It’s amazing what the age-old practice of yoga can do for the mind, body and spirit.
Just ask Breezy Osborne-Wingfield, owner and operator of the popular Barefoot Studio in Little Rock.
Since the mother of one — she has an adorable toddler daughter, Riley — took over the 18-year-old studio in 2009, it has grown in class offerings, instructors and clients. In fact, in addition to the flagship location in Riverdale, west Little Rock is home to a second Barefoot Studio, and both locations serve more than 700 active members, Osborne-Wingfield says.
For this instructor and lululemon ambassador, it’s about sharing her passion and instilling a love for yoga in others.
“When you find something that just really lights up your heart, that’s what you have to go with; that’s what drives you,” she says.
The peaceful practice came into Osborne-Wingfield’s life in high school when her father, the late Jennings Osborne, was going through cardiac rehabilitation. She joined him during his journey, and they both started learning how to become healthy and active.
“[During that time], I wanted something else to add to my workout routine, so I dove into yoga,” she says. “Once I got into it, I realized it was way, way more than the physical aspect — so much more. For me, it’s body awareness [and] it’s boosting self confidence and truly accepting yourself.”
Osborne-Wingfield wanted to share the joy of her newfound practice with everyone. But rather than just becoming a yoga instructor, she wanted to actually own a studio.
That’s where Barefoot Studio came in.
The first owner, Catherine Rodgers, opened Barefoot’s doors in 1995 and the second owners, Matthew and Holley Krepps, came into the picture in 2002. Osborne-Wingfield’s yoga teacher training got underway in 2005 under the Krepps, and then she took ownership in 2009.
Now, four years in, the studio shows no sign of slowing down.
Barefoot Studio caters to every level of yoga, ranging from beginner to intermediate and advanced, offering Lunar Flow, Sunrise Yoga and basic yoga classes, in addition to Hot Fusion, Prenatal Yoga and Mommy & Me, an especially popular class — and Osborne-Wingfield’s favorite.
“Thursday is one of my favorite days, as Riley and I practice Mommy & Me Yoga with other kiddos,” she says. “It’s a time when moms or dads can have a special bonding time with their child, and at the same time, the kids get the social interaction while the adults giggle at all the hilarious times we all have!”
When it comes to Osborne-Wingfield’s yoga business model, it’s about keeping an ear open and listening to the desires of her fellow yogis and instructors, as well as her clients.
She always knew she wanted to open a second location, and to determine where to roll out her next yoga mats, she turned to her clients and found that west Little Rock was the best spot.
The second location opened in August on Pinnacle Valley Road, just off of the Arkansas River Trail — an added bonus for avid runners and cyclists who frequent the trail.
And if you look at the repertoire of classes offered at the new location, you’ll notice a few more specialized yoga classes.
Osborne-Wingfield tapped into the talents of her team of instructors and asked them what they wanted to teach and where they would thrive most.
“If you teach what you love, that is going to come out in your class,” she affirms.
Classes at the new location include Hot Yoga for Runners and Hot Core Power — a couple of classes she teaches — along with Sunset/Candlelit and From the Ground Up classes.
The owner and instructor spends much of her time keeping the business running, teaching classes and practicing yoga herself. One of her biggest jobs, though, is being mom to Riley.
Balancing yoga classes, studio operations and motherhood is a juggling act and Osborne-Wingfield says it couldn’t be done without a good support system at home and at work.
“Having support of family, your spouse and having a really good team makes it work, and that’s what you have to keep building upon,” Osborne-Wingfield says.
Breezy Opens Up
How many hours a day and/or week do you practice and teach yoga?
I teach 20-25 hours a week and practice three to four hours per week.
Most challenging pose?
One of the most challenging poses is Savasana — the corpse pose — as it can be very challenging to slow down in our lives and just breathe and be.
What is your favorite pose?
The Coiled Half Moon is my favorite pose, as it is a one-leg balance pose with an intense hip and heart opener.
Daughter of the late Jennings Osborne, Breezy Osborne-Wingfield began practicing yoga in high school as her dad was going through cardiac rehabilitation.
Daughter of the late Jennings Osborne, Breezy Osborne-Wingfield began practicing yoga in high school as her dad was going through cardiac rehabilitation.