Kim Struglinski

Want to hear more from me? Check out my blog, From Kim’s Mat.

Hey y’all! I’m Kim, and I’m the founder and owner of Heart of Wisdom Yoga in Nashville, TN.

I am a Yoga Alliance E-RYT 500 and Roll Model® Method certified teacher. My teaching style is based on the philosophy that every body is a yoga body, and in my classes I strive to make yoga accessible to everyone from first-timers to experienced yoga practitioners.

I have an insatiable thirst for knowledge - I love to know the “why” behind everything - and I have been known to go on tangents about everything from the power of the psoas, to how the diaphragm moves in the body, to the stories behind the Sanskrit names of poses, and more. Chances are, I’ll cue classes using corny jokes and food metaphors.

I have been lucky enough to study with a number of teachers in the Krishnamacharya/Desikachar lineage, including Doug Keller, Gary Kraftsow, Leslie Kaminoff, Joe Taft, Michael Johnson, and Libby Hinsley. I continue to read and learn everything I can about the human body. It might surprise you to learn that I majored in Chemistry in college, but if anything, this created a foundation for my fascination with the human body.

My favorite class to teach is called Roll + Release. It’s a combination of yoga and self-massage using therapy balls, foam rollers, and other tools around the studio. Yoga has helped me handle chronic pain and migraines, along with the side effects of old injuries, so I want to teach these tools to our students at Heart of Wisdom Yoga too.

I also love mentoring and guiding new yoga teachers. It fills me with joy to see teachers show up as their full selves on their mats, and thanks to my past roles in higher education, I have lots of tips and tricks to offer for those looking to bring more confidence and creativity in their classes.

When I’m not teaching at the studio, I’m most likely being bossed around by my dog Charm (she’s the one who is actually in charge - let’s be real).

I also love dining out and especially enjoy a good bagel, donut, taco, or margarita. In my free time you’ll find me reading (always a few books at a time), bird and turtle watching in my neighborhood, or fussing over my plants.

Fun fact: If you enjoy the plants in the studio, you really have my appendectomy to thank!

Our collection has grown due to my deep dive into learning about plants while I recovered from both an appendectomy and Covid in June 2022.

We also have my mom to thank for the plants (and everything else) in the studio.

Phyllis is a behind the scenes member of our team and she’s driven to IKEA in Memphis twice with me to pick up gear for the studio, she’s carried countless boxes and yoga mats and plants up and down stairs, and she’s overall our biggest cheerleader. She also completed yoga teacher training in May 2021, just days before we opened. If you’re lucky, you’ll get to take class while she’s visiting and get to meet her in person!

I wasn’t always a yoga student.

I discovered my love of horseback riding at age 9 growing up in the heart of New Jersey horse country, just 20 minutes away from the United States Equestrian Team headquarters. I competed at the national level up and down the East coast in the Junior Hunters and Equitation, and went to the National Equitation Finals in 2007 and 2008. I then turned to riding in Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) competitions during my college career at Wake Forest University (NC) where I majored in Chemistry.

In my spare time and during school breaks I competed up to the High Amateur-Owner Jumpers in VT, NJ, and NC with my beloved partner Wacky. My time on horseback showed me the mental and physical strength I didn't know I had, but also caused a few injuries and minor concussions. During my time in college, I started looking for additional ways to move my body and stay fit as my time for riding decreased and my focus on academic pursuits increased.

I moved to Nashville, Tennessee in 2015 and worked in higher education after graduating from Northwestern University with a Master’s in Higher Education Administration and Policy. I became a barre instructor in 2017 and completed my 200 hour Vinyasa Yoga Teacher Training with NuPower Yoga in 2018. In February 2019, I left higher education to teach yoga and barre full-time. I completed my 300 hour Advanced Studies training through Asheville Yoga Center in January 2020, the same month I opened the original physical home of Heart of Wisdom Yoga in Franklin, TN. This initial physical home closed at the end of November 2020.