Celebrating Our Top 5 StrongHER FHIXers in Honor of Women’s History Month

Women’s History Month is the perfect moment to shine a spotlight on some of the incredible and strong women FHIXers who inspire and motivate us every day. At Fhitting Room, we’ve built a community that celebrates strength in all its forms, and these women exemplify the epitome of determination and empowerment.

Meet Jessica, Veronique, Lisa, Ashley, and Cara – five remarkable women, inspiring us all to push beyond our limits and reach new heights. From smashing personal records to conquering new challenges, these FHIXers embody the spirit of strength, both physically and mentally. They’ve taken the most classes this past year and that’s an impressive feat that deserves to be celebrated!

Get ready to be inspired by these wonder women! 

Meet Jessica:

What does being a strong woman mean to you, both inside and outside of the studio?

To be honest with myself (or at least working on it) and a willingness to keep learning.

What inspired you to start your fitness journey at Fhitting Room?

Monday mornings with Simon and Eric. Their energy and coaching along with the UWS crew were inspiring.

What motivates you?

Knowing it’s a process and nothing is perfect but you just keep trying.

How do you balance your fitness goals with other aspects of your life?

Well, it helps when you work in fitness and love it.

How has being part of the Fhitting Room community empowered you as a woman?

Seeing everyone’s fitness journeys and watching my FHIT family get stronger over the years. I have become part of an inspiring community of friends that encourage me to find my strength both inside and out.

Do you have any advice for other women who are looking to start strength training? Work on having good form and power so you can increase the weight. Also have fun with it and find people who enjoy strength training.

Meet Cara:

What does being a strong woman mean to you, both inside and outside of the studio?  

A strong woman to me means a woman who is independent and confident. To me, my mom is a great example of a strong woman. She runs her own business, teaches at a medical school, and cares for her family, all while prioritizing her health and strength training 6 days a week.  

What inspired you to start your fitness journey at Fhitting Room?

 In a previous life, I worked out at other boutique fitness gyms both in NYC and other cities. My favorite part of those gyms was the weights/kettlebell portion of those classes. Fast forward to the pandemic, I was looking for a new gym and found Fhitting room. The old Upper East Side Fhitting Room location was 2 blocks from my apartment. I loved that I could also work out in my own home. Recently, I decided to go back to in-person and realized how much I missed the energy of in-person classes. 

What motivates you? 

Staying healthy to ensure I live a long and healthy life (both mentally and physically) motivates me.

How do you balance your fitness goals with other aspects of your life?

I call my workouts my coffee. I don’t drink coffee, I just work out. The hardest part is getting out of bed but once I get moving it wakes me up. I travel a decent amount for work and personal so I try to make no excuses while home and prioritize exercise/ working out basically every day at Fhitting room when I’m home in NYC or if I’m able to do a LIVE! class while on the road. 

Have you faced any challenges along your fitness journey, and how did you overcome them? 

I have never been a very athletic or coordinated person. I was a bench warmer on the tennis team in high school but that’s the extent of my sports journey. I find the most comfort in workout classes as you don’t need amazing athleticism to be fit and there’s a trainer to help you correct any mistakes in form. 

How has being part of the Fhitting Room community empowered you as a woman?

I love that every class has women of all ages, shapes, and fitness levels. When I see strong women in class, it always empowers me to lift and push harder. 

Do you have any advice for other women who are looking to start strength training?

1) 80% of the work is getting out of bed and showing up. Once you show up, the hardest part is done. 2) Try to work out in the morning as things arise during the day that can stop you from working out in the afternoon or evening. 3) Don’t be afraid to lift heavy. Strong and muscular women are sexy! 

Meet Veronique:

What does being a strong woman mean to you, both inside and outside of the studio?

Inside the studio being a strong woman makes me feel like I can swing, burpee, clean, row, etc. with the best of them, male or female. And hopefully, I get to inspire someone else who is starting and thinking, hey if she can do this then I can as well. Outside the studio, being a strong woman makes me feel independent in that I don’t need help putting my suitcase in the overhead bin on a plane or carrying a heavy item, or moving something out of the way. It also helps me perform better in the sports I enjoy doing and feel like I can keep up with (mostly) anyone. 

What inspired you to start your fitness journey at Fhitting Room?

KARI SAITOWITZ. I was very much out of shape when Kari told me about her f(h)itness idea that became Fhitting Room. I had recently had my 2nd child and was in bad pain from a herniated disc. I had slowly started working out with a trainer which can be boring at times and Fhitting Room provided the functional exercise regimen/strength training I needed and the fun social aspect I craved. Perfect combo!

What motivates you?

I don’t need much motivation to go to Fhitting Room since I know that it delivers every time I go, the programming is always challenging, the instructors make me smile and I look forward to seeing the friends I have made there over the years. At this point, the endorphins I get from class are something that makes my day more enjoyable.

How do you balance your fitness goals with other aspects of your life?

Whether I am home or traveling or on vacation I try to make sure I move my body every day. If there is no gym, I will go for a walk or a swim. If there is a gym I will either try to take a LIVE! Fhitting Room class or will do my own Fhitting Room-inspired workout. I do not work full-time and my children are teenagers so they don’t really “need” me as much as they used to so I don’t find it difficult to carve out an hour out of my day to exercise.

Have you faced any challenges along your fitness journey, and how did you overcome them?

I have not faced challenges, I have maybe scaled back at times if/when my herniation acts up but have been lucky in staying injury-free (knock on wood). 

How has being part of the Fhitting Room community empowered you as a woman?

When I can move better and use heavier weights than a man half my age, it makes me feel like a bad a**, is that a good example of feeling empowered?? 😜

Do you have any advice for other women who are looking to start strength training?

Just start and give yourself 2 weeks. Start slow, start light, there is no ego, do what feels good, and modify if needed, the trainers and clients at Fhitting Room are encouraging and friendly. Strength training is so important for women, it helps in so many aspects of our lives and is so needed when we get older. I will be 55 this summer and I hope I can still swing bells in 20 years!  

Meet Lisa:

What inspired you to start your fitness journey at Fhitting Room?

After about 20 years of running, and the various injuries accompanying the miles, my Physical Therapist said something that resonated with me.  She knew my body well and suggested that if I wanted running to remain a part of my life long-term, I should decrease my mileage.  I followed her advice though I never expected to find something that I loved equal to running!   I turned to HIIT training as something to fill in the gaps left from running and eventually landed at Fhitting Room.  

What motivates you?

I’m motivated by the way I feel post-workout, both immediate and long-term.  Walking out of class feeling tired and accomplished gets me ready to go again the next day and the long-term physical benefits are significant to me.  The Fhitting Room community is incredibly supportive and inspirational.  Working to keep a FHIX pace with a friend in the spot beside me (aka Veronique) keeps me pushing through to the end!

How do you balance your fitness goals with other aspects of your life?

For me, it’s less about balance and more about making fitness a priority.  Now that my kids are older and I don’t have the constraints of working a full-time job, it’s not hard for me to fit in weekly fitness.  That said, there were times in my life when it was more of a challenge.  When my kids were infants my workout was to jog from my job downtown to my home on the UES,  trying to sprint to beat the red traffic lights, with a backpack carrying my clothes from the office and pumped breastmilk.

Have you faced any challenges along your fitness journey, and how did you overcome them?

I’m lucky to say that the challenges on my fitness journey have been minor injuries.  I don’t do well with downtime during recovery so a hip stress fracture years ago really upset me.  I was young and it was my first experience with having to change my workouts for injury.  I’m (a lot) older now and have had many injuries along the way.  The trainers at Fhitting Room are amazing with modifications.  A couple of years ago I was in an orthopedic boot with an ankle injury for 6 weeks but with the great instruction and modifications I received along the way from the FHITpros I was able to continue class workouts.

How has being part of the Fhitting Room community empowered you as a woman?

The Fhitting Room community values, teaches and encourages strength in women.  As a woman, knowing that I’m physically strong is empowering.  I find motivational value in knowing I can hold my own with those stereotypical male tasks such as moving a couch, lifting a box, or carrying heavy bags.

Do you have any advice for other women who are looking to start strength training?

Don’t overthink it, set realistic goals and commit to numerous sessions.  You may not love it or ‘get it’ on day one.  If going for group fitness, enjoy the fun and motivation but be true to your personal fitness and journey.  Allow those surrounding you to encourage you but respect the uniqueness of your own body.  Don’t feel discouraged by what you can’t do but rather appreciate your personal emotional and physical strength.

Meet Ashley:

What does being a strong woman mean to you, both inside and outside of the studio?

Being a strong woman to me is both physical and mental. I am extremely independent and life throws so many challenges at you, that it can be hard to stay focused and not let those challenges get you down. Sometimes just showing up, putting a smile on your face, or getting through the day is what makes you strong. And it all connects to fitness for me. When I show up to Fhitting Room, I am committed to working hard and pushing myself every time. There’s always a voice in my head that says, “You can do this.” And if you told me 15 years ago that I would be one of the strongest people in a 24-person HIIT class, lifting heavier and finishing chippers first, I would have said absolutely not. That physical and mental strength carries over to who I am outside of the studio – at work, at home, walking my stubborn puggle, lifting my nieces and nephew, overfilling the Trader Joe’s shopping basket… 

What inspired you to start your fitness journey at Fhitting Room?

Gosh, I think it was 9 or 10 years ago since my first Fhitting Room class! I was a big runner at the time and one day my dad asked for my help lifting a 6×5 foot wall mirror. It was so heavy, I dropped it…. That’s when I knew there was more I could do on my fitness journey. I was also going through a rough breakup and knew I needed a physical and mental challenge to help me get over it. I found Fhitting Room and, one class in, I was hooked. 

What motivates you?

Being fit and healthy is a constant goal of mine and I am motivated by how I feel during and after a great workout. Getting stronger, hitting PRs even if it’s just an extra 5 pounds or 10 meters…. The people and trainers at Fhitting Room are the best at motivating too. Oh, and it also helps with carrying the groceries home and walking down the streets of NYC feeling safer knowing I am strong and f(h)it. Don’t mess with a Fhit gal. 🙂

How do you balance your fitness goals with other aspects of your life?

It’s important for me to have some kind of movement or exercise every day, though work and life can get in the way, of course. I aim to start all my mornings with Fhitting Room, but if I’m on vacation or have work meetings, I try to get a walk or run in at some point. I’m also a big baker and, if you know me, you know I’m cookie-obsessed…but it is all about balance, right? 

Have you faced any challenges along your fitness journey, and how did you overcome them?

I hit a wall ten years ago and knew it was time for something new; that’s how I found Fhitting Room. Over the last few years, I’ve faced some small injuries that had me take a pause, reset, and go back to basics. Slow down if I need to, readjust, and refocus where I want to go and how I am going to get there. Then jump back in!

How has being part of the Fhitting Room community empowered you as a woman?

Being a part of the Fhitting Room community has empowered me in so many ways. I have become so much stronger physically, which is rewarding and helps me feel like I am healthy and can take care of myself from a safety perspective. I feel pretty bada** swinging and pressing heavier than some of the men in class and I’ve been told by a few women over the years at Fhitting Room that when they see the weights I am using, they are inspired to push themselves harder or to grab heavier weights. This alone makes me feel so thankful and encouraged by the opportunity to show up and continue to learn and grow – and with some amazing friends I’ve made along the way. It’s also shown me how resilient I am. Through the worst hangover (truth) or personal struggles, I still want to walk through that studio because when the FHIX is over and I’m on the ground in stretch mode, I’ll feel proud of myself and empowered knowing I’m capable of whatever it is I want to do.  

Do you have any advice for other women who are looking to start strength training?

Book the class! It’s normal to be scared when trying something new, but the benefits will be worth the leap. Don’t worry about how many pounds you can curl or press. I have girlfriends that have expressed this fear to me but there is absolutely no judgment. The hardest part is showing up and you can start light and go at your own pace the entire time. And should you decide to try Fhitting Room, there are so many people (FHITpros and me included) — who are happy to help guide you the whole way!

Ready to join this community of strong FHIXers? Sign up for your next FHIX and embark on your own journey of strength and empowerment today!