Music as medicine. The human condition. Love. Heartache. Courage. Bravery. Battlefields. These are some of the elements that come together in a session of the now-legendary The Class by Taryn Toomey.
Through her rigorous mind-body workout, Taryn has developed a cult following as half fitness goddess, half spiritual healer – and high-profile clients like Gisele Bündchen and Naomi Watts are regularly spotted in her crystal-lined TriBeCa studio.
Taryn’s philosophy: witness the resistance to discomfort. Lean in. Clear the energy, and renew balance and confidence. The power that results when mind, body, and spirit are working together as one unit has limitless potential. Naturally, we had to know more, so Taryn walked us through exactly how she starts her action-packed day on the right foot.
photography by Anthony Geathers for The New York Times
Early bird or night owl? And how much sleep do you usually get?
I’m an early riser, thanks to my teaching schedule and my little ladies. I try to stay consistent with my sleep routine. I practice sleep rituals to keep me on track, which include no phone 30 minutes before bed and a magnesium supplement, or CBD, to calm the nervous system and prepare my body for sleep.
Describe your getting ready routine from start to finish. How long does it usually take?
I switch things up depending on the day. Some mornings I teach an early Class, and some mornings I have some time alone or with the kids at home. Either way, my routine is consistent: I wake up, brush my teeth—and my tongue—and rinse my face. Right away, I always put a mask on. I’ve learned if I don’t put it on first thing, I don’t do it. I love Dr. Barbara Sturm’s mask, but I try lots of different ones, too. Twice a week, I change it up to exfoliate with the goop Instant Facial or Joanna Vargas exfoliating mask.
I go to the kitchen with the mask on, and have a large glass of water with lemon and add a little turmeric or cayenne. A few rounds of uddiyana bandha [yogic breathing] gets my digestive system revved up and ready for the day, so I do that too. It’s the best organ massage out there.
What do you eat for breakfast?
If I’m teaching an early Class—I am a big fan of morning workouts before eating—I take 1000 milligrams of l-carnitine, a type of amino acid. I take it on an empty stomach before working out. It transports fatty acids into the mitochondria so they can be used as fuel.
If I’m at home for a little bit, I take Lypo-spheric Packets in vitamin C & GSH from LivOnLabs. Then I make my smoothie: one scoop of Vital Proteins Collagen Peptides, a scoop of something seasonal—right now, it’s raw pumpkin—plus cinnamon, cardamom, chocolate plant protein powder, spinach, ice, unsweetened almond milk, and chia seeds. I follow that with coffee and unsweetened almond milk.
What’s your favorite getting-ready soundtrack?
Jim James Regions of Light and Sound of God…or anything from the XX or Florence.
Do you workout in the morning? if so, what do you do and for how long?
-The Class (teaching and taking)
-SoulCycle
-Kula Yoga
-If crunched for time, but still need to get a sweat in, I’ll do the afterburn on the revolving stairs at my gym, which is a gnarly 19 minute workout.
I never leave the house without _____________.
My iPhone, bobby pins, a cape, and a hat.
Daily uniform:
Leggings, a long sleeve leotard with a low back, leg warmers, booties, a cape and a hat.
Healthiest morning habit:
20 minute meditation on my Biomat or Sefte meditation cushion.
Shower: morning or night?
I always take a bath or shower before bed to rinse it all off.
