If you asked high school Michelle if she would become passionate about fitness, she'd laugh and offer a resounding "absolutely not".
I hated gym class. I did everything I could to get out of it.
It wasn't until I began practicing yoga that I began to love anything physical. I needed the group for inspiration and accountability, and loved the freedom of my own mat. Several years after I began practicing yoga regularly, a colleague was talking about how much she loved spin class and I decided to give that a try. I had the same experience on the bike.
I find so much joy being in a group while simultaneously having the freedom to go at my own pace, either on my mat or on my bike. I encourage my students to challenge themselves and to take care of themselves in the same way.
In 2016, I completed my 200-hour yoga teacher training at Lyons Den Power Yoga. I immediately began teaching at the Athleta Flatiron studio. A year later, I was hired at Crunch (where my fitness journey began!). I was able to obtain my Schwinn certification at Crunch and have been teaching spin as well since 2018.