Magdalena Patterson is the teacher of the month
at our La Jolla Yoga studio.

Magdalena lights up every room she enters with her huge smile and big laugh and warm energy.  She makes you feel like you’ve known her forever and that you are sure to be best friends.  This is a great quality, especially in a yoga instructor.  Everybody at Buddhi Yoga loves Mags!  We’re extra inspired by her lately after she developed her very own app called Mommy Workouts.

We sat down with Mags to learn more
about her and her new app.

You are a trainer as well as a Vinyasa and Prenatal yoga teacher.  Name your favorite thing about each of these.  If you had to choose to do just one, which would it be?

With vinyasa, I love the breath. When I hear the whole class breath as one as they flow through postures, it’s the best “playlist” for my ears. Prenatal yoga is just so dear to my heart, I love working with pregnant women. Honestly, I think it’s the perfect meaning of the yoga “yoking”  – mother and child practicing yoga together. As a trainer, I get to set goals for my clients and assess them on regular basis, and that’s what makes it so exciting – seeing people improve, feel better physically and mentally and being there with them every step of the way. If I only could do one, I would probably pick teaching prenatal yoga – I love seeing the bellies grow over 9 months, witnessing new friendships being made in class, getting to know my students and their pregnancy joys, aches and pains. And the best is reconnecting in mommy & me when the little ones are born!:)

You have a new app, Mommy Workouts. How much were you involved in the technological aspects of creating this?  

I worked with an app developer, but I designed and filmed all the workouts, did all the editing, voiceover, everything except coding the app!

What inspired you to create this app?

Being a new mom can be so hectic, and between nursing and diaper changing we often don’t even have time to take a shower, let alone find an hour to work out! I felt like I was constantly doing these mini workouts multiple times a day. Then I realized that it was working, it all started adding up. I didn’t need an hour to get a workout or yoga in. I felt the need to share these workouts with other new moms. And that’s why I created Mommy Workouts, a collection of five minute workout videos that mom can do when baby naps. I have used other workout apps, but they mostly required an hour and were too complicated to use. I wanted moms to be able just to click on their phone and get going. Five minutes, that’s it.

Having grown up in Prague in the Czech Republic, what do you think is the strangest thing about American culture.  

American football! Hands down the strangest sport I have ever seen. Lol!

If you could teach anyone a private yoga session who would it be?

It would have to be Ronda Rousey, the undefeated mixed martial artist. I admire strong female athletes, and this girl is on fire! I would love to see her on the yoga mat, outside of her “beast mode”

What is the best piece of advice that you could share with new moms who are struggling to find time to workout or do yoga?

You don’t need the standard “hour”. Just get on the mat and do your thing, even if it’s just five minutes here and there throughout the day. It all adds up!

Interested in Magdalena’ new app?  Here is all the information that you’ll need!

Mommy Workouts is filled with quick, effective workouts for busy moms. Workout anywhere, anytime, with or without baby, All you need is five minutes and your own body. The app is easy to use and the workouts are a perfect blend of yoga and calistenics that focus on rebuilding core strength, burning fat and toning up after baby. Choose from nine beautiful workout videos shot right here at the La Jolla Cove.

Download the app to start adding up your five minutes!  You can use it on your Apple device or Android.