Justin Kaliszewski is a yoga rock star.

The tattooed former MMA fighter likes to jam Beck, Johnny Cash, Michael Franti and even Rage Against the Machine in his adrenaline-charged Outlaw Yoga classes. On special occasions, Kaliszewski’s old man Ken K., layers live guitar and vocals.

Music isn’t the only aspect of Kaliszewski’s teaching style that deviates wildly from the norm. Considering his uptempo accompaniment, it’s hardly surprising his classes are rowdier and faster-paced than most. And as implied by the Outlaw Yoga moniker, there are fewer taboos. While all yoga classes are unifying to various degrees, few achieve the level of community-building that is Kaliszewski’s standard. Outlaw students are forcefully nudged to make new friends and share stories and feelings with the group.

This aspiring Outlaw Yogi (GP) recently interviewed Kaliszewski (JK) telepathically (technically via email) about rocking with the old man, self-publishing and more:

GP: Where did you come from?

JK: I followed the path of a tornado into this world in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Since then I have lived all over the country and world, from Orange County, CA to Kathmandu, Nepal.

GP: Earliest music-related memory from childhood?

JK: I remember when my father Ken K. made me take piano lessons. I was like 5 or 6 years old and I wasn’t that into it. I graduated to the guitar shortly after and played the bass for a while as well. I still pluck the banjo and blow on the harmonica from time to time and have threatened to bring both into the studio.

GP: Before you discovered yoga, were there other physical disciplines in your life?

JK: Before you yoga I was an MMA fighter and a steroid injecting beefcake. Once upon a time I was also Mr. Colorado Basketball but that was like a hundred years ago. I’ve always been a very physical person: I played pee-wee soccer and baseball. I still love to hike and lift weights and have always celebrated work and physical discipline. These days, I might be carrying a little more ‘cake’ than ‘beef’ though.

GP: How did you discover yoga?

JK: A girl, of course;)

GP: At what point did you decide you wanted to be an instructor?

JK: Pretty much immediately. I stepped into this wonderful space where everything I had ever been about seemed to coalesce: physicality, spirituality, comedy, music, community…this practice is so wonderfully unique in that it gives us a chance to practice our passion, to live our power in our own unique and wonderful way.

GP: When and where did you train?

JK: All over…I started out at Corepower Yoga and trained with some wonderful people there including Heather Peterson. I’ve spent some very enjoyable hours with Baron Baptiste, and a few with the beautiful Shiva Rea (sp?). I’ve also learned a lot about what not to do in the yoga studio from a handful of other trainings;)

GP: What do you enjoy about teaching?

JK: Creating connection—the ultimate responsibility for those who have the ability. The chance to share my enthusiasm and love for life on a platform that allows others to connect to the people and environment around them. I love the opportunity that each class, each moment, represents. Every moment is a choice, a chance to reconnect to whatever it is you are passionate about, and I love sharing that chance with students. I don’t ever expect that people be as passionate about this practice as I am, only that they see—in me—that passion is possible.

GP: When was Outlaw Yoga conceived?

JK: June 24th, 1980. I’ve been an Outlaw since the day I was born and I’ll be one till the day I die.

GP: How long have you been working with your dad?

JK: A couple of years now. I was inspired to invite him into the studio with me Friday nights during a time when we weren’t really getting along all that well to be honest. It gave us a chance to heal a relationship that had been tumultuous at best for about 30 years or so.

Our first class had 30 people in it. We cranked the rock & roll and never looked back. Class hit capacity and averaged a fire-code bursting 90 plus for several months thereafter, until we decided to take the show on the road. Since then we have been blessed to be able to travel the country together and share our story and rock n’ roll spirit with a lot of people. We have also been given the opportunity to resurrect our relationship and I am now proud to be able to say that I have one of the most patient and awesome fathers on the planet.

GP: Do you two communicate telepathically?

JK: Pretty much haha. You know, we do have a special connection that allows us to reasonably predict what the other is thinking and wanting to do, an ability to play off of one another that comes together in a really unique way in the studio to co-create a very special experience.

GP: What sets his music apart from other live yoga accompaniment?

JK: Ken K. has taught me that rock n’ roll doesn’t have anything to do with playing instruments, it has everything to do with embodying your passion and enthusiasm, laying it all on the line and leaving it all on the mat so to speak. Playing your heart out each and every time you get the chance, that’s rock n’ roll and my old man knows how to rock like no other. Plus, it turns out, he’s been writing yoga-themed songs his whole life. Who knew?

GP: Favorite tunes in his set list?

JK: Wow, all of them really. ”Wonderful Day” is a favorite of mine and we play it at the end of every class. “Finding 99” sings the spirit of breaking through the illusion that we all wade through on a day to day basis. The aptly named “Shit” is amazing in half-pigeon. I remember when he first wrote “Sometimes to Get Ahead” in the 80’s and it’s perfect in pigeon pose today. His open-G work is amazing and his live looping even more-so. We’re stoked to be heading into the studio to record a CD together this April.

GP: What does the horizon hold?

JK: I’m stoked about my new book “Outlaw Protocol: how to live as an outlaw without becoming a criminal”. A book that is part sex, drugs, and rock n’ roll story and part yoga-based, self-transformation manual that we are currently running a really fun community publishing campaign to release.

I’m excited to get the chance in this project to share something of my own story, as well as to share in the publishing project so that readers and students will have a little pride of ownership in the project.

Every moment is a choice, Outlaws—act like it! It’s time to step up. this world needs you. From a kind smile, to a hand shake or a hug, service occurs in so many small ways every person on this planet has the power to be a hero to someone today.

For further information, OutlawYoga.com.

*A portion of this interview was previously published in 303 Magazine.

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