I stopped in the Shred415 Castle Rock studio, which was new to my area, and took a tour of the facilities. The first thing I noticed was how welcoming the staff was, and before I left, I decided to sign up to try a class. Before I took that first class, I was afraid of not being able to do all the exercises. I was afraid of failure. I was afraid I would be the heaviest person in the class. But when I showed up that day early on a Saturday morning, I was greeted by several smiling faces, which immediately put me at ease. I also met the instructor who gave me some tips on what to expect.
At the beginning of class, I was a little unsure how I felt about the dim lights, but let me tell you – it put me in a ZONE – then the music kicked up and we started class. This being my first class, I was on the floor nervously listening to all the instructions, but within a few minutes, I felt completely at ease. It felt like I had only completed a few minutes of floor/deck work when I was told to switch to treadmill! WAIT!!! WHAT? That was 15 minutes already? Wow. Time went by so fast! I hardly knew I was working out, except for the sweat beading up on my forehead. I also noticed that I wasn’t focused on what everyone around me was doing. I was only focusing on me and my workout. I left that class and immediately signed up for a membership because I knew I had found my place!
Since finding my place, my life has transformed. These are just a few differences I have noticed in my life before Shred415 & after Shred415. When I started this journey:
* I couldn’t do a sit up, not even one. The instructors helped me modify exercises.
*I walked the treadmill and could maybe jog a 3.8 pace but not for long periods.
*I never ever would have been caught dead in the studio in a tank top.
*I never would have worn shorts, not casually around the house and definitely not to a workout.
*I couldn’t walk up the flight of stairs in my house without getting winded.
*I had zero confidence – zero confidence in myself, zero confidence in being able to complete a workout.
*I would consistently use 5 or 8 lb weights no matter what type of workout we were doing.
The CHANGES I have seen since I started coming to Shred415:
*I have lost 18lbs, 10″ and I’ve dropped down 2 sizes in pants and 1 size down in my tops!
*I may not have a smooth sit up, but I can do them and I can do several in a row!
*I start out jogging at a 3.5 or so and now can run a 4-minute drill with a pace as high as 5.5!
*I ONLY wear tank tops to the gym now!
*I feel comfortable wearing shorts around the house, and I even venture outside in them!
*I now run up the flight of stairs in my house without even getting out of breath!
*I am so much more confident in who I am and my abilities to lift more weight, run faster and do more burpees than I ever have had before!
*I can use heavier weights now, even 10 or 12 lbs pretty regularly!
I am so grateful to the Shred415 Castle Rock family for walking alongside me and encouraging me all along the way. COVID quarantine didn’t even stop the camaraderie amongst the members and staff. We checked in on one another. We followed each other on social media. It really became like a family! I can say that the messages I received during quarantine from my Shredfam were what helped keep me functioning. I love my Shred415 workouts, and I miss the studio when I am not able to make it in.
Thank you Shred415 for always being the best 60 minutes of my day. Shred415 is definitely more than just a workout – it is a family of people who share a passion for feeling better and working out and truly care for one another.
