You have seen Tiffany around the studio, showing up to Megaformer week after week. You have probably seen her on social media too, where she shares the ups and downs of life to her massive following. We love that Tiff keeps it real!
Tiffany is an excellent ambassador for LA Fit. She’s been coming to the studio for 3 and a half years, and full-heartedly believes in the benefits of Megaformer.
Showing true determination, Tiffany is now officially a Megaformer instructor. We catch up with her to see how she’s feeling about her new role and her perspective on success and failure.
Congratulations on becoming a Megaformer instructor. How does it feel?
It’s a mix of emotions! I’m really excited. I’m relieved and a little nervous for my first solo class! It does feel like it’s been a long time coming so I feel well prepared to take on this role.
You were very open with your first audition not going as well as you planned but you kept on going and now you’ve made it! What did you learn from the experience?
I'm very open on my social media about my experiences and how I’m feeling. When I shared that I hadn’t passed my first audition the feelings were very raw. After I had time to process the initial disappointment and knowing I had the support of the LAfit team, I knew I didn’t want to just give up. I spent the following month attending more classes with the goal of learning from the instructors and really feeling which muscles were working and supporting in each move. I was a lot more nervous for the second audition but again, the team were really supportive. I was so relieved to find out I had passed. I think it really taught me that determination and persistence pays off. I'm grateful for the extra time it took to pass as I think it will make me a better instructor.
We know you love doing Mega yourself, but what made you want to become an instructor?
My lifestyle for the past few years hasn’t really enabled me to have a location-based job. I’ve spent a lot of time traveling and didn’t want to be tied down to one place. But at the start of this year, I decided to go back to university and settle down. In terms of work, I wanted to find something that I found fulfilling. I knew that I really loved the Megaformer but I feared that if I started teaching it, I would no longer enjoy it. I’ve had jobs in the past that once it became work, I started to hate it and I didn’t want that to happen with LAfit. I was pleasantly surprised to find that hasn’t been the case. The more I have learnt about the Megaformer, the more I have loved and believe in the Lagree method. I think it’s a great way for anyone, no matter what their fitness level, to find enjoyment and satisfaction in a workout.
What traits would you like to have as an instructor?
I hope to be motivating and inspiring. I want my clients to leave my class knowing that their bodies will reward them. I want my clients to perform the moves correctly and really push their limits. I'm excited to come up with routines that allow for fast transitions maximising the workout time. I want to be approachable so that clients can come to me with any questions, requests or concerns. I want to build authentic relationships where coming to my class is like seeing a friend, only you can’t really talk because you’re so focused on the workout lol.
How would you like your Megaformer class to feel when they leave?
I want them to crawl out…haha kidding! But I do want them to feel they have worked their bodies as hard as they could, and immediately be feeling the buzz of endorphins. I also hope that they learn something each time, whether that’s how to engage the correct muscles or reaching a new personal best.
What advice would you give to anyone trying Mega for the first time?
Prepare to shake and burn! The Megaformer will give you a workout like no other. You will be working muscles you didn’t even know you had. You’ll think your butt cheeks are going to fall off (I promise they won’t). It seems like a scary piece of equipment to use but just like driving a car, the more you do it, the better you get. I would also encourage beginners to take the more supportive options, and to listen carefully to the instructor’s cues.
What about some insight to those of us who have experienced a setback and finding it hard to get back on the horse?
Firstly, let yourself feel the disappointment. It’s normal and natural, don’t be too hard on yourself. Cry if you need to. Talk to loved ones. Allow yourself to process it. Then it’s time to look ahead. Accept what has happened, find the blessing in it, find the lesson, what can you learn from the setback? You have two choices. Either you give up, which means you never really wanted it anyway, or you put all your effort into trying again. Use the setback to fuel your determination to succeed. Don’t make the same mistakes as you did the first time so take your time to learn what you need to, seek help from those in the know, practice, practice, practice and when you are ready, try again! More often than not determination and persistence will pay off.
