Today we’d like to introduce you to Alexandra Fratella.
Hi Alexandra, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have always been quite obsessed with fitness and movement, starting from when my dad handed me my first soccer ball at the age of 5. I played sports all my life but because of a lack of knowledge and having such a drive to keep pushing my body, I frequently found myself facing injuries. That’s where I found yoga. I took my first yoga class at the age of 21 and immediately found that it offered a path towards a better relationship between myself and my body.
I moved to LA – Hollywood to be exact – from Long Island, NY, almost six years ago, not really knowing what was in store for me. I had originally moved to pursue acting, and I was hit with reality pretty quickly. Finding an apartment with only $2500 in the bank and no job wasn’t the easiest walk in the park. Fast forward about three years, I had found myself a community not only in the service industry but in the yoga world as well. My days were jam packed with 2-3 part-time jobs, auditions, side hustles and a social life; I needed an outlet. I have always been a fitness junkie – soccer, lifting, running, HIIT, hiking, all the things (lol) but yoga really became my way to detach from the outside world and focus on myself. I was able to walk into the studio, onto my mat and let all that “noise” to dissolve. I found yoga as my save haven, my sacred time to build strength physically and mentally. I was able to get into that flow state that I am absolutely obsessed with, letting my breath and my body guide me.
I had been practicing yoga for several years by that point and I felt a strong desire to go deeper. I decided to join a 200 hour teacher training to become a certified yoga instructor. I had no idea what I was really getting into or if I was even capable of teaching but I knew I wanted to learn more. I completed my training near the end of 2018 and thought I would be able to teach full-time right away. That was definitely another hit of reality. I auditioned for the studio. I did the training at three different times, and each time I was rejected. After the third rejection, I felt pretty down and honestly did not feel like I was capable of teaching at that point. I started teaching at a few large corporate gyms, but I really felt the need to be part of a studio community again. By the time 2020 came around, I was still working long and late hours at restaurants. COVID hit, and as you know, everything shut down. With so much time on my hands, I was finally able to focus on what I wanted to do – teach yoga. I started a YouTube channel and rented space at a local studio to film various series of yoga videos. I got some traction and was hired at a local studio, One Life Yoga, in Pasadena. I started teaching in person there and haven’t looked back since! I started focusing on my teaching more than ever, enrolling in a 300hr TT with Noah Mazé and a 60hr TT with Chad Dennis and Jenn Perry. As the world is starting to reopen, I have been teaching at both studios (One Life Yoga and ROAM) and have had various opportunities to do cool things like teach yoga for store openings! My next goal – hopefully by this year – is to host my first retreat. I would love to host yoga retreats around the world, teaching and helping students focus on their bodies and minds.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Definitely not! I think above all the challenges I faced (financial, work-life balance, family, relationships, rejections), I think being in an unhappy relationship was the big one. I moved to LA with my partner at the time, we had been together a long time (10 years) and we were not happy together. We fought constantly, and it was extremely difficult to keep pushing towards my goals while having someone like that to come home to. While I was finishing my first 200-hour yoga training, he actually tried to convince me that I was better off not finishing it and just teaching yoga on my own (so glad I didn’t do that!). Eventually, short after, I ended things with him. It was an extremely difficult time, but honestly yoga was my foundation as it showed me what I was allowing myself to live with. Being able to focus on myself, I was able to go inward – and so much came up for me. I realized my self-worth was my number one priority, and being in that relationship, I had put myself last… Yoga gave me the strength to push through, be kind to myself, to listen to my inner voice and realize I no longer needed to be in a situation that was clearly not serving me. When I think about obstacles you face in the practice, finding it difficult to balance for an example, being consistent, quieting your mind and listening to your inner voice, your soul, allows you to build that strength, courage and stamina to pull through. When it comes to other challenges, learning how to be a better teacher, be safe with my energy, and build a “brand” are all obstacles that I face with choosing this career path.
I wouldn’t be where I am now without yoga.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m a vinyasa yoga instructor, a fitness model and wellness advocate! In my yoga classes, I like to incorporate my knowledge of athletics, alignment and spirituality in my sequences. I like to bring upbeat energy, vibes tunes and clear and concise cueing in all my classes. My main goal with teaching is to encourage my students to face their fears to try something new while always practicing self-care, both with their bodies and minds. I honestly believe everything in life is about balance. I have to say that my favorite part about teaching is being able to create a community for my students and to just connect with them, learn from them, and bring a positive energy into their lives! I truly care about what I share and teach with my classes and I absolutely love curating creative, themed sequences. It just goes so much further than just the physical practice. I am constantly learning about the body and the practice, and my classes are always growing and evolving based on that.
As for my fitness modeling work, I work with various brands, modeling either their clothing, products, workouts or a combination of them all! I am super grateful to be a part of an industry where you get to show up to work and basically work out! It’s not always the easiest – as it can be taxing on the physical body – but it’s a lot of fun and allows me to have that athletic mindset without having to worry about all the other aspects of being an athlete.
And as for the wellness advocate part of my work, I am all about having a healthy, balanced lifestyle. I love to share with my followers on Instagram – posting about new products I try or brands that I get to work with that truly align with who I am as an individual. Living a healthy lifestyle is truly something I embody, and it’s important to me that I can share that with others.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Trusting myself. Not letting the negative situations break me down. Not allowing the challenges I faced stop me. Surrounding myself with people who align with my spirit. Being okay with asking for help. Having a support system, whether that is friends, family, coworkers, and anything in between. And being able to support others when they need it. Understanding that it’s okay to fail sometimes because that’s the way we can learn and grow. Take risks and definitely don’t take life too seriously! It’s so important to remember to have fun, we might as well make the best of it, right?
Pricing:
- Private 1:1 yoga instruction: $90/hour
- Fitness modeling: $100/hour
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: @alexandrafratella
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQoG-zVvWJXYkeJaCbFnE9g
Image Credits:
Jason Yokobosky Dane Deaner
