Before Tory Schaefer became the National Director of yoga programs for Life Time Fitness clubs across the U.S., he was... on tour as an actor.
18 years ago, long before packed classes and national festivals, Tory was on the road with a DVD of Rodney Yee. His coworkers, stiff from long bus rides, asked him to lead them through some yoga.
That’s how it started – 5 to 10 people on tour buses.
Now? Tory teaches to rooms of 35 to 105 students, guiding people not just through poses, but through transformation.
Tory is now leading LifePower Yoga at a national level and teaching at major events like the Wanderlust Festival in California and the EMPOWER! Fitness Conferences across North America.
But his advice stays deeply personal: 1. Share what you love.
Lift others up and you’ll rise with them.
2. Practice falling.
Like a child learning to walk—each stumble brings clarity.
3. Ask for what you want.
Dreams stay dreams if they stay inside. Speak up. Go for it.
“It’s not easy, but you are worth it.”
Tory’s story reminds us: Sometimes leadership begins not in a studio, but on a bus – with one DVD and a group of tired friends.
