After I hugged my dad goodbye, I had to hurry off to the gym to teach my new 6 a.m. indoor cycling class. I walked into the gym to find it decorated for the holidays. Woo!
I’m excited to have a few new classes added to my teaching schedule this December and in January, I will be debuting PiYo! Woop! Lots of fun fitness things to look forward to around here!
This was my first time teaching at 6 a.m. (other than subbing here and there) and I wasn’t sure how I’d feel about it going into today’s class knowing the class is going to be part of my regular schedule. I used to train clients even earlier than 6 a.m. and I also personally like working out first thing in the morning, but there’s a big difference between working one-on-one with someone or completing your own workout and actually bringing the heat and energy into teaching an early morning class.
Thankfully I absolutely loved it. I felt wide awake by the time the class started and by 7 a.m. we were all nice and sweaty. After our cool down, I thanked everyone for coming and chatted with a few of the members for a little while before heading into the gym to complete a fast 30-minute upper body strength training workout.
I feel like I’ve let strength training fall a little bit to the wayside lately and it’s time to bring it back. I love lifting weights and today’s upper body workout felt fantastic and made me want to commit to regular strength training again. Now that I am teaching again and have access to a gym, I think it will be much easier to feel motivated to incorporate regular strength workouts into my routine (especially since I teach barbell strength classes, too). I’ll be sure to share a bunch of these workouts on the blog since I’ve also missed regularly sharing workouts with you guys!
Breakfast
After my time at the gym, I drove to The Fresh Market to take advantage of $2.99 Tuesday and picked up some chicken which naturally led to buying a whole bunch of other things.
I left with a blueberry muffin that called to me from the bakery and paired it with two hard boiled eggs and fresh berries for breakfast.
It did the trick!
Now I’m off to shower before heading back to work (no more teaching today – hence the shower!) and then I also have my bi-weekly Girls On The Run practice a little later. It should be a good one!
Enjoy your Tuesday!
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Perfect timing! I was just thinking that I needed to incorporate some more strength training into my marathon training and was wanting to do some upper body workouts this evening, now I can select one of the workouts you linked too!
awesome!! i’ll share the workout i did today on the blog soon as well. 🙂
Do you ever feel nervous meeting a new class for the first time? And did you ever think you’d be teaching classes like this several years ago when you first started PB Fingers?! 🙂 So fun! I would be so sad to say bye to my dad as well..in fact, I almost cry every time I leave my parent’s house back home, or they leave ours – living away from family can be so hard!
Oh I definitely get nervous!! My new gym is a little less intimidating though because it’s quite small. When I was teaching large classes at the Y, I would definitely get nervous for the first week or two but thankfully it eventually becomes second nature!
I love a good, early morning workout. It perks me up for the rest of the day and gives me the energy to chase my kids around. And because I don’t need a babysitter at that time of the morning (my husband is still home), 6 a.m. works for me!! But I can’t figure out why all these ads for spandax and spanx type items keep posting up for me on your website. I think it’s a sign I need to get back into my workout routine…..or order more spanx!!
So glad you enjoyed your early bird class! Your muffin reminded me I haven’t had breakfast and now I wish I had a muffin! 🙂
We did TRX last night and I’m sporting a heating pad this morning. Oochie owie!
I love that you do girls on the run!! I already loved your blog before now I know how extra awesome you are, they’re actually my sorority ‘ philanthropy! We’ve been working with them one on one this year and we really make a difference to these young girls, so awesome!
That’s awesome!! It’s such a great organization. LOVE GOTR! <3
That’s great! I work out at different times, when it is eary in the morning I always worry I won’t have enough energy. Somehow it’s always fine once you start!
So glad to hear your spin class went well! I remember feeling a little unsure of how I’d like teaching an early AM class too, but I have really come to love it. A little cup of coffee along with my member’s enthusiasm and fun music always help me feel energetic right away!
I hope my Fresh Market has the same deals- I was planning to stop in there today anyway! Do you think you will still be doing Pure Barre as regularly? I notice I stop doing traditional strength training when I am doing Pure Barre a few times a week.
I feel the same way..I’m ready to lift weights again too! I’ve let it go the past few months and I’m ready to get back at it. BTW, since you do a lot of different activities, what do you think are the best shoes? I’m looking at getting Asics Gel-Craze TR’s since I’m wanting to do some cross training between lifting and running. Do you know anything about those shoes? Ever tried them? If not, what shoes would you recommend is good for cross training?
I bought the Brooks Pure Drifts at Ross (for $25, awesome!) and love them. I normally wear New Balance Minimus shoes but know most people don’t like those for running. The Pure Drift has more padding though but is still really flat, which makes it nice for lifting as well! Sorry to interject 🙂
I’ve been thinking about getting Brooks just because there are soo many good comments about them! Thanks for that advice! 🙂
No better way to start your day! Good job making it a healthy start.
It always feels so great to have a workout done first thing in the morning. Our office was decorated over the weekend and I love coming into work with all the pretty decorations around.
I’m trying to convince myself to start an early morning workout. I found a place that does 5:30 starts which is perfect because I start work at 7. Just have to get myself up. I know it would feel fantastic to have my workout done that early.
Good job on the morning class, I wish I could work out that early but it just doesn’t happen. It would be nice to have a workout all done by 7am. 🙂
I used to be an early bird when it came to working out, but now I have to wait for the gym daycare to open – I’m just thankful they HAVE a daycare though, so I can have some “me” time 🙂
We don’t have a Fresh Market close to us, but $2.99 Tuesday would be way too dangerous for me. Congrats on a successful early class!
I always workout at 5am. Wake up at 4:20 everyday. It’s the only way to fit it in when you have a full time job. I strength train 2-3 times a week. I feel so strong and empowered when I do it.
I agree completely!! 4:20 daily wake ups and 5am workouts here too!!
I think 6 am classes are one of the few events in life where people deserve participation trophies. Glad it went well!
Yay! I’m happy your class went great!
Glad you enjoyed it! I took a new class yesterday and there were only 4 people in it. I learned that their 6 am class is the most packed which I thought was crazy! Ideally I like the idea of working out that early, but haven’t made the jump yet. I think the fact that it’s not a necessity for me is another reason. I’m not working right now, but still like to get up at 7 or 8 so I feel productive. Im planning on getting my personal training certification and taking over Chicago!
I live strength training too! Teaching a 6 am class does sound hard – Glad it went well!
Teaching at 6am is my favorite 🙂 Glad to hear your class went well!!!
So glad your class went well!! I could imagine 6am would be a hard time to bring all the energy necessary but I think most people who get themselves up that early to workout, usually come with a bit more energy themselves so everyone can just kind of feed off of one another!
congrats on the early class! it always feels good to get something done in the morning!
Congrats on your first 6am class! I recently started working as a personal trainer at Equinox in NYC and would love to someday teach spin or group fitness classes!
How did I not know about $2.99 Tuesday at Fresh Market? I love that place, but you definitely have to catch the sales or it’s super expensive. Glad your early class went well!
I’m the same way about early teaching stuff (though I teach music, not fitness). Once I’m in it, I feel great. Anyway, thanks for reminding me about Fresh Market Tuesday deals! I’m hoping I have time to take advantage of that today.
I felt the same way when I signed on to teach 6 a.m. barre classes. I ended up LOVING teaching with the sunrise and loved the dedication from students. (If you’re going to go to class at 6, you’re going to work hard!) I ended up liking it so much I taught 6 a.m. four days a wee for a while! That lobby is adorable 🙂
I think I would like teaching an early AM class (if I taught fitness classes – lol). I like getting things done and out of the way for the day!
Fresh Market = heaven. It may even beat out Whole Foods! I always go nuts in the create-your-own-candy-bag aisle :).
Way to rock that early morning class! I too love teaching in the early a.m.–it’s hard to get up and get going to get there, but once I turn on the music as we all set-up, it totally snaps me awake!
I have such a struggle getting to 6am classes but once I am there I love it. Are you still going to be doing Pure Barre classes? Do you think you would become certified to teach one day? I would love to become a certified fitness instructor one day part time to teach classes but am concerned with the financial aspect and if it would be worth the money.
yep! still doing pure barre, too!! i’d love to teach it some day, but definitely have to work on my flexibility!
Hi Julie! I teach most of my classes in the evening, but today I taught a 6:30 a.m. BODYPUMP, and the vibe is definitely different in the early classes. I’m pretty good in the morning, so I don’t mind it. But I like teaching later in the day much more.
Love early morning spin, no better way to wake up! I take a class on Monday n Wednesday mornings, feels so good to sweat to nice and early in the day!
I would think people who take really early classes would be fun because you know they are especially dedicated to fitting in a workout!
I have a question, I know a lot of people refer to their hometown as where they are born/raised. Any reason you refer to Charlotte as your New Hometown?
oh, i guess i just think of someone’s “hometown” as the place they currently consider “home.”
I love early AM classes 🙂 and a teacher who loves it as much as me!!!
I’m also a morning workout person. If not I tend to not get it in.
I love it when they decorate gyms for the holidays! It makes it feel so festive!
There is nothing better than getting in an early morning workout before most people are awake!
I would like to take a cycle class, but now that I’m preggo and winded on the elliptical, it probably isn’t a great time to start, haha!
Great job on teaching the 6am class!! That’s super early! I have a new goal of waking up around then so I can do an at-home workout before my girls wake up. Today I got up early but worked instead of working out. I guess that’s a step in the right direction though 🙂
And ahh, love Fresh Market!! My favorite treat there are the Almond Pillow Cookies. To die for!!
I love going to classes early in the morning, but I agree actally teaching a class in the morning would be so different. Being on a microphone and having to talk a lot would probably get me. So glad you enjoyed it. I am sure the people that showed up for the class loved it. I always love the mix of music you post. http://www.eatallovertheworld.weebly.com
Really looking forward to your strength workouts coming back — I feel the same about bringing strength training back. Looks like you had a nice little morning/afternoon! 🙂
I so wish I could take one of your classes!!!
i teach a 5:30 am cycle class twice a week. when i first started i used to run a mile on the treadmill first to make sure i was awake and jammin, but now two years later no need to do that. i just love getting my wo on early and everyone who comes to those classed are ready to get to it.
Teaching fitness classes sounds like so much fun! I hope to do it when I’m in graduate school next year!
Saying goodbyes are always hard!! I don’t teach any early morning classes, but I love working out first thing in the morning. It gives me stamina for the day and long lasting energy. Glad to hear your first regular 6am class went well!