02/20/2023
The time has come for me to hang up my POP Pilates Instructor Jacket.
At the start of this year, I was faced with a crossroads to renew my Group Fitness certification or let it lapse. Typically, I am working towards obtaining CEUs during the two year period and the renewal process is rather simple but this time I would have to buy and cram in 15 CEUs and renew my CPR certification in a short amount of time to remain actively certified. We have evaluated our budget and right now there are just too many necessary life expenses to rationalize a certification I know I will not use within the next two years after welcoming two new babies into the world.
My fitness career started randomly in 2012 when I became a certified Personal Trainer. That phase of my life was short lived but left a lasting impression on me.
In 2014, Blogilates announced that POP Pilates was becoming a group fitness format that you could get certified in and I knew it was a leap of faith that I had to take.
In 2015, I became one of the first ever POP Pilates instructors and was the first to start teaching in Illinois. I cold-called gyms and spent weekends dropping in to hand out flyers before Elk Grove Pavilion Fitness took a chance on me and offered me a Saturday morning slot. Eventually, I was teaching twice a week and helping to host two POP Pilates instructor trainings.
In 2018, I helped out a friend by subbing her class at Anytime Fitness and left with a job offer. I started teaching HIIT classes once a week.
In 2019, I left both gyms intending to take a break but instead jumped right into teaching at XSport twice a week. In the fall, I became certified in PIIT28.
In 2020, I started teaching at a new, local yoga studio.
When the pandemic hit, I shifted gears and started teaching classes online offering up to 7 classes 6 days a week by the end!
In summer 2020, I became Yoga certified.
During my time as a POP instructor, I was one of the first “Instructor of the Month” to be chosen- before I even had a job teaching! In 2019, I was blessed again and asked to be the modifier in POP 19 and was flown out to LA for a whirlwind 48 hours of filming. It was an unreal experience that I am so lucky to have been able to have!
I am forever thankful for my POP Mama Jules and all of her guidance over the years. POP Pilates brought me my POP bestie Lauren and introduced me to my POP 19 co-star Rachel. What Blogilates has created with this format and community is indescribable.
Teaching is something that has come easy to me and that I have truly enjoyed. I loved bonding with my participants and watching them become stronger each week. To become part of someone’s routine is such an honor and I never took that for granted.
When I decided to step back from teaching in early 2021, I had every intention of returning one day. I planned to get my Personal Training certification again and focus on women’s fitness. However, in the year after having Winnie, I never felt the calling to return to teaching. I was never interested in studying choreography or calling gyms to audition. Now, pregnant with twins, it has just confirmed that my priorities have shifted. Being a parent and the best mom that I can be is where I need to focus my energy at this phase of my life. I can always return to teaching in the future but for now it makes the most sense to let it go.
Thank you a million times over to anyone who has supported my fitness career. I hold you all so dearly in my heart! 💖
