For many people, a physically demanding exercise class can be an escape to relieve the stress of a busy work week. But what happens when that exercise class is your work week?
“Wednesdays are my longest work days, which means we're going to do some crazy things,” said Cameron Dean, a SoulCycle instructor, during his 7:30 p.m. class at a New York studio.
“My brain is mush, but my body feels great,” he added, before leading his fourth class of the day — a group of 60 people — through 45 minutes of cardiovascular exercise that includes resistance training, sprints, choreography and work with weights.
Nutrition, rest, exercise, and mental recovery are important for everyone, but perhaps especially for fitness instructors, who are expected to make dozens of grueling routines a week look easy and even fun.
The challenge is renewed once again in the first days of a new year, when a new wave of people seeking to fulfill their resolutions fills gyms everywhere.
The physical and mental toll of this work is often invisible, but to a large extent, fitness instructors are still human beings who need fuel and relaxation. A look at their typical days reveals the methods and motivations of the people that motivate the rest of us.
Many people like to start their day with physical activity — which means fitness instructors have to wake up with them, too.
“I wake up between 4:30 and 5:30 in the morning,” said Michelle Ditto, director of training and technique at Pure Barre. “I'm a morning person by nature, but in the fitness world, it's something you have to get used to.”
For Lindsey Clayton, head instructor at Barry's, getting up early is essential. “I wake up an hour before I have to leave,” she said. “I discovered that the older I get, the more time I need to dedicate to myself.”
Bethany Prostano, lead instructor at Orangetheory in Manhattan's financial district, has created a routine with her husband, who is also an instructor there.
On days when classes start at 6 a.m., they typically wake up at 3:50 a.m., Prostano said.
Although their jobs often require them to teach more than a dozen classes a week, many instructors also work out on their own.
“SoulCycle is a routine, but it's not my routine,” said Dean, who goes to the gym for personal reasons five or six times a week. “I lift weights because it is one of my passions, but it also complements my way of spinning. “The weights help me feel stronger when I get on the bike.”
Shelby Adina, a yoga instructor and founder of Khona Fitness & Wellness, prioritizes her own workouts as a form of self-care. “She has had one of the biggest impacts on my life, just taking care of me first,” she said.
“I always feel better when I move my body for myself,” Ditto noted. “A lot of misconceptions can creep in when people say, 'oh, you teach fitness, you just work out all day.' But I need to focus on myself to reap those benefits.”
Beyond physical rest, emotional and mental decompression is the most important type of recovery in his line of work, Dean said.
For Adina, some very simple actions are important to shore up the recovery.
“I love saying positive affirmations—when my energy is down, just standing in front of the mirror and complimenting myself and being my own best cheerleader,” she explained.
When the music turns off, the machines stop purring, and the workout clothes are changed into pajamas, even the most intense instructors relax in ways their students could relate to.
Clayton concludes his day by making dinner with his wife and tuning into a reality show for some warm comfort.
Dean's evenings are similar.
“I usually get home at 8:00 at night and make dinner,” he said. “And then my fiancee and I just relax, hang out with the dogs and watch TV.”
By: SHIVANI GONZALEZ
The New York Times
BBC-NEWS-SRC: http://www.nytsyn.com/subscribed/stories/7026218, IMPORTING DATE: 2023-12-12 19:30:08
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