawwishyoga.comcayayogaschool.com
138. Geeking Out on Cues, Alignment & Movement with Jenni Rawlings
01:01:46||Season 3, Ep. 138Today we have Jenni Rawlings on the podcast, and we had so much fun diving into the technical side of the yoga practice- cues, anatomy, alignment, and how to update your practice to fit your own body so things actually feel good. We talk about her beginnings, how she built her career, and what it’s been like teaching online. We even discovered some Chicago crossover and shared training experiences.We get into movement science, Yoga Alliance requirements, and why there’s so much more to learn beyond a 200-hour training. We talk about the importance of self-inquiry, the structure of Ashtanga, strength, and adding load to the body, and whether we ever believed yoga was the end-all be-all. Jenni also shares about her time running a yoga clothing store, and we look at exercise science, pain, and what strength really means in a yoga context.Find Jenni Rawlings Online:Website: www.jennirawlings.comIG: https://www.instagram.com/jenni_rawlingsYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@jenni_rawlingsJoin us at the Castro Room, November 15th from 1-3 PM!Want to support our podcast? Join our Patreon for extra content** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **🌊 Upcoming Retreats Nicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026 (2 SPOTS) Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026 Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026📚 Read the Podcast Blog:The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow UsPodcast: @thefunnythingaboutyogaSchool: @cayayogaschoolHosts: @gianagambino & @bradshawwish🌐 More Linksgianayoga.combradshawwishyoga.comcayayogaschool.com137. A Chaotic Hello from San Francisco
37:01||Season 3, Ep. 137A chaotic hello from Bradshaw and Giana, podcasting in person from Giana’s apartment! We kick things off with all the tech issues and our ongoing attempt to be jacks of all trades: filming, editing, and learning to create more professional content. We chat about the purpose of Bradshaw’s visit and how we’re preparing for our upcoming 300-hour online program, along with what we’re most excited to teach and share. We talk about confidence, fandom, mentorship, and all the ways we’re evolving our joint programming and offerings as we grow.We also reflect on the last time we podcasted together in San Francisco and how much has shifted since then. There’s talk about time, settling, and the importance of giving something a year to see how it lands. Giana opens up about teaching in SF for 10 months, and feeling grateful for the opportunities (and her partner!). She also reflects on pulling herself out of a dark place after long COVID and a period of isolation.We reflect on the pandemic years, from the funny to the hard to the life-changing, including how tough it was to be friends back then. Reflecting on the psychological impact of that period, the importance of community, and how wild it is that 2026 is almost here. We share random stories about colorful jumpsuits and standing out, plus a frustration with making a film set!Join us at the Castro Room, November 15th from 1-3 PM!** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **Upcoming RetreatsTodos Santos, Mexico Retreat: December 4-8, 2025Nicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026Want to support our podcast? Join our Patreon for extra contentRead the Podcast Blog: The Funny Thing About Yoga on SubstackFollow Us: @thefunnythingaboutyoga | @cayayogaschool | @gianagambino | @bradshawwishMore Links: gianayoga.com | bradshawwishyoga.com | cayayogaschool.com136. Unlearning the Roles That Raised Us
55:46||Season 3, Ep. 136We kick things off in true us fashion: chatting about the seasons changing, a brief (and unnecessary) detour into rigor mortis, Bradshaw trying to order Uber Eats mid-record, and Giana casually moving the recording time to close a sale. There’s even an off-hand joke about sharing a boyfriend and a debate about whether straddle pressing actually counts as pressing (it does- justice for straddle pressers).And just a heads-up: if you’re here for the actual episode, it begins around minute 16. We believe in a proper warm-up.Once we finally settle in, we dive into therapy, identity, and unlearning the roles we grew up with. As two middle kids who landed on opposite ends of the personality spectrum- one a performing tornado of energy, the other a perfectionist who once tried to have no needs. We talk about how we’re now, hilariously, trying to learn each other’s strengths in adulthood.Giana’s finding her voice and escaping decision-fatigue prison; Bradshaw’s learning to not always be “on” and to let other parts of himself shine. We explore the difference between anxiety and intuition, how to feel into your body for clarity, and what inner safety and reparenting really look like.There are laughs, lightly unhinged tangents, a headstand-gone-wrong story, and even a brief wish that brick-laying had been the career path. Through it all, the thread is clear: we’re here, growing out loud, figuring ourselves out, and finding humor and community in the messy, beautiful middle.Join us at the Castro Room, November 15th from 1-3 PM** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **🌊 Upcoming Retreats Todos Santos, Mexico Retreat: December 4-8, 2025 Nicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026 (2 Spots Opened) Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026 Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Support our podcast: Join Patreon📚 Read the Podcast Blog: The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow Us: @thefunnythingaboutyoga | @cayayogaschool | @gianagambino | @bradshawwish🌐 More Links: gianayoga.com | bradshawwishyoga.com | cayayogaschool.com
135. What It Really Takes to Teach Yoga Online with Cathy Madeo
01:03:31||Season 3, Ep. 135Today on the podcast, we’re joined by the amazing Cathy Madeo! We dive into her early days of teaching everywhere, from studios to wherever she could roll out a mat, and how that eventually led her to building a thriving online yoga business.We chat about the signs that it might be time to shift fully online, the ups and downs of social media, staying consistent, and finding growth through persistence. Cathy shares how never giving up (and trying everything to see what sticks) has been key to her success. We also delve into the bittersweet process of transitioning to online classes and making significant changes in your teaching journey. Cathy turns the mic on us and asks about our dreams, which sends us spiraling into a hilarious and honest tangent about our own social media struggles and self-expression online.And of course, it wouldn’t be a yoga podcast without some funny classroom moments. Cathy shares a few unforgettable stories about farts and yoga pants, and Bradshaw and I chime in with our own tales of awkward distractions while teaching and filming online.Find Cathy Madeo Online:IG: @cathymadeoyoga Web: Cathymadeoyoga.comYouTube: Cathy Madeo YouTubeSupport Our Podcast: Join Patreon!* CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM *🌊 Upcoming Events/RetreatsLive Podcast at The Castro Room: Nov. 15th, 2025Todos Santos, Mexico Retreat: Dec 4-8, 2025 Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026📚 Read the Podcast Blog: The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow Us: @thefunnythingaboutyoga | @cayayogaschool | @gianagambino | @bradshawwish🌐 More Links: gianayoga.com | bradshawwishyoga.com | cayayogaschool.comQ&A: Teaching Yoga Online & Promo Photos
25:44||Season 3In this month’s bonus episode, Giana and Bradshaw cover everything from naming kids after yourself, intermittent fasting, and sleeping with your phone, to making changes, navigating the hardest parts of wellness, finding balance, journaling, and manifesting. But this episode is really about you and your questions. Today, we’re answering two questions: what it takes to start teaching yoga online and sharing our favorite tips for choosing and taking great promotional photos as a yoga teacher.Want to support our podcast? Join our Patreon for extra content** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **🌊 Upcoming Retreats Todos Santos, Mexico Retreat: December 4-8, 2025 Nicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026 Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026 Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026📚 Read the Podcast Blog:The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow UsPodcast: @thefunnythingaboutyogaSchool: @cayayogaschoolHosts: @gianagambino & @bradshawwish🌐 More Linksgianayoga.combradshawwishyoga.comcayayogaschool.com134. We Need to Talk About Twists
40:10||Season 3, Ep. 134This week, we’re talking all about twisting, but not before diving into changing seasons, finding motivation, the importance of sleep, and Bradshaw’s dating life. Naturally, there’s also a big tangent on Brahmacharya and semen retention (yes, we went there).Then we get into the details of twisting: the misunderstood anatomy, where movement actually comes from, and how to execute it safely in your spine. We unpack bad twist assists, alignment cues, extremes in practice, and the energetic side of things.Giana shares practical cues for helping students twist effectively, highlighting shoulder mobility and spinal isolation, while Bradshaw goes on a tangent about hating seated twists, disliking seated poses in general, and dealing with SI joint discomfort.There’s also a good rant about the myth of “detoxing” through twists and some musing about the energetic movement behind them. It’s a mix of anatomy, philosophy, and a whole lot of curious conversation.Want to support our podcast? Join our Patreon for extra content** CHECK OUT OUR 300-HOUR PROGRAM **🌊 Upcoming Retreats Todos Santos, Mexico Retreat: December 4-8, 2025 Nicaragua Yoga Teachers Retreat: February 2026 Starved Rock Retreat: June 12-14, 2026 Amalfi Coast Yoga Retreat: July 25 - August 1, 2026 Portugal Relax by the Sea Retreat: August 4-10, 2026📚 Read the Podcast Blog:The Funny Thing About Yoga on Substack📲 Follow UsPodcast: @thefunnythingaboutyogaSchool: @cayayogaschoolHosts: @gianagambino & @bradshawwish🌐 More Linksgianayoga.combradshawwishyoga.comcayayogaschool.com