Meet Nathan Reynolds | Sala Studio, Auckland, NZ

Meet the man behind the zen; Nathan Reynolds. When he’s not on the construction site, he’s filling his cup up with some sort of movement. We ask him about the lessons he’s learnt so far.

Why and how did movement become such a big part of your life? 

In my early life, I was given opportunities to move, swimming lessons, athletics, and cycling, and when I finished school I started to realise how important that movement was. I fell in love with long-distance running and was introduced to yoga when I was 18. I haven’t stopped since!

Your favourite thing about the SALA community? 

I love how dedicated the community is to their health and well-being. The focus in the yoga classes is incredible.

What’s your favourite SALA class? 

Sarah’s Yoga class on a Tuesday evening.

What’s your go to movement to elevate your mood?

Free movement to some good tunes.

From the ashes of hustle culture, self-care is on the rise. Why is self-care so important? And how does movement facilitate this?

I think I have found self-care allows me to fill my own cup before being able to show up better in my friendships and community. Personally, the movement seems to allow me to work through some built-up emotions and tensions in the body which helps me feel more equipped to show up in life in a more settled and grounded way. 

What is movement a conduit for?

For me, it is a conduit for life energy!

What other practices do you live by that support your mindset and mood?

I find running really helps me feel more settled. I also find meditation is really useful to find a grounding.

Wellbeing is…?

Wellbeing for me is the focus on your state of mind, your physical health, your sleep and your food intake. Finding a healthy balance.

With a year interrupted by lockdowns, what does moving at home look like for you? 

Jumping on the wind trainer for a blast, going for a run around the block, lots of long walks, and of course some SALA Online.

What’s your favourite song to move to?

Embarrassingly, I find metal actually gets me pumped. I don’t usually listen to metal, but jeez a bit of System of a Down gets you pumped.

How do you motivate yourself to get moving when you’re low energy? 

Depending on what my low energy is caused by. If I haven’t been sleeping well or eating well, I will rest my body or do something low-impact. If I am purely being lazy I sometimes tempt myself with rewards like chocolate.

What’s your favourite SALA online class? 

HIIT Pilates Full Body with Abby

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve ever been given? 

Buy a house.

Give us a rundown in a day in the life of you…

Wake up at 5.30am or 6.00am, 10-15km run, and off to one of my work sites. Check-in with my contractors and clients, and perhaps head to another site to do the same. Head to Ripe Deli for a delicious morning tea/lunch. Either do some pricing with my business partner or continue heading to other work sites, perhaps picking up materials along the way. Finish up around 4.30 or 5pm. Depending on the day I will head to Sala to do a yoga session and then teach, or catch up with a friend for dinner. Head home, hot tub if it's not too late, and be in bed by 9 - 9.30pm with a yoga Nidra. Rinse and repeat.

You and your company completed the SALA Sunset Room build. What did the process and build of that space look like?

The process of the build for the Sunset room was a tricky one. Working in commercial spaces requires a large amount of planning. The timing is crucial to get all the necessary trades through, and to organize with tenants when you can and can’t make noise. It did require a few night shifts and some sweet talking to our tradies to get them all through within the timeframe. The Sunset room required all of that and more! The gorgeous mirrors around the room were all brought through a set of double doors that used to be by the Sunset shape, we had to get them into the room before the construction could be completed. There was only one shot, and we managed to pull it off with the help of a solid team.

What are your favourite features/aspects of the Sunset Room?

I truly love the intimacy the room provides with the warmth of the floors and the dark mirrors which give depth but are not overwhelming. The lighting can be set in such a way that you can feel energised or in a real cooling place. I also love the acoustics in the room, the music sounds so good in there!

What are your go to health and fitness tips? 

The best tip I realised, is that that one big meal you had, or that one ice cream you had doesn’t make the difference, it’s the other meals you have after that make the impact. Likewise with exercise. That one HIIT Pilates class doesn’t make a difference, creating good habits of taking care of yourself creates lasting change.

Are you an early riser or a night owl? 

An early riser, my brain starts shutting down around 9pm.

What’s your advice to someone brand new to fitness/ yoga who wants to get started? 

Go easy on yourself. Don’t feel like you need to know everything or be able to do everything. Take it slow, and be super kind to yourself. You and your body are precious.

What’s the one object from your home you would save from a fire? 

Marshmallows, that way I can make use of the fire.

Are you sentimental? Talk us through a few of your favourite things which you own.

In some ways, my journals are precious as they hold thoughts and feelings from years back, back to when I was 15!

Is there anything you don’t own, which you’d like to one day?

Land on the coast.

If you could do anything else for a living, what would it be? 

An outdoor education teacher

What’s your favourite post-movement snack/ meal?

Some Two Islands protein with frozen bananas and berries 

What’s your go-to skincare routine?

Get in the sun as much as I can. Recently I’ve started using Sans Activator 7 Oil to keep my skin hydrated, especially in winter.

What’s a hangover cure you swear by? 

Drink one unit of alcohol, and follow it with a glass of water. Go to bed before 1 am.

What’s the secret to a happy life? 

Finding contentment in your daily activities.

What’s your favourite colour? What effect does it have on you? 

Red/Purple. Red makes me feel passion, love, and enthusiasm. Purple makes me feel calm, soothing, and peaceful.