Julie Downey has been teaching yoga since 2003. Her instruction focuses on Functional Yoga Training; a system based on Pralaya Yoga, which promotes the understanding of physical and energetic alignment for maximum functional strength and flexibility. She received her teaching certification through Robert Boustany, and is registered with Yoga Alliance at the 500-hour level. She started practicing yoga in 1999 with Houston Iyengar Yoga studio. In 2001, she took a class from Robert Boustany, and has been studying Pralaya yoga with him ever since. Julie completed Robert’s intensive yearlong teacher training and certification program in 2003, and his advanced teacher training program in 2007. She has also taken the time to study with prominent yoga instructors Doug Swenson, David Swenson, Ana Forrest, and Julie Byrd.

Julie offers private and group yoga and qigong instruction at gyms, clubs and corporations throughout Houston. She is currently the team yoga instructor for the Houston Rockets and various sports teams at Rice University including Football, Baseball, Basketball, Tennis, Volleyball and Soccer, training the players in yoga as part of their strength and conditioning programs. She teaches the LPAP Yoga classes at Rice University and she has also worked as the team yoga instructor for the Houston Texans, and the Episcopal High School Baseball team. In addition, she has worked with individual players from the Houston Rockets, the Houston Texans, and NFL prospects.

Prior to becoming a yoga instructor, Julie was a full-time massage therapist, completing over 1000 hours of training in advanced bodywork techniques, with special emphasis on myofascial pain syndromes. Julie is also a lifelong student of dance, and taught West Coast Swing for five years at a local Houston Dance studio. She holds a B.A. in English from the University of Miami, FL. When she’s not practicing yoga you might find her dancing West Coast with her friends.

"Thank goodness for Julie Downey touching my life!! At the age of 48, after owning a fitness center for 20+ years, teaching aerobics, conducting running/walking programs, and an avid weight lifter, I thought I was going to have to live with all my overuse injuries. Knowing how important stretching is and requiring my clients along with myself to stretch on a regular basis, I thought I was covering all the bases! Taking my first class with Julie, opened my eyes to how much I was missing in my stretching program. Now after over two years of working with Julie, I am much stronger, capable of doing more pull-ups then ever before along with the main plus of not having the "overuse" injuries that I thought I was going to live with. I look forward to many more years of being able to stay with my fitness passion as long as Julie is available to continue to work with me!! Thank You Julie."

... Cathy Swatek, CPT