
"I remember having a moment in the middle of a class when it suddenly struck me: She’s not just feeding us a line. She TRULY believes we are athletes. This was amazingly empowering to me, and I am so grateful to EVERYONE at Method who makes each individual feel capable and strong. My hour at Method 360 is the only time in my life when I am not thinking about work, my family, or my to-do list. I go to Method partly for the physicality of it, of course, but also for my mental and emotional health. Sure, there are days when I don’t feel like going. But inevitably, I will come away from a workout feeling refreshed and re-centered, ready for whatever is coming next in my day. It’s not draining, it’s energizing.
"Before, I was exhausted all the time. All I wanted to do after work was change into my pajamas and take a nap, even though that usually wasn’t an option! I devoted almost no time to myself, and I felt like my health was just always out of my reach – like I was close to being healthy, I knew I could be healthy, but I never really got there.
"Now, I have more energy. I also feel more balanced: when I get overwhelmed by the rest of life, a Method class puts me back into a healthy mindset, and I feel ready to face and take care of the other things in my life. Very simply, I feel happy.
How would you describe Method 360 to someone?
Method 360 is: A community. A tough-as-nails workout. An incredibly productive use of 60 minutes. A way to feel empowered. A full-body, intelligently and lovingly designed program. Innovative and fresh.
Method classes utilize circuit-training, & no one exercise lasts more than a minute, typically. It’s constant variety. But it’s more than just the workout: it’s trainers who know and care about you, who encourage you in and out of class, who educate everyone there to understand how and why to use their bodies in certain ways.
What brings you back class after class?
So many things! The constant variety, the energy, love, and intelligence of the trainers, the way I feel when I leave. I have never left a workout without feeling BETTER than when I arrived; it is a natural by-product of both the classes and the positive energy there.
What have you learned from M360?
Well, first there’s the physical stuff: I’ve learned that my body starts burning fat approximately 20 minutes into the workout, so it’s worth devoting a large chunk of time to exercise. I’ve learned that my body needs to work in multiple planes of motion, that exercise should and can lead to my body’s health only if I offer it variety.
Speaking of variety, I’ve learned that my heart-rate should vary in order to effectively burn energy and increase my performance. But most importantly, I’ve learned so many greater life lessons, like how to care for myself. In fact, I’ve learned that caring for myself should be a priority in my life – for my own sake, and for the sake of those whom I love and want to serve: my family, my students. I’ve learned that health is more than (and more important than) the number on a scale. I’ve learned that my body is capable of more than my mind would have me think.
I feel healthy. I know this is a very broad goal, but it’s really why I started going to Method. I don’t compete in races; there are no magical times for me to try to beat. I just want to be healthy – mind, body, and soul. And right now, largely due to Method, I have reached that goal.
Of course, it’s hard to go to Method and not discover new goals…so one goal I have is to hold a handstand without the support of a wall. This might take me a while, but I’ll keep plugging away at it! I also want to get to the point where pushing sleds doesn’t make me feel like I’m going to die, and I’d like to be able to do a plank TRX exercise for a minute-and-a-half straight. I guess these are more superficial goals, but having them gives me something to work towards, and reminds me that I can always improve!
What would you tell someone who is on the fence about trying M360?
Accept that you will be nervous, and it will feel uncomfortable (physically and psychologically). Accept this, and then let it go, and then show up. The trainers will meet you exactly where you are if you simply meet them at the gym. And finally, the improvement curve is fast: you WILL see and feel changes quickly, and it will make you feel so strong that you will never want to turn back. So yes, it will be hard – but the physical, mental, and emotional benefits FAR outweigh your initial apprehension and discomfort.