Derek is a bilingual (English/French) strengths-focused leader, Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu black belt, Yoga teacher, host of Welcome To The Winners Circle, speaker and coach on a mission to UPLIFT, INSPIRE and EMPOWER others by awakening their understanding and awareness of CHOICE, the last of the human freedoms and our most powerful change-making tool. A leader of positive change, Derek leads by example and advocates a holistic approach to total human wellness prioritizing one’s physical, mental, emotional & spiritual well-being.
A well certified Yoga teacher and movement specialist with over two decades of coaching and leadership experience, Derek’s classes integrate Yoga, functional mobility and breath work and are designed to improve participants mobility, ameliorate posture, reduce stress and improve whole body fitness and wellbeing.
Derek was first introduced to Yoga in 2010 after sustaining a severe traumatic brain injury (TBI) which left him in a coma for 3.5 days, over a week of post-traumatic amnesia, and a long road of recovery ahead which Derek used 365 straight days of Bikram Hot Yoga as his primary means of healing. This was the beginning of Derek’s self-care journey.
Derek is now an active speaker and leader in the Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI) community and beyond. He is a LoveYourBrain Yoga ambassador and teacher, serves on the Manitoba Brain Injury Association board of directors, and for 2 years faciliated Yoga and mindfulness programming for individuals who have suffered a Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), including concussions, as recipient of funding from Lululemon’s Hero To Be initiative.
It’s now been 13 years since Derek’s Yoga journey begun and he’s not stopped practicing and prioritizing his self-care. A Yoga teacher for over 9 years, Derek has attained these various Yoga teacher trainings programs on his path of continued learning and growth:
- 200-Hour Foundational Nosara Yoga Teacher Training, Nosara Yoga Institute
- 100-Hour Pranassage Practitioner Training, Nosara Yoga Institute
- 100-Hour Level 1/Living Yoga Training, One Yoga North Vancouver
- 50-Hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training, Omniji Teacher’s College
- 20-Hour Restorative Yoga Teacher Training, Omniji Teacher’s College
- 25-Hour Vinyasa Yoga for Youth Teacher Training, Vinyasa Yoga for Youth
- 36-Hour Traditional Thai Yoga Massage Teacher Training, Sunshine Network
- LoveYourBrain Yoga Level 1 Teacher Training, LoveYourBrain Foundation
- Manitoba Fitness Council Yoga Fitness certification
His Yoga class styles include Vinyasa Flow, Self-Awakening Yoga, Yin Yoga, Restorative Yoga, and Pranassage. His integrative yoga classes usually incorporate elements of all these various styles. Read more about the many benefits of Yoga practice here.
In addition to his Yoga credentials, Derek has attained the following fitness certifications:
Animal Flow Level 1 Certified Instructor
Certified Functional Range Conditioning (FRC) Mobility Specialist
Certified K3 Combat Movement Systems, Level 1 Specialist
Completed Onnit Academy: The Foundations certification
Completed Onnit Academy: Durability certification
Completed Onnit Academy: Kettlebells Specialist certification
Completed Onnit Academy: Barbell Specialist certification
Completed Onnit Academy: Steel Club Specialist certification
Completed Onnit Academy: Steel Mace Specialist certification
Attained Manitoba Fitness Council Individual Fitness Leader certification
Attained Manitoba Fitness Council Resistance Training certification
Attained Manitoba Fitness Council Group Sport Conditioning certification
Attained Manitoba Fitness Council Group Cycling certification
Completed Manitoba Fitness Council Active Older Adult specialty course
Completed Manitoba Fitness Council Children/Youth Fitness Leader specialty course
Completed HIGH FIVE Principles of Healthy Child Development course
Completed HIGH FIVE Strengthening Children's Mental Health course
Completed HIGH FIVE Healthy Minds for Healthy Children course
National Coaching Certification Program Fundamental Movement Skills Workshop completion
Alberta Fitness Leadership Certification Association Ever Active Kids certificate of completion
Canadian Red Cross Emergency First Aid Certification
Canadian Red Cross Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (Level C) Certification
In January 2019, he created ‘The HERO Project’, a school-based mindful breathing, mobility and Yoga movement initiative which has Derek regularly working with schools across Canada and US awakening students and teachers awareness of the power of choice as well as the profound impact and importance of prioritizing one’s self-care for the good of all.
Derek has also attained a Bachelor of Commerce (Honours) degree and Bachelor of Social Work degree from the University of Manitoba.
Follow Derek Pang on Instagram at @pangyoga, and learn more about his various projects here at www.pangyoga.com.
“If you do follow your bliss you put yourself on a kind of track that has been there all the while, waiting for you, and the life that you ought to be living is the one you are living. Follow your bliss and don’t be afraid, and doors will open where you didn’t know they were going to be.”