Heather's Gym

January Client of the Month!

"I love the community feel in the classes, that's the first thing I noticed. Everyone knew each other and everyone was friends. I quickly realized this wasn't like the big box gym I had tried. The community aspect is what motivated me to come back. I came for the workout that challenged me, I stayed for the community that energized me." - Bernie L.

What's the HG Community mean to you?

I've been blessed at Heather's Gym to find a community that rallies around me. I have a great group of people in my corner. I love the 8:30am classes at HG in particular, that is where I met so many lovely members who are now my friends.

Coming to class is so fun. You never know who you are going to see, what you're going to hear or what you are going to learn. You get so much more out of the class than just a workout. You get funny stories, little life lessons and even TV Show suggestions. I just finished binge watching The White Lotus because an instructor was talking about it. When you don't come to class people ask where you've been.

The MEP Challenges have been great. I got my Myzone the day before a challenge was about to start, you could say I had FOMO. Getting a Myzone really changed the way I work out; it was great to see my tile on the screen and push myself to get into the yellow and red. It was the leveling up I needed to change the way I work out. Without it, I would be still giving a 5 out 10 instead of pushing the tank to empty like I do now.

I loved the Holiday Hustle mini-MEP challenge in December. It's been my favorite challenge so far because it was short 'n sweet, we had five really big teams, everybody brought big energy which led to big fun across the board! I loved seeing the other 'reindeer' in class and getting to know them through our group chat. Very proud of all their hard work and dedication, and I look forward to celebrating our team's victory this month. Reign On, Reindeer!

How important is it to you to have variety & options between the two studios (maybe one day all 3)?

I love the variety of classes, the instructors, the members, the rockin 'playlists and the Chief Motivating Officer. No two classes are alike, and you never regret showing up and getting a workout in. I love all of the instructors and appreciate the time and energy they put in, not only in class, but to prepare for class. Curating that impeccable playlist and coming up with the right routine is key to a great and challenging workout, so thank you instructors for everything you do!

As far as "maybe one day all three".... My mantra for 2023 is to be more vulnerable. According to Google, vulnerable means "expressing the sides of yourself about which you have the least confidence or certainty and allowing others to respond to them." I am not very confident in my yoga and meditation abilities, but I am open and willing to put in an effort to try. I hear awesome things about the different classes at Zen, and there is a barre class I want to try. Plan to see me at Zen in 2023!

What are your favorite classes/events to take right now at each studio and why?

My favorite class at Heather's Gym is Barre Boxing. It was the first class I ever took, so it holds a special place in my heart. I love the variety of that class, the weights, the barre work and the boxing. I leave that class feeling like I can kick some ass. My favorite class at RPM is Ride 60. It's a great way to start your weekend off right. I leave that class feeling like I can tackle anything that is thrown my way. My favorite class at Zen is Recover, it's the perfect Sunday class and really restorative after a week of hard workouts. I leave Recover feeling cleansed and renewed, ready to begin a new week. My favorite event at Zen was the Autumn Equinox. It was the night of the harvest full moon, when the seasons were shifting. The moon gave the event this mythical and spooky vibe. We did sun and moon salutations and wrote in our full moon journals. The writing prompt was to write about something that we need to let go of. I journaled about my fear of the unknown. I left that event feeling light as a feather, calm and relaxed. I'm so glad I went to the event and tried something new and different because I gained so much from it. It reminded me of the importance of taking time to reflect, journal and mediate, which is something I don't always make time for.

Could you share how you felt (what kind of fitness level were you) when you started at HG?

I haven't worked out since 2018. After my second daughter was born, I joined a big box gym and quit after a few months. I wasn't motivated to go to the gym and when I was there, I just used the elliptical. It was a very blah experience. So, I was very out of shape when I started at Heather's Gym in October 2021. At my first class, I was out of breath after the warmup. I was surprised by how winded I was and knew I had to keep coming back if I wanted to make any kind of impact on my health. Today, now that I am more active, I can keep up in class. I feel empowered and strong in my own skin both physically and mentally.

What was the progression like? The progression has been steady. I reach for heavier weights now and see muscles when I look in the mirror. I'm happy with the progress I've made but I know there is still a lot more work to be done on this health journey that I am on.

Do you have any advice, words of wisdom, or your own personal experience you can share with others?

In the past, I didn't always make wellness a priority. I had developed some unhealthy ways to cope with stress. A little over four years ago, I gave up drinking. I had been using it as a crutch, as my way to deal with the pressures of daily life, but the drinking was becoming unmanageable. After I quit, I still needed an outlet for stress but wasn't sure what to do. A friend suggested I try working out, and specifically at Heather's Gym. I followed the gym on social media, so I was familiar with it. I booked a One Class Pass, and the rest is history. Barre Boxing was my first class and a perfect way to get the energy and tension out. I had finally found a healthy and positive way to clear my head and it kept me physically fit too. Win-win. I was hooked from that day on and felt like I found the relief I was looking for in exercise. Later that month, I made the easy decision to become a Premier Member and I haven't looked back.

Recently at RPM, during the warmup, "Proud Mary" by Tina Turner came on and I saw a member transform into Tina Turner, gold tinsel dress and all! She's dancing around the bikes giving each of us a high five. As I was leaving that class, I saw Santa in the parking lot walking in. Turns out he was doing a triple at all the studios in his Santa suit. Where else are you going to see that? That's the kind of community that Heather has built, and I am proud to be a part of.

Thanks for letting me have the opportunity to share a little bit about myself. Happy 2023 Everyone!

-Bernie Lundeen