What do you teach? 

I teach Pilates, barre, HIIT, kettlebells, weightlifting — all the things! Before COVID, I taught group fitness classes at SLT, Flywheel, and Crunch in Raleigh, NC, in addition to my personal training clients.

I have been teaching for two years now, even though I was certified over 12 years ago. That was before the boutique fitness industry really took off in NYC — I was a poor starving artist. I couldn't afford to quit my bartending job to work minimum wage and do floor pulls at Equinox!

Why did you start teaching? 

I have always loved moving my body. Personal training and group training constantly challenge me with new puzzles and new ways of thinking about movement. It is impossible to be bored!

What do you love most about teaching? 

I love being able to help people meet their goals in a way that is fun, entertaining, and effective. Seeing people get stronger and build their confidence is the best part of my job.

What is the current state of your studio? 

SLT and Flywheel let all instructors go so that their employees could collect unemployment.

SLT has started offering live-streaming classes and tried to open that schedule up to as many instructors as they could. Both SLT and Flywheel have circulated instructor contact information to try to help us network with local clients and push our virtual sessions and class offerings.

What virtual classes are you offering? How can people find those classes? 

I have partnered with fellow fit pro and Flywheel instructor, Brooks Owens, to create the SWEAT SQUAD. We started this on the first day of lockdown as a fun way to pass the time — it's now become a business. We offer multiple formats so that our members are able to safely and effectively train all week long. All classes are beat-based and range from barre to bodyweight Tabata training, from strength training to dance cardio.

We are teaching our first outdoor classes this week as we move in to phase one in North Carolina.

What is your biggest takeaway regarding COVID-19? 

The importance of virtual training. I never thought of it as an option before. But most importantly — flexibility and the power of ingenuity. Sure, this whole situation is unpleasant, scary, and potentially dangerous. We could sit on the couch and eat doughnuts and binge Netflix. Instead, I have seen trainers raise each other up and get creative. The fitness industry is a powerful network of support, and while we all get a little competitive, I have seen all of that fall away in an effort to keep each other supported and successful. Any time I have reached out to someone, they have been generous and genuine. We might compete for the best time slots on the schedule, but when it comes down to it, we have each other's backs.

What long-term affects do you see COVID-19 having on the wellness industry? 

I think we are going to continue to see people engaging in virtual training, people that never saw it as a viable option before. The same way I think people will see working from home as an option, which was looked down on by literally every New Yorker I know until now. I think people will be nervous about getting in a room and sweating with other people, but I also think people are more in tune with how important the group fitness community is. Having that connection with so many other people, pushing each other together to get stronger and push their boundaries. It makes you feel alive, it is exciting, it is what I live for. We will get back to it, but it will take some time.

What is one thing you want the world to know about the wellness industry, especially in light of COVID-19? 

There is a huge gap in the availability of technology to assist in virtual classes. All of a sudden you have people who used to make a living teaching 25 classes a week to 20 to 30 people having to compete with Peleton, Obe, and Daily Burn. These companies have film studios, equipment, technology, and IT departments.

Right now, the rest of the fitness industry is surviving on Zoom. All other platforms kick us off for music rights violations. While I completely understand needing to pay for the time and artistry of musicians, we do not have a few thousand dollars to donate to more professional platforms and music rights licenses. A platform like Vimeo with music rights license rights would cost us easily over $3,000. So we use Zoom. The picture is grainy, the sound is very touchy, it freezes, drops participants, and is a total pain in the butt — but it is all we have right now. I want people to know that if you have the option, if you have the resources, please support your local fitness professionals. Sure, you can buy a Peleton and do the classes they offer. But we have been there all along your fitness journey, seeing you week after week, cheering you on, and that personal investment is what we continue to bring to you via Zoom. We are still here for you and will be when this all goes back to normal, no matter how long that takes.