If I see you in class, I don’t care if you are slow, fast, in shape, out of shape, thick or thin. If you are in class, I am rooting for you.
I read the above on Instagram the other day, and it stood out for me, because it is truly how I feel! When I started teaching fitness classes at twenty-three, it was because I really enjoyed doing classes. I liked the idea of getting paid to work out and get in the best shape I could. Little did I know how much impact I could have on others, simply by doing what I love.
Over the years, I have learned a lot about fitness: using safe, functional movement, teaching to accommodate different learning styles, the importance of nutrition, and the myriad of fears and insecurities that many people have about fitness. These insecurities are often at the root of why people find it hard to fit fitness into their lives. By choosing to work with a fitness instructor, personal trainer, Pilates teacher, or other trainer, you are choosing to work with someone whose job is (quite literally) to help you move better, and feel better about yourself.
I get excited to see new people coming into my classes as they embark on a journey of exercise and movement. To be able to share in another’s journey is a special gift. It doesn’t matter to me how fast or slow, flexible or restricted, thin or thick a person is. Eventually, everyone will become a bit faster, more flexible, and stronger. While that is the physical effect, I am proudest of watching my clients become excited about fitness, their health, and seeing their insecurities drop away.
If you are in my studio doing an introductory class, a Pilates class, or for personal training, know that I am rooting for you. If you are doing my at-home Pilates classes online, I am rooting for you from afar. If you are in the running club where I am a leader (at Sole Experience Running Company), I am rooting for you. Even if we are just working out side-by-side in a class I am taking for myself, I’m cheering you on.
Fitness is for everybody and every body, and I will keep rooting for you as long as you keep showing up. See you in class!