Sports was never my game, let alone getting sweaty and dirty. The shy, unassuming girl of the past would have much rather spend an evening fine-tuning my nail polishing skills and gathering the most fashionable outfits possible.
I started in Woodland Hills with my younger sister and immigrant parents (Mom is Hungarian and Dad is Persian…they met at Los Angeles City College) with the 101 Freeway as my backyard. We moved to Agoura Hills when I was in the 4th Grade where in the new house, my dad had to keep me company for a while at night because it was too quiet with all the “wildlife” sounds of chirping birds and crickets, and the croaking frogs at night, I couldn’t sleep. I made it through high school, graduating from Agoura High, and went right to Cal State University, Northridge. I picked English Literature as my major because though I was shy in person, writing always came easy. While at CSUN, I met my husband, David, and we finished our last semester in December 1993, one month before the devastating Northridge Earthquake.
Life moved on in a whirlwind blur. World-travels (backpacking thru Europe; two trips to Chile to visit husband’s extended family; hiking and whitewater rafting down the Colorado River,), marriage in November 1994, purchasing our first-home in 1997 (that we are still in today!) and then came babies: Lilah (almost 18) and Luke (15). Life got busy and I got out of shape.
For the first time in my life, I walked into a gym.
I joined the YMCA in the Fall of 2007, as a new mom looking to lose the “baby weight” and I took small, small, barely noticeable fitness steps. It took me 9 months (!) to work up the courage to step into the cycle room. I sat in the back, like every beginner wanting to and trying to hid from the instructor 😉 But after a few classes, I got the bug. I got it bad. This cycle thing was fantastic!! I loved how it challenged me and I felt myself getting stronger. I thrived pushing my limits and excitedly seeing that my body really was capable of doing so much more than I thought. Why was I holding back?
And this brings me to my Trainer Tip:
“Go outside your fitness comfort zone.”
The moment you stop accepting challenges
is the moment you stop moving forward.
The leap from being a Y-member to a Y-instructor was incredibly terrifying. THE most difficult thing I’ve ever done. Cycle was my first format to teach, it was a long, painful, almost-threw-in-the-towel journey. The shy, no-confidant girl was creeping up. Where was my teaching voice? What was my unique style? How do I coach to others effectively? I was far out of my comfort zone. But determined to prove this to myself. I practiced, made mistakes, more practice, more errors. I found I enjoyed the Group Fitness experience and wanted to expand my opportunities. Soon I was a certified Personal Trainer, and certified in Les Mills’ BodyPump, CXWorx, and the latest and greatest, BodyCombat.
I used to walk on the treadmill to warm up. My friend would walk by and punch up the speed to make me run and I would laughingly yell out, “I’m not a runner!” That’s what I had told myself my entire life. Why was I negatively labeling and limiting myself? So I pushed out my comfort zone again….starting running and completed 3 half marathons.
When was the last time you did something for the first time? Are you doing the same fitness routine as you were a year ago?
C’mon!! Let’s take your fitness comfort-bubble and pop it!
One of the most satisfying moments for me as an Instructor is to see that ah-ha moment, that smile, that look of accomplishment when members embrace a new, mentally and/or physically challenging fitness program and I recognize the thought they’re having:
“I can’t believe I just did that!”
Yes!! I get it. I understand it…because that was me as a member (and is still me now) and that, that moment is what refuels my passion for instructing: to see YOU fall in love with movement, with YOUR possibilities, with all that YOU are capable of doing.
See you in Combat!