Nothing drives me more crazy than the personal trainer, or friend, that exclaims “you can’t bulk up lifting heavy weights, doing burpees, or (fill in the blank with exercise of choice).”
Bull.
It’s a bogus and an uneducated statement.
You have to workout for your body type and for your body goals.
A former Soul Cycle junkie, I’ve found the best way to achieve a toned, lean, and strong physique is just a zoom class away.
Meet Ashley Eckhoff.
Ashley teaches live and recorded zoom classes 5x a week. The classes are then available for playback for 24 hours, should you miss the class, or want to double up.
Some days Ashley’s incredibly insightful and inspiring— other days she’s dishing out childhood stories and chatting about her favorite leggings between laughs with whomever is demoing the exercises for the class.
Between stories of toxic relationships, her own personal struggles with mental health and the illusion of perfection, if you aren’t getting a killer workout in Ashley’s class, some tough love, (and perhaps some gossip and chuckles) then you’re not showing up.
Don’t be distracted by her youth. These workouts are ideal for anyone 15-60.
Just get started.
The Scoop:
- The classes are 60 minutes each, purchased ahead of time via her website: here.
- Live classes are Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at 7:00am and 8:15am Central, and Saturdays at 9am.
- You can conveniently log into class from anywhere in the world.
- You need a yoga mat, 2lb weights and 2lb ankle weights, optional. Or, skip everything. You’ll still get a good workout.
- The class itself exists of 12+/- “circuits” of roughly 3 quick LIIT** workouts— done 3 times.
- LIIT standing for Low Intensity Interval Training, versus “HIIT”— High Intensity Interval Training.
The goal is to get your heart rate elevated to 110-150 bpm where you are strengthening your heart and burning fat, without putting your body into that— “Omg. I am starving” mode, post workout. I average between 105-130, but unless I am on a run outside, a lower heart rate is pretty standard for me.
Every movement serves a purpose.
There are no dreaded burpees, or lunges. Movements are specifically designed to tone and strengthen your legs, without building them up.
Each twisty movement and weighted stretch aims to chisel your waist and elongate your spine, for a long, strong and lean body, versus the more boxy, “masculine look” women can get from doing classes like Barry’s, F45 and CrossFit.
I integrated this method of LIIT training a few months before pandemic when studios were still open, but really became more consistent when classes moved to zoom. Pre-pandemic, I was a Soul Cycle junky. I never thought I could be motivated to do a zoom class, but just a few classes in— it’s hard to argue with results. Every time I get off track, 3 classes in and I am BACK.
Some people thrived during pandemic. I was caught between thriving one month and on a rollercoaster of emotion the next… during every up and down of life’s unstructured shifts, the one thing I kept coming back to were these classes.
Ashley started her own business at the end of 2021 and I am here for it. She’s inclusive, open, raw, honest— and if you have ever struggled in some way with navigating the pressures of being a female, you’ll likely be able to relate to her at some point, as you learn to love your strong, capable and sexy self.
Regardless, of the day, her classes kick ass and if you stick with them for just a few days, you are bound to see results.
If you want a strong, lean body, killer confidence (and an ab crack), Ashley is your girl.
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