Shred415 is the one class that brings the intensity, the motivation, and the thrill back to my workouts.
It was late 2013 and I was out to dinner at the since-closed Tavernita, where the tables are so close together you’re practically eating with your neighbors. We struck up a conversation about branding/packaging with this guy at the table next to ours. He mentioned something about this new workout class, Shred415. I was intrigued, tried a class, and was HOOKED.
Correction: I was hooked for about two months. That was… until I fully ruptured my Achilles tendon playing volleyball February 7, 2014. My foot was casted for more than six weeks. After that, I spent four months in a walking boot and another 18 months trying to walk without a limp/learning how to run again. I spent about 10 weeks during that time fully supported by crutches.
As a former Division 1 volleyball player and overall active person, not being able to work out for a year? BRUTAL. My independence was gone, the weight was packing on and I sank into a deep depression.
I spent months following my physical therapy plan. After that, I tried biking, swimming, and walking. But I wasn’t ready to run. My fears were rooted in tearing my other one or worse, re-rupturing it. It took me a long time to start jogging again… but I got there.
So that brings me to January 2016 (about two years since I last Shredded). I signed up for my first “Post-Achilles” Shred class in Old Town. Granted, I was slow; I had put on over 20 pounds. I walked the inclines. I struggles with balance issues, but I showed up. And I remembered why I LOVED it.
I needed this back in my life. Now living in the burbs, the closest Shred415 to my Arlington Heights office was the North Shore location. I signed up for classes in bulk and that was that. I was COMMITTED. I’ve tried a lot of different kinds of workouts over the years, but Shred415 is the one class that brings the intensity, the motivation, and the thrill back to my workouts.
The weight didn’t come off immediately, but I kept trucking along (three to four times a week) and slowly my old self started coming back. Fast forward a YEAR and January 2017 was officially my Shred-iversary. Everything came full circle. You know that guy I told you about that I met at dinner a few years earlier? It just happened to be the Co-Director of Training, Mark Beier!
Over the past year, I’ve lost 26 pounds (Achilles weight) and God knows how many inches, and I feel the best I’ve felt in years… all because of a random conversation with a stranger.
To become Shredder of the Month, submit your Shred415 success story to [email protected]. Whomever is chosen will receive an unlimited month of Shred415 classes. He or she will also be recognized on our blog and social media channels.
