by: Molly Huggins
photo by: Athena Pelton
It took a few weeks of badgering from my best friend and roommate at the time (hey Alex Zauner!) to get me to come to a class at Alchemy with her, but after I finished that first workout I was hooked. The undeniable energy, challenging workouts, and fire playlists got me to sign up for Membership before my first free week was over. In high school I played volleyball and track so I had some experience with the movements and exercises we do in class, but by no means was I an expert. The breakdowns and demos from coaches at the beginning of class definitely helped, but once class really started it would be hard to know if I was doing every single movement or rep correctly. Heck, some days I am just struggling to nail that final resting pose. Once I started getting a hang of the workouts and building some strength and endurance, I knew I needed to focus a little more on my form and that key word TQ embodies…intensity.
My mom would tell you that growing up, my favorite word was “why.” Why do I have to take a nap? Why do I have to eat my vegetables? My curiosity and the “why” questions came flooding in when I began working out more at Alchemy. Why should I do the A20 vs. the A10? Why am I doing only 10 reps of this movement today when we did 25 of it last week? Why is the pull-up struggle so real? WHY are burpees going to earn me a higher place in Heaven?! (Spoiler alert: they won’t, but just do them anyways.) The answer to all these why questions: A101.
A101 provided me with a new love for Alchemy365 as a whole, gave me a better understanding of the way classes are formulated and an insight into the meticulous planning and thought behind them, and helped improve my form in various strength exercises. What surprised me most was how much it helped me with my yoga postures. I’m well aware I probably own more spiritual gangster sweatshirts than the actual number of times I’ve stepped into a yoga studio, but I thought I had them down pretty well. The one on one coaching helped me make small adjustments that have made a huge difference in my warm-up and cool-down yoga flow. Another thing that surprised me, no matter how cheesy it may sound, was how much fun I had over the weekend! I had the chance to really get to know know some of the incredible coaches and athletes from each of the studios, and made new workout buddies that motivate me both in and out of class. I love seeing people from my 101 crew now coaching and pursuing their legend both inside and out of Alchemy!
After 101 I started swinging heavier, jumping higher boxes and even got my first kipping pull-ups! It obviously didn’t all happen in one day, but knowing I was doing the movements correctly so I wouldn’t injure my body gave me the confidence to push harder, faster, heavier. While being a coach at Alchemy isn’t personally for me (God bless you wonderful humans), if you have any interest in coaching or learning how to make the most of your workouts I highly recommend 101. You won’t regret it!
Ready to take it to the next level? Learn to move better, understand Alchemy workouts, break down some of the more complicated movements you’ll see in our studios and have a great time doing it. Hit up https://alchemy365.com/seminars/ to sign up for the next seminar!
