We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Bailey York a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Bailey , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today Can you open up about a risk you’ve taken – what it was like taking that risk, why you took the risk and how it turned out?
Leaving a six-figure job to work independently was a huge risk and I quickly felt the wrath of that, so I took my first personal training job at Equinox. The goal was never to become a personal trainer. I did it so my boyfriend wouldn’t break up with me (that ended 3 months later anyways) and so I wouldn’t end up homeless again (that’s another story). At Equinox and now at Royal Personal Training, I became a top trainer within 2 months. My yoga and pilates knowledge along with my athletic background allowed me to craft a method that not only showed results physically, but mentally and emotionally too.
It began in 2021, when I was working in corporate and was struggling with depression. Uninspired and living in survival mode, I knew there had to be more to life than sitting in front of a computer all day. So I decided to invest in a 200-hour yoga teacher training at Hot 8 Yoga. It was life-changing and the best investment I’ve ever made.
During my 200 YTT, I learned to look inward and connect for the first time. I spent a majority of my life hating the world, judging people, and creating competitions/animosity because of my ego. I embraced repressed parts of myself, adopted new ways of thinking, and dedicated hours to improve my teaching. When I walked into this training, I was very intentional. My goal was to become a yoga instructor so I could have my own schedule and do something rewarding with my time and energy. Because I had tunnel vision and knew I brought something different to the yoga community, I was confident I was going to succeed.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
There’s very few of us now, but I’m proud to call myself a Los Angeles native. I was also an athlete for the majority of my life until I snapped my ACL and ended my basketball career. My yoga journey began in 2009 when I found myself mentally and emotionally depleted from that injury. I stepped into my first hot yoga class and never looked back! Over the years I have studied Bikram, Vinyasa, Hatha, and Sculpt Yoga and became a personal trainer in 2020. With 14 years of practicing yoga and 10 years of pilates, I left corporate life to follow my passions which was a challenge I was willing to take in order to follow my purpose: to help others achieve inner strength and optimal health.
My classes aren’t like regular yoga classes, they’re ‘cool’ yoga classes (queue in pink Juicy Couture jumpsuit). Being an athlete, I developed the skill to motivate and encourage myself, and now others. I speak to my students as if they were players on my basketball and volleyball teams. I play hip-hop music to increase the intensity and entertainment. I encourage connection, self-reflection, and resilience while also highlighting the power of choice.
My brand BAYLATES is a combination of Pilates, Barre, Yoga, Breathwork, and Strength Training. Low-impact, medium-high intensity workouts in less than 30 minutes. BAYLATES is more than just an effective workout. The method includes breath work, which is the key to mastering your mind, emotions, nervous system, nutrition, and more. Additionally, the method is designed for you to remain completely present and in tune with your body. Every movement allows you to connect and look inward.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
I have plenty of stories. Here’s a quick round up…
Growing up in Pasadena, CA I went to the same school, from pre-school all the way to high-school. It was an insanely small school and unique experience. My graduating class had less than 30 kids, no football team or traditional high school events, and we also didn’t receive letter grades until junior year. This was challenging for me on so many levels, as you can imagine. Since everyone ‘knew’ me, there was not a lot of grace for me to grow and develop into someone I wanted to be. I felt sheltered and trapped. I began hating everyone because I hated and didn’t know my own self – I allowed everyone to define me.
Joining a sorority in college was great at first. For the first time in my life I had friends and thought, “Wow, people actually like me?” Coming into my junior year I had a traumatic experience at a frat party that lead me to drop out of college for a few months and move back home. Avoiding my trauma, I entered the night life scene and was clubbing like it was my full-time job. This was the start of my drug and substance abuse.
I was the girl that security would recognize and let skip the line, always had a table, and partied with celebrities at after hours. It one of the darkest times of my life but one I will always be grateful for. I fell in love for the first time and when I found out he wasn’t faithful, I contemplated suicide. Instead, I decided to endure more pain like dating drug dealers and partying in Vegas 3x a week while being a full-time working student.
The turning point was when I couldn’t eat or sleep for 10 days. I started hearing voices and hallucinating, almost resulting in a psychotic break. I never made it to rehab, I self- healed with movement and a ton of self-help books. I’ve been homeless. I’ve been addicted to drugs and alcohol. I’ve been in abusive relationships. I’ve been over 200 lbs and pre-diabetic. This isn’t a sob story or a victim mentality. I own that I was a toxic individual, projected my trauma, and was completely lost and not aligned with myself. And I also own that I was able to take my power back. I turned my pain into something productive and meaningful.
Looking back, I would have never guessed that I would be the woman I am today: a certified personal trainer, wellness, coach, yoga and pilates instructor. I’ve overcome a lot of hurdles, including reversing my pre-diabetes thanks to BAYLATES. In my classes I share my story through the art of asana and pranayama. When speaking with my students, I encourage self-exploration. My goal is to remind my students that we are infinite when we look inward.
Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?
People-pleasing, hands down.
The pattern I’ve repeated in my lifetime so far has been people-pleasing. As you’ve discovered by now, I desperately wanted to be loved and accepted, so I would take it from anyone. Trying to mold myself into what others wanted me to be made me lose myself. I would dim my light to make others comfortable but to where I became sick. I had a core belief that I was never good enough and hard to love, which stemmed from childhood.
It took a lot of time to heal from that and to this day, the work never stops. I have to practice and remind myself daily that I am radically loved and accepted for all that I am, all that I was, and all that I’m growing to be.
I am my truest and best self when teaching and practicing BAYLATES. I come alive and feel in my element. Changing careers into the wellness/fitness industry has allowed me to be of service, a light to those that need it, and a guide to those who want to heal.
Contact Info:
- Website: baylates.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/baylates_
Image Credits
Izzy Brown Jennifer Alyse Ky-Leigh Martinez