Brian Baty
Instagram @Yoga_with_Brian
Born and raised in Missoula, Brian discovered Yoga when he was 24. Being a self described 'Gym Rat,' Brian loved his time lifting weights and running, however something was missing. Every time he passed by the Yoga room, something drew him to it, he would try to take a peek and see what was going on. Finally, not really knowing what to expect he wandered in and took his first class. Soon he was looking for more classes, and that is when he met his first teacher, Chris Furtak. Brian took a lot of inspiration from Chris, who was a 'maverick' of sorts in the Yoga world. She taught him many different teachers' styles which is how Brian learned that one style of teaching is not necessary. Just two short years after his first class, he gave into Chris' insistence and organized some friends and began teaching in their living room. Six months after that he talked his way into a regular class at the local Gold's Gym.
In February 2006 it was time for Brian to actually get his teacher certification. He attended Shakti Mhi's 200-hour training on the island of Kho Phangan, is southern Thailand. Shakti did an amazing jog of teaching her students how to teach, and really helped Brian round out his teaching. She introduced Brian to formal Zen meditation and Pranayama (breathe work).
Brian loves taking classes and workshops from other teachers, learning something from each of them. In 2004 and 2006, he made a trip to the week-long Yoga Journal Conference in Estes Park CO. Baron Baptiste, Seane Corne, Rodney Yee, Anna Forrest, Judith Lassiter, David Swenson, Richard Freeman, John Friend, Shiva Rea, Dharma Mitra, Tias Little, Nicki Doane, Eddie Mondestini, Joe Barnett and Lois Steinberg are among some of the teachers that have molded Brian's teaching style. He pulls from Iyengar, Ashtanga, Anusara and AcroYoga.
In 2009, 2015 and 2016 Missoula Independent readers voted Brian 'Missoula's Best Yoga Teacher.'
What to Expect Attending Brian's Classes
