by: Andrea Larson
I put off trying Alchemy for months for a multitude of reasons. Everything from “Everyone will be more fit than me, I’ll be the sweatiest one there, gross” to “Is that a pull-up bar?” to “It’s in North Loop and I’m definitely not cool enough to hang out there.” Trust me, any excuse in the books, I lived it – the intimidation factor got the best of me.
After having ClassPass and checking out a few gyms in the Twin Cities that just didn’t do it for me, I finally signed up for my first-ever class at Alchemy: 5:30AM A10, because how busy is it actually at the crack of dawn on a Tuesday morning? All you Morning Warriors know that the 5:30AM A10 at NOLO is, in fact, bumping. And it’s wonderful.
13 months (almost to the day!) after I stepped foot inside Alchemy’s doors, and let me tell you: it’s set my soul on fire. It’s empowered me, given me confidence, taught me how to feel alive. And I think everyone deserves something that does that for them. As I like to say, 10/10 would recommend trying Alchemy. So, here is a list of the top 10 reasons I think you should:
1. The community is amazing. I promise, it will make you feel like a bad ass. It will make you feel unstoppable. Attempting your first box jump? We’ll cheer you on. Big presentation at work coming up? We’ll cheer you on for that, too.
2. The coaches are so encouraging. You know the stereotypical personal trainer that yells at you and you’re kind of terrified of them? Yeah, that’s not what the Alchemy coaches are like. They will challenge you, yes, but in an encouraging way that makes you feel like there is nothing you can’t do. As NOLO Coach Alex says, “yes you can.”
3. Killer jams. Shoutout #TheHitList, on Alchemy’s Spotify every week. Because everything is better when there is good music. And because you feel really awesome when you’re jamming away in a class. And when you’re in final resting pose at the end of class and the perfect slow jam comes in, it is everything you need in that moment.
4. The workouts change every day. This means you’re always learning something new, always strengthening your body – how cool is that? You’re not getting bored of the same old routine, and you’re not overworking the same area. This also means that if there’s a workout in particular that you don’t love, that’s okay. You won’t have to do it the following day.
5. Pre-game with yoga and stretching. It gets your body ready to work hard, and keeps your body in check after working hard. Whether you’re a yoga guru or all you know is child’s pose, the yoga sequences in class will be perfect to warm you up. And if you want more yoga in your life, check out AFlow!
6. Events, snacks, and more. Have you ever heard of a gym that sometimes has a Friday night taco bar? Or sometimes has bacon and beer after a class? Now you have. Life is truly all about balance – and you have to have fun with everything you do. Add it to the list of things that make Alchemy so special.
7. Endless good vibes, in and out of the studio. It’s at the center of “Pursue Your Legend.” Chasing the good vibes that fill your heart, whether you’re working out, grabbing the best açaí bowl post-class (shoutout Passionflower), or adventuring on the weekend. I promise, Alchemy will be your PYL champion – and you’ll be #AlchemyAllIn.
8. Believe it or not, no one laughed at me when I couldn’t do a pull-up. I still have a vivid memory of the first class I did with pull-ups on the workout with Coach Karin. I needed so many resistance bands that I could hardly *actually* get into them. It could have been a major face-palm moment, but Kar helped me into the bands literally each time it was time to get back on the bar. And guess what? I did them. And now I don’t need bands to do them. And you can do it, too.
9. Free towels + showers. With amazing shampoo. Really, #thelittlethings are so important. Life gets really busy. Sometimes you’re on-the-go to work in the morning and squeezing in a workout while you’re still half asleep, or you’re getting a workout in on your lunch break because it’s better than waiting in line at Chipotle. Whatever your situation is, showers stocked with shampoo that smells better than the best candle you can think of is exactly what you need to get going with the rest of your day.
10. Physical, mental, + emotional well-being. More than just “working out because it’s good for you.” It’s taking a chance to see how empowered and strong you can feel. How it will help with your energy levels, your stress management, your overall confidence. I promise, the second you realize that your potential is endless is the second it all changes.
So, give Alchemy a try. You won’t regret it. Your first week at Alchemy is completely free, so live it up. All classes, all locations – basically, the world is your oyster. What do you have to lose?
If you need a catalyst or an extra push, let this be it. This is me telling you that everything keeping you from trying Alchemy is nothing compared to the positive things it can bring to your life. This is your sign from the universe. After all, as written in Alchemy’s namesake: “When you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve it,” The Alchemist, Paulo Coelho.
Andrea is the Social Media Manager at Alchemy. In her spare time she’s most likely eating something with avocados or eggs (#putaneggonit), drinking Misfit Coffee cold brew, and making new friends, AKA finding a new dog to pet and taking pictures of it.
