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Meet Emily Williams, MINT Member of the Month

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Member of the Month - Emily WilliamsMeet February Member of the Month Emily Williams. When asked what her favorite thing about MINT is she said “The community vibe makes me feel like I’m in an environment where I can be myself and have fun!” She also loves how knowledgeable and understanding the class instructors are. All of the classes she has taken are challenging and she never gets board because of the variety of classes we offer and each instructor has their own style.

Taking classes at MINT is more than just about getting a workout in and looking better in her jeans (though that’s an added bonus!). For Emily, it helps relieve stress and promote a general well-being.

Because Emily is an avid class attendee we asked her which of our classes is her favorite and she responded:

I like so many of the classes at MINT, it’s hard to choose which ones I want to take. I try to double up on classes each time I come to MINT. I usually take three spin classes, two barre classes, and one yoga class a week! I love the themes rides in spin and am waiting for a Mariah vs. Whitney ride! Barre is the best – I love building strength through repetition and my own body weight. Plus the feminine energy in those classes is totally empowering! The candlelit yoga classes are SO relaxing!

So, if you see a Mariah vs. Whitney themed ride on the calendar, you have Emily to thank!

February Personal Training Deal!

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Washington DC Personal Training

Purchase 20 personal training sessions

for the price of 18!

Trainer $1,494

Master Trainer $1,674

Each of these sessions are 50 minutes. All personal training packages can be used for both traditional personal training and private Reformer Pilates. These sessions have a  90 day expiration.

What is Frienduary?

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Friend-uary - Bring Buddies to Workout With

Workout with a buddy (member or not) this month and get a FREE Personal Training session for you both!

Current members, register yourself with any one buddy, (your bestie, main squeeze, roommate, office buddy, landlord, guy you met at Pleasant Pops, you get the picture).
Then, workout with that person 6+ times in February, and you each get a personal training session to use in March. Hurry, register now so you have the entire month!
Info:
  • Workout together is defined as checking in the club within 10 minutes of each other. You may workout together once daily.
  • All of your buddy’s access mimics your access. If you have classes, your buddy has classes.  If you have gym-only, your buddy has gym-only.
  • You must pre-register with your buddy via this form
  • Promotion period runs Feb 1 to Feb 29
  • Non-members:
    • Non-member has access to workout with you during February, including classes
    • Non-member does not have club or class access without being with the member
    • Non-member must create a profile in MBO prior to entry
    • Non-member gets the personal training session only if that person joins by March 10

Register here: http://bit.ly/2uTqtsa

Featured Workout: Pilates

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Looking for a full-body workout that will help with injury prevention, core stability and mobility? Look no further than Pilates. You’ve probably heard of Pilates, and there’s never been a better time to give it a try for yourself. At first glance, it may seem intimidating, so we’re giving you the basics on pilates at MINT. 

MINT-Reformer-Pilates

Timea Presley, Pilates Teacher Trainer and Master Instructor with more than 20 years of experience in various forms of pilates, has an impressive resume in Pilates, yoga and dance. She has more than 30,000 hours of experience teaching and has managed pilates programs and studios across Europe and the U.S.

Since Timea is an expert in all things Pilates, we asked her to break down the main benefits, misconceptions and types of pilates you can try at MINT. 

There’s a long list of the benefits of a regular Pilates practice. Pilates can help improve posture and increase core strength and overall stability. All exercises are created to prevent injury, so a pilates class is perfect cross-training. Pilates can also enhance your functional fitness and promote balance and flexibility, as well as heightened body awareness. Because of these benefits, Pilates can be an excellent addition to your routine and help you achieve your fitness goals. 

For those who haven’t taken a Pilates class, Timea busted a few myths:

  1. Pilates works the core only. Wrong! Pilates is a whole-body exercise and you’ll get a great workout for your entire body every time. 
  2. Pilates is hard. Nope! Pilates is a great way to work on your mind and body and is great for beginners. You may even find a new passion. If you’re interested in elevating your pilates practice, Timea recommends a private session to get you started on your journey and begin to build strength. 
  3. Pilates is fast-paced and with loud music. Definitely not! The inventor of pilates, Joseph Pilates, described the practice as “corrective exercise.” It requires focus and concentration to perform the Pilates moves, so classes are often in a quiet setting. Pilates is an excellent way to work out while enjoying some peace and quiet in your day. 

Now that we’ve busted a few myths, are you ready to take your first pilates class? MINT offers two different formats — Apparatus, or equipment based private sessions that include the Reformer, Tower, Stability Chair, Ladder Barrel, and many props and mat-based group Pilates classes. On the group side, Mat Pilates and Power Pilates is appropriate for all fitness levels and done in a group setting, oftentimes with props, that will give you an invigorating, full-body workout that’ll leave you feeling strong and relaxed. If you’re new to pilates, a private session is a great place to start. 

Timea teaches Mat Pilates and MINTBarre throughout the week at MINT Dupont. If you’re interested in Private Apparatus Pilates sessions please contact Timea directly: timeamintdc@gmail.com.

Meet Mark Johnson, MINT Member of the Month

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Member of the Month Mark JohnsonMeet January Member of the Month Mark Johnson. Before joining MINT, Mark was a runner for many years. He always loved outdoor exercise and was concerned that he would not find a gym that would adequately substitute his fitness passion once he began feeling pain in his feet from running. Fortunately for us and the rest of the MINT family he gave MINT a try!

Like most first-time gym-goers he started on the cardio machines and quickly found that although he loved to run outside he wasn’t the biggest fan of indoor cardio equipment. He then began working with personal trainer James Parker-Ashley, who suggested that he might enjoy taking some classes. Well, James was right! MINT quickly became a vital part of Mark’s routine.

Mark loves the camaraderie that he’s developed between the members, instructors and staff. “It makes me feel welcome.” He said. “My first thought when I leave class is when my next class will be.”

Mark’s fitness goals have changed over the years. When he first started at MINT he would only stay for half a class and couldn’t complete one pull up. But over time and with the encouragement of MINT’s talented instructors he was going to classes six days a week! Then he broke his foot and was sidelined on the couch for nearly six months. Today he is just getting back into classes and his goal is to ease into regaining his strength without overdoing it while his foot finishes healing. Once he’s fully healed and ready to go his plan is to maintain his strength, endurance and flexibly while working on his balance.

You can typically find Mark taking any class taught by Braegan or Colleen. He loves their creativity and how they mix up exercises to avoid routine in a workout.

Check out Mark’s thoughts on his favorite classes:

  • Power Row is wonderfully low impact which is just what his body needs these days
  • Flex is a great introduction to lifting weights
  • Power Playground is a challenge that pushes Mark’s boundaries

Next time you see Mark in class be sure to give him a wave and introduce yourself!

Try-A-Trainer

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Interested in trying personal training for the first time? Right now you can purchase 6 sessions for $399! Use all sessions with one trainer or use each session with a different trainer. The choice is yours.

Meet Our Trainers

Washington-DC-Personal-Trainers

Limit 1 per person. Sessions cannot be shared and expire within 90 days.