BY HILLARY OBERPEUL
It was so much better. Lady power, positive thinking and fun fitness ruled the day.
What’s a SHAPE Body Shop, you ask? On the surface, it looks like a pop up fitness event hosted by SHAPE Magazine, where everyday people get the chance to work out with celebrity trainers—but deep down, it’s so much more. It’s an event where you walk in ready for a workout and walk out inspired, confident and ready to take on the world. Our THERABAND representatives had the chance to experience the SHAPE Body Shop LA firsthand, and they couldn’t have been happier to be involved (and we couldn’t have been happier to sponsor such an amazing event!). Take a look at what they saw, what they learned and how they’re applying it to their fitness journeys.
Moveme(a)nt Is the Name of the Game
The Body Shop was focused on positivity, fitness and confidence from the moment you walked in. The colors were bright and inviting, the music was upbeat and everywhere you looked, there were inspirational sayings to keep you motivated and moving. It was like getting a boost of confidence and curiosity, the moment you crossed the threshold (the goodie bags weren’t bad, either).
And that’s no coincidence—the event benefitted The Movemeant Foundation, which works to empower young women to be confident about their bodies by using fitness and movement. And that idea set the stage for the whole event.
The event wasn’t just for women, but it was dominated by a female population varying in age, fitness level and background. Those things didn’t matter though, because everywhere you looked, there was a group of people coming together to focus on fitness, positivity and learning something new.
Fitness experts like Shaun T, Kaisa Keranen, Anna Victoria and Lacey Stone brought their fitness knowledge to nearly 2,000 people at the Body Shop. We got to work out together, learn about fitness, eat healthy snacks and shop for new workout gear. And the amazing thing? There was this feel of camaraderie everywhere you went. No matter where you looked, people were high energy and happy to be working hard.
“It was really exciting seeing the fitness professionals I follow on Instagram in real life,” said THERABAND rep Nicole L. “Learning from these trainers and influencers in the fitness community was a really empowering experience.”
Fitness is a Personal Journey
One of our favorite takeaways from the Body Shop? Fitness is personal. Some days you have the ability to go all out, some days all you can do is the minimum. And what works for someone else’s body isn’t necessarily going to work for yours—so don’t stress, just do what’s effective for you.
The trainers at the Body Shop made sure that the people in their classes understood this. Whether they showed high energy cardio moves or strengthening muscles with THERABAND® CLX bands, the fitness pros made sure to explain that workouts only work if you can do them. Finding a way to challenge yourself while working with your fitness level can involve some variations, but that doesn’t mean you should quit trying.
The event’s hashtag, #bossofmybody, was a reminder of the personal aspect to fitness. No matter where you went, there was a sticker, a wall decal or someone posting on Instagram with the hashtag. But it was more than that, it was a phrase that empowered people to take charge of their fitness journey, in whatever form it came.
The beauty of having so many different classes and approaches to fitness in one building is that there were (what seemed like) infinite opportunities to find the right version of a workout for that day. And there were a few classes that used our bands and tubing to help challenge people to think outside the fitness box.
That Journey Should Be Fun
If you’re not having fun, or at least enjoying your fitness journey, is it really worth it? Trying something new, like a new class, a new move or even the same moves with new equipment, can bring the fun back to your workouts. The Body Shop hosted classes and trainers that focused on getting people moving and keeping them engaged—and that often meant moving in really creative ways. From dancing to boxing to yoga to customized group fitness, there was something to help everyone find the fun in their fitness.
We couldn’t be at every class throughout the day (two people can only do so much!), but the classes we were able to attend were fun, challenging and used our THERABAND CLX bands and Resistance Tubing in interesting ways.
“It was great watching people discover the CLX band for the first time. They weren’t always sure how to use the loops at first, but once they got the hang of it, people seemed excited,” said Nicole. “And I don’t think I was alone in feeling inspired to go home and apply what I learned.”
Anna Victoria used the bands in both of her classes, using the loops to challenge the lower body—she even had people doing partner moves using the bands! And Lacey Stone had people integrate resistance tubing into her high-intensity moves, building strength without any bulky equipment to slow people down.
Take a peek at two of the moves we loved! You’ll need an exercise mat and a CLX band to try them at home.
CLX Donkey Kicks to Fire
Want to burn out your glutes and your hips? Try this combo and you won't be disappointed.
- Place your legs through the center loops of your CLX band, making sure it rests just above your knees.
- Carefully kneel on hands and knees on your exercise mat.
- Putting your weight on one knee, lift your other leg with your knee bent. (Your foot should be flat toward the ceiling.)
- Kick your flat foot up towards the ceiling as you squeeze your glutes (really give it some effort!), and then bring your knee back to parallel with your mat.
- Rotate your knee out away from your body, squeezing your muscles at the top of the rotation.
- Bring your knee back to center, then do it all again!
CLX Hip Bridges
Open up those hips and work your glutes with this simple exercise!
- Place your legs through the center loops of your CLX band, making sure it rests just above your knees.
- Laying on an exercise mat with your feet flat on the ground, step your heels about six inches from your butt.
- Make sure your feet are hip-width distance apart.
- Lift your hips as high off the ground as you can manage, squeezing your glutes at the top. (Your knees should press out a bit as you do this, against the resistance of the CLX band.)
- Slowly lower back to the ground and start over.
Sometimes half the fun of finding a new workout is discovering a new way to move every day. And the Body Shop definitely delivered on that front.
At the End of the Day, It’s All About Balance
This event was about more than fitness. It was about balance. Balance between life and work and staying healthy. Balance between the quest for fitness and doing what’s right for your body. The balance of trying new things and staying true to what works. Spending time at the Body Shop left us with a feeling of inspiration, camaraderie and the confidence that we can achieve whatever our fitness goals may be. And we can have fun doing it!
It was a privilege to be able to sponsor and participate in such a positive event, and to share the day with a group of people who were so open to the spirit behind it all. SHAPE Magazine and the Movemeant Foundation did an incredible job putting on the Body Shop LA, and we can’t wait to see what they’re up to next!