#fitpro

Day 185: Red, Hot & Bootcamp

Today is a conflicting holiday. I want to celebrate, because I love a celebration, but I'm also cautious. It's a tumultuous time and I'm glad to be where I am but I know that's certainly a privilege.

I decided to host my usual Saturday class, even with the holiday. Summer is tough as a fit pro, because people take vacations, have conflicting plans, and aren't always available to attend classes. So, class participation ebbs and flows but the effort has to be consistent on my part. It's hard, y'all!

Day 184: Beachin' It

We love a beach moment. We're just under 90 minutes from one of our favorite spots - Cape Henlopen.

During the summer, we try to visit every Sunday, or during holidays. We go suuuuper early and leave the beach by Noon, when the crowds start arriving.

Day 178: In the Wild

I've been walking every single morning since spring.

Some days, I'll do 1.5 miles, or 2 miles, or even 5 miles, depending on the time I allot.

The cool thing about this is that I'm strict in my movement but flexible in the approach.

I try to coach my clients this way.

Be so serious about daily movement - if you want to make a change and stay healthy, you have to move every day.

But be flexible in the approach - maybe today, I'll walk 5 miles. Maybe it will be 1. The point is that I'm doing it.

That's where most people get stuck - if they don't have 60 minutes every day, might as well not do anything, right?

Nope.

Day 165: 5 Ways to Stand Out

Side note: it's so hard to get a good screenshot of my podcast. I've been told by others that I'm super animated (thank you?) when I speak. I am a physical person - I use my whole body. Maybe that's what makes me so great at my energetic job?

I've been thinking about good to great and what makes a fit pro really good.

5 Ways to Stand out as a Fitness Professional

Understand their why - not every member comes to a fitness class to change body comp or lose weight. Some people come to reduce stress, to reduce anxiety, to work through depression, for community, for fun...the list goes on. Remembering this sets you apart.

The class is not your work out. That's it.

Experience add-ons: I offer cold towels after my outdoor classes, I write people's names on the white board when they are new, I offer LMNT and gatorade packets and little snacks at every class. Show that you care and provide some comfort.

Make it personal - what's your favorite color? what's your favorite song atm? what's your goal? The more you incorporate these personalized elements, the better you will be and the better your class will be, too.

It's not personal. You're not the only fit pro in someone's life. You're not the only class they attend, even if you are at the moment. The more you learn to appreciate being part of the journey, the better you will be.

A few weeks ago, I shared my 4 areas of Spring Cleaning for this season (inbox, photos, closet, fitness).

Here's an update on Project Spring Clean #4: Fitness

I've taken a little reset this week, completing just one of my scheduled 3 workout sessions. It felt right.

I changed up the routine to include more outdoor walking and more overall NEAT (non-exercise activity thermogenesis) movement.

While the change felt right, it definitely impacted my sleep and nourishment habits this week. I also don't feel as strong or mobile as usual.

Looking forward to getting back to the 2.5 planned strength workouts of the week, even with a wonky schedule. My 9-5 job schedule is w-i-l-d the next three weeks. If there was ever a time needed for consistency in workouts, it's now!

Day 85: The Architect

When I saw this on IG, I immediately connected with it. I'm constantly growing, building, innovating, and creating.

With 17 years in the fitness industry, I can attest that the one who finds success is the one who keeps at it.

Case in point: when I first became a group fitness instructor with Zumba, there were 6 other instructors in my local area. Now, there's one. For the longest time, I was the only one willing to take on new classes and locations - I simply lasted longer than the others.

Persistence is everything in the fitness world. Do it well, do it better, and last longer. That's a recipe for success.

Day 68: How I've changed as a strength coach

Or, it could be "how I've grown as a strength coach."

Getting certifications has been helpful for me, as well as the pathway of continuing education. I was a history and business management student in college, so I came into the fitness profession with little to no knowledge about strength and the human body.

I pored over human anatomy texts, learning about muscles and fascia. Nothing clicked (textbooks are great but no comparison to real life) until I started my yoga teacher training.

In YTT, we learned about movement and muscles, connective tissue/fascia, the nervous system, and energy in the body. This brought human anatomy to life for me.

I started to understand body mechanics so much better.

From there, I got my ACE personal training certification which focused some on anatomy, a lot on movement methodology, and even more on progressions and regressions. Most of my practical exam focused on the latter - how to make movement work for people.

But my REAL education began when I started offering bootcamp to live audiences. I got to see how movements worked on different bodies - sizes, styles, ages. I got to make adjustments in real time and learn how bodies move and operate.

I've grown a lot over the years as a strength coach, but most exponentially in the past year, since my bootcamp classes have really elevated.

Day 64: With Gratitude

In a coaching session today, I had the opportunity to take a moment to recognize and realize my growth as a fitness professional.

Most of that growth can be attributed to my clients. I would literally not be here if it wasn’t for you freaks coming back every session.

So…this is a gratitude post in your honor. Thank you for being here. Thank you for being open to trying new things. Thank you for showing up to class when you could be anywhere else.

I just love you.