Sisterhood Of The Traveling Yoga Guru

NYC is one giant yoga mat to Leanne McDermott.

So, if donkey kicks, clam shells, and downward-facing dog appeal to you, but trekking somewhere to practice them doesn’t, then try the lotus pose in your living room with the traveling yoga instructor.

McDermott is a 500-hour Certified Yogi, content creator, and founder of the wellness brand Leannerays.

With four-plus years of teaching experience and 1,300-plus hours leading yoga sessions, McDermott travels to her clients and is known for her flexible schedule and “floating studio” approach, leading corporate, private (one-on-one sessions, small groups, and corporate wellness training in homes, offices, parks), and virtual sessions across Manhattan and Long Island City. There is also an option for wellness coaching alongside instruction, and she even partners with brands that align with her teachings to create content.

McDermott focuses on building sustainable, healthy habits by blending wellness with storytelling and helping clients find balance, often carrying her studio gear in one bag to reach diverse locations.

Straus Media caught up with the on-the-go yoga guru to find out what motivates her, why it’s so hard for so many to get moving, and how she transforms any space into a yoga studio.

What got you interested in yoga in the first place?

It’s very simple, but very impactful. I had recently graduated college, and passed a yoga studio that was offering a new student special. I wanted to try it and see how I liked it. I took one class and knew immediately that I was going to become a yoga instructor; that this was my path.

Did you ever teach traditionally?

Yes, and I still do. My whole business has different aspects to it. Having a studio presence is important to me since that is where I discovered the practice. I teach in-studio a few times a week.

What inspired you to create the “floating studio”?

COVID was part of it, and also just how expensive New York City is. This whole floating studio concept—as opposed to owning a studio—became very adaptable. Having that flexibility gives me a lot of relief.

How do you create that calm yoga environment in spaces that weren’t designed for the practice of yoga, like a conference room or someone’s dining room?

One of the big things I look for in a space is where the natural light is coming from. I want the light to point in. If I need to move furniture, I will. I try to make it as simple as possible. Then I lay the mat out, get my Bluetooth out–I have my own speaker that I travel with–and I have my own oils. And there’s the way that you interact with each other.

What is the biggest mistake beginners make when starting yoga at home?

The biggest mistake I see is clients having high expectations for themselves, like getting frustrated if there’s something they can’t do right away or if it’s really hard. Yoga has this whole thing of “it’s relaxing,” but it’s actually a really challenging practice. I’ll see people go into a pose and then compare themselves to whoever they see on YouTube or something, and be like, “Oh, well, I can’t do it like her,” and then just give up and say yoga’s not for them. Yoga’s really supposed to challenge you; that’s where you learn a lot about yourself.

What barriers do people face when it comes to staying active in Manhattan?

Time and cost. Making time for class, especially with a studio. We already have really busy schedules, so matching your schedule to a yoga studio schedule can be very difficult for consistency, and if you’re not consistent, you don’t see results. And if you’re not seeing results, you stop.

I also see the cost of it. Studios are expensive, and equipment could get really expensive, too. Someone new to yoga, you don’t have to get all this expensive stuff to match the yoga look. Go on Temu.

How do your private lessons help clients stick with the practice?

Those create accountability. Then, also, I can be more flexible with scheduling. Remember that consistency is where you get results. If I start to notice a distance, I’ll send messages and remind them kindly.

What would you say to someone who’s tried and failed to stick with fitness resolutions to motivate them to try one more time?

I would say evaluate what their goal was [when they tried before] and if that was actually realistic. Then, look at that goal again and see if there were parts of it where they did maintain some consistency; notice where they started to lose the consistency and what caused it. Was it an hour, every single day that never really worked out? How realistic was that versus going once a week for 30 minutes and establishing a routine then adding to it?

I always tell [clients] to evaluate what’s in their mind, what’s going on, where’s the restriction?

There are so many different ways to exercise or get in shape. If somebody could only do one thing, why yoga over the other stuff, like aerobics, going to the gym, or working out on machines or deadlifting with a trainer?

All of those are great exercises. Where yoga distinguishes itself is that there’s more to it than the physical component. There’s the mental aspect. That alone, as you build more body awareness, translates to how you show up in your life. You’ll start to notice things in yoga, very small shifts start to make a huge difference in how you live your life.

Leanne McDermott can be contacted on Instagram: @leannerays or via her website: leannerays.com

Lorraine Duffy Merkl, our culture and literary correspondent, is the author of the novel “The Last Single Woman In New York City.”