I have some exciting news to share!
As many of you know I have been training clients as a Certified Personal Trainer since 2010. I started out as a group fitness instructor and then moved to one on one training and eventually started coaching small groups. Being a group fitness instructor felt very performative and being that I suffer from stage fright and social anxiety, it was not the best suited job for me. I also wanted to help people move better and reduce their risk of injury and large group fitness classes often felt like I was enabling people to move quickly with little attention to form.
One on one coaching was way more my vibe. I got to really connect with my clients on a personal and emotional level and help them discover what areas of their health and wellness needed addressing.
When the pandemic hit, gyms closed down and I did my best to help our clients through virtual training but when the time felt right, I was able to bring people back in person in a way that felt safe and comfortable. There was a lot of uncertainty during the pandemic but one thing I knew to be true was that we all needed each other. We needed community, connection and movement. And so, the Fitness Union Small Group Training Cohort Model was built.
For the past 2+ months, Coach Chris and I have been holding it down coaching all the cohorts and doing one on one coaching (as well as working with virtual clients and running coaching clients). It has been a lot. It is hard to do 25 hours of coaching in adition to the daily operations involved in running a business. AND I have also truly enjoyed having the opportunity to work with SO many incredible humans on their health and wellness journeys.
I knew that when the time was right, the right person would show up on our doorstep and be ready and eager to join our humble studio. And just like that, it happened (with the help and insight Coach Chris had).
Coach Melanie has been around the studio dropping in to classes as a participant feeling and observing how we do things at Fitness Studio. You may have seen her around or taken a class with her! She has years of experience coaching movement and is excited to join our team starting this week!
Melanie will be taking on my afternoon/ evening cohorts (430/530/630pm T/Th) to start. This announcement is so exciting for the future of Fitness Union AND I also know it will likely come with some mixed feelings. Some of you I have been working with me for 7 years! Some of you have traveled to 6 different locations with me! Makes me a bit teary eyed thinking about that.
The cohorts are all so unique and beautiful in their own way. And facilitating them is such an honor. Change is often hard, as is uncertainty. I realize this and empathize with the transition for those of you most directly related by this change.
Trust that I have your back. Trust that I want what is best for you all. Trust that this decision will benefit our community as a whole. I am a deeply intuitive, empathic and sensitive business owner who runs the business from a very heart centered place.
With Melanie coming on board it will allow me to do some of the things that I have not had the capacity to do.
Things to look forward to:
Community Coaching Hours (Virtual drop in sessions)
Friday Run Club (Fernhill Track group running coaching)
Outdoor Pop Up workouts (Summer outdoor workouts at Irving Park)
Mindfulness Coaching (one on one coaching for those who want to deepen their practice through a mentorship/ coaching relationship)
Mindfulness Retreats (plus more breath-work, sound-baths, reiki, embodiment and somatic healing offerings)
Community Portal and more ways to connect with your fellow cohort members and Fitness Union Community
Melanie will be co-facillitating with me for the next couple of weeks and then taking over those afternoon sessions from there.
Some of you may be wondering what our coaching criteria is. Our coaches must be Certified Instructors, compassionate and empathic trainers with training in Trauma Informed Weightlifting. They must be able to hold a physically and emotionally safe container (to the best of their ability) for the cohorts. They must be CPR Certified. They must create a 10-12 week training program that includes progressive overload and movements that include upper body push/ pull, lower body push/ pull, time under tension and single leg variations.
Here is a little more about Melanie!
Melanie Sanderson
Having experienced personal growth through the joys of movement and strength, Melanie loves to help others cultivate their own experiences in whatever capacity best suits them. A teacher of movement and fitness since 2005 with an approach that utilizes education to empower, Melanie is ready to meet you wherever you’re at.
ACE Group Fitness Instructor
ACE Behavior Change Specialist
Functional Range Conditioning Movement Specialist
TRX Certified
NPTI Kettlebell Training Certified
BS Exercise Biology from UC Davis
Teagascóir Coimisiún Le Rinci Gaelacha
“Melanie is a thoughtful instructor who takes the time to explain how our movements in class connect to our holistic health. She incorporates exercises and stretches that support strength and better posture while explaining the benefits of what we’re doing. I really appreciate that she’s more than a fitness instructor, she educates us about why the work we’re putting in matters. It makes it a much more meaningful, informed and empowering fitness experience.”
— Holly
Thank you all for your patience and understanding as we navigate and pivot. As a small business we will continue to grow and evolve as we learn from our mistakes and what works in hopes of becoming better. We want to be a thriving business who supports our members and community as best we can.
Please reach out if you have further questions or concerns.
Thank you again,
Kim
