Sammy Hart on Yoga, Pilates, and Power of Mindful Movement

ANN ARBOR – MOVE Trainer Sammy Hart talks about her Yoga origins and how mindful movement like Yoga and Pilates can create a path towards a profoundly simple human experience. Read about Sammy below or schedule a session with her today!

Introduce yourself.

My full name is Samantha Lynn Hart, and I’m originally from Toronto but have been in Michigan for about 5 years now which is kind of crazy. I love nature and travel, combining the two frequently throughout the past years with many road trips around the US, Canada, and New Zealand last year. I’m a voracious reader and love to cook. I’ve been a movement teacher since 2012, and it’s been a never ending journey of studentship since then.

It’s funny, people will ask me where I got my certification from and I don’t know what to say because it’s such a long winded answer with so many outlets and avenues. I think if you’re in this work there’s a baseline of education but then sky’s the limit to what we learn. Most recently, I obtained a certificate for Yoga for Scoliosis Part 1. Part 2 is in the works, which is pretty great considering I live with someone with scoliosis and can help him a little bit more now.   

Why is movement important to you?

Movement is necessary for me. I would be such a jerk without it, and I move for so many reasons but the simple answer is I feel better when I do. That doesn’t mean I do a 90-minute yoga practice every day, but I do try to move daily, which might entail a walk in Bird Hills with Rach, a class with Angela, or a sweaty weight lifting session.

I try – and try is the keyword – to move in a way that feels right for my body on that particular day, and every day is different. I also want my life to be an adventure, and I think health and wellness are pretty necessary for that to happen.

What is it about the mindfulness element of movement that is powerful?

There is something to movement with breath and I think that’s why I am drawn to mindful movement. It’s one thing to go to the gym and run for miles, weight lift, or even to take a class at MOVE, but it’s always the question of how much are you present for? And how much of it are you feeling? Are you listening to your body? I think mindful movement gives us an opportunity to truly be with our bodies and I think that’s such a rare gift to give ourselves. At least for me it is.

I’ve always been an active person. I remember doing those old-school workout videos with my mom when I was younger, and I ran for a lot of my life but yoga was the first form of movement that left me feeling so much more.

Guiding is something you do daily, whether that is teaching clients individually, classes, at workshops, or through the use of social media. Do you notice any larger lessons that often arise?

Every situation of teaching is so different. When I’m with clients, it’s just so individual.  In a class, I’m hoping for connection. With workshops, I’m just trying to keep my anxiety in check and teach mindful movement, but I think a common theme with anything I do is that you feel good, feel connected, feel strong, feel.

What inspires you?

Ai, inspiration. Well, I’ll forever be inspired by my teacher YuMee Chung because she continues to raise the bar on what it means to be not just a good teacher but a good human.  Currently, I’m inspired with eastern medicine and its application into western medicine. I’m inspired by those who live their dreams. MOVE inspires me. I’m surrounded by pretty powerful woman, and that’s inspiring.

Sammy Hart is a Yoga and Pilates instructor at MOVE Wellness in Ann Arbor, MI. To contact Sammy or book a session with her, email office@movewellness.com or call 734.761.2306.