Who is Amanda Joy?!
Mom, Wife, Friend, Fitness Enthusiast, Yoga Teacher, Barre Instructor,
& Refresh’s Sweat and Refresh Teacher!
Recently we had a chance to do a fly-by conversation with Amanda Joy about her passion for fitness and yoga.
How do you define fitness?
Amanda believes that being fit is about finding a sense of peace: mind, body, and soul.
“It is impossible to have one without the other. It is important to work on all three.”
What made you decide on a career in fitness?
Amanda claims to have “fallen into fitness,” but it’s clear that she was made for it. Amanda has always valued fitness, she credits her dancing background, and is not afraid to say yes to new opportunities.
She said yes when her friend asked her to train for a marathon, when her fitness trainer asked her to consider a body building competition, and when she was asked to teach barre after applying for a yoga teacher position.
What is your favorite workout?
Amanda has been loving classes that combine a high intensity workout and yoga.
“High intensity yoga hybrids are the perfect way to increase your heart rate and then stretch it out.”
If I have 15 minutes to workout, what should I do?
Sun-salutations. They warm the body from from head-to-toe.
Looking for more on sun salutations?! Come to Refresh for a class or check out this video from Refresh.
If I have 30 minutes to workout, what should I do?
Amanda suggests the following:
- 7 min of warm-up
- 15-20 min of a high intensity workout (get your heart rate up!) {See the workout and videos below for some inspiration!}
- 3-8 min of cool down
What is the most frequent mistake you see when teaching?
“Spinal alignment, spinal alignment, spinal alignment!”
As a yoga and barre teacher, Amanda sees a lot of tucking, flaring, and overarching. Amanda understands how difficult it is to find the proper alignment; she believes that increasing your body awareness is the best first step.
How does one increase his/her body awareness? Come to Amanda’s Sweat and Refresh class or yoga class at Refresh, practice poses in front of a mirror, and work with a teacher that provides cues that resonate with you! Amanda works to provide cues that help students improve their alignment in her classes.
Any tips for maintaining a healthy lifestyle?
“Be more kind to yourself! We need to stop harping on ourselves and start giving ourselves more grace and compassion.”
Amanda suggests asking what you would tell your 7 year old self after making a “mistake” and before yelling at yourself.
Any embarrassing fitness moments?
Amanda and technology do not always see eye to eye; phone issues and unexpected speaker problems have created some awkward silences in some of Amanda’s classes.
Amanda has also been known to wear her pants inside out on occasion! Do I sense a new style trend?
Want more of Amanda?!? Check her out online!
Refresh Schedule
Sweat and Refresh Facebook Group
Try this fun move with a yoga blanket.
Local Yoga Studio Refresh Yoga Center offers a variety of yoga classes including Vinyasa, Restorative, Teacher Training, and HIIT in Old Town Alexandria, Alexandria on Historic King Street. A convenient location for those in Oxon Hill, Arlington, Belle Haven, National Harbor, Mt. Vernon, and Fort Washington, Maryland.