VIDA Fitness

Alex

As a Certified Personal Trainer and Conditioning Specialist by the National Strength Professional Association since 1998, Alex specializes in weight loss programs, nutrition counseling and custom training routines. He enjoys challenging and encouraging his clients/members to surpass their physical and mental boundaries threw his certifed instruction in cardio kickboxing, Zumba and spinning.

"A strong and gorgeous outside strengthens the inside"

Alex is Mad Dog spin certified and teaches spin at Vida's Metropole and Verizon locations. She loves combining the fun energy from group classes with a tough 45 minute cardio and interval blast. When she's not in the spin studio, you can find Alex biking around town, out on a run, or strolling about Logan Circle. Alex holds a PhD in nutrition and is a Program Manager with The Pew Charitable Trusts, Pew Health Group.

Alfredo

Alfredo is a certified Yoga instructor and also teaches Group Power. He has been teaching at VIDA since 2007. He strongly believes that through yoga one can explore the boundaries of the mind and body and experience strength, tranquility, balance, and joy.

Ann

It's all about balance. Ann brings peace, energy and strength to others by teaching a variety of classes: Yoga, Real Ryder & Group Power!

Carrie
Carrie is a certified Pilates Reformer Instructor from Balance Body University. She enjoys working with clients who want to improve their flexibility, tone their body, increase core strength and improve postural problems. She has experience in the field of fitness and competitive atheletics and is currently pursuing a degree in Physical Therapy.

Chuck, certifed AEC instructor has been teaching for 13 years. His fitness philosophy is that one should combine their indoor cardio fitness program with weight training and outdoor cardio. This will help to keep from getting bored with your workout program and utilizing different muscle groups will keep your fitness level higher. My teaching instruction is one that challenges people to do and be their best by using motivation and role modeling. He believes in pushing people just beyond their perceived ability levels which helps to increase self confidence and make them stronger on and off the bike.

Clint first started yoga as a tool for flexibility and focus to balance an intense and competitive swimming career. After leaving competitive swimming, Clint took up yoga more seriously and eventually became an instructor after training with CorePower Yoga in Boulder, Colorado. Since, Clint has completed trainings in Mexico and Egypt and taught in Arizona, Italy and Jordan for the past two and a half years.

Clint draws from his experiences in the desert Southwest and abroad to create a light-hearted but vigorous Power Vinyasa yoga class.

Dax

Dax joined the Vida instructor team in May 2009. Dax is a certifed cycle and group kick instructor. He teaches indoor cycle, group kick, abs, and Vida Body/ Vida Glide. In addition to his work in fitness for Vida, Dax has been a licensed attorney and business executive for over 9 years and currently works for a large health care company.

Elena

Elena is a certified Zumba instructor and AFAA-certified Group Exercise Instructor since 2006. She teaches Zumba - a dynamic and exciting fitness program based on fun International music and dance steps creating a challenging workout for all fitness levels.

Elisa
Elisa, a certified yoga instructor and practitioner for over a decade, joined the Vida team at the beginning in 2008. She has trained in and taught on 4 continents, focusing on a powerful and transformative yoga based on a challenging vinyasa-flow-practice. Elisa is committed to an inspiring and invigorating journey that weaves together dedication to alignment, awareness of the importance of breath, and exploration of both basic and challenging postures. Aspiring yogis and yoginis will build strength, flexibility, focus, and endurance--all with some healthy sweat and fun along the way.

Erin is an AFAA certified group fitness instructor and a NASM certified personal trainer. While attending George Washington University in 2002, she took an Aerobics Instructor Training Course and has been teaching ever since. Erin loves learning new ways to keep exercise fun and exciting, and teaches a variety of formats including: Kickboxing, Muscle Conditioning, Boot Camp, Step, Abs, and BOSU classes. Erin recently received her YogaFit certification and has really enjoyed expanding her fitness style to include Inner Fitness classes by teaching Pilates as well.

Faith Hunter is an inspirational and passionate instructor that divinely captures the mystical essence of yoga, and translates the awareness of breath and movement into a powerful healing experience. Her approach is devotional, fun, and informative, and it plays with the balance between fluid asana and stillness, form and formless, gravity and lightness. Faith is registered with Yoga Alliance as an E-RYT 500, and she received her 200 hour yoga certification from Laughing Lotus Yoga Center and her 500 hour certification from Charm City Yoga. In addition, Faith is a writer, yoga podcaster on iTunes, conducts yoga teacher training programs, and has yoga videos on YogaVibes.com.

Heather

Heather has been in the fitness industry for over ten years and has been working at Vida since it opened! She teaches all group exercise classes, but is perhaps most well-known for her HOUSE BEATS Spin. Her energy and passion has made her a favorite among members. Heather's personal training roster includes professional athletes and Miss DC, Jen Corey. Heather is certified though: The American Fitness Association of America, National Academy of Sports Sciences, Balanced Body University, Madd Dogg Athletics and the American Red Cross. She is also certified as a Specialist in Performance Nutrition through the International Sports and Sciences Association.

Jason is a certified group fitness instructor who started teaching indoor cycling in '03. A former instructor in California and New York, Jason began teaching at VIDA Fitness in '07. A DJ in college, Jason mixes a seamless set of tracks each week and his teaching style has been described as intense, fun and energetic. Jason was born and raised in the beach communities of SoCal, began surfing at the age of 14 and remains an outdoors lover and avid globe trekker - having visited more than 20 countries, completed 6 marathons, summitted Mt. Kilimanjaro, Mt. Whitney, Mt. Williamson, Mt. Baldy and plans to hike Machu-Pichu and Mt. McKinley in '09 & '10. A UCSB and Chapman U. graduate, Jason likes to "keep it real."

Jess
Jess is from Marietta, GA and is certified to teach Group Kick through Body Training Systems (BTS). Her experience as a Division I Coxswain has carried over into a love for instructing. When she's not working you can find her reading or watching a good game of football.

Jocelyne

Joceylyn is a Group Exercise Instructor certified by the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). As a Tae Kwon Do Black Belt, she has over a decade of experience as both a student and teacher in martial arts. During this time, she developed an interest in cross-training through weightlifting and aerobics classes. She decided to combine her passions, and has taught high-energy kickboxing, Zumba, and other classes in the DC area for several years. She brings her skill, enthusiasm, and exciting training methods to Vida and looks forward to assisting clients with reachign theri carido and weight-losss goals.

Juliet

Juliet has been an instructor for 6 years. She started with her first certification in Body Pump in 2004 and has since gone on to add ACE Personal Trainer, RYT in Yoga, Pilates Mat Level II, and 2 certifications in the Body Training Systems program - Group Power, and Group Centergy. She believes that our bodies are temples and they should be worshipped.

Laura started practicing yoga 13 years ago at the same time she started training in tae kwon do as a way of keeping her flexible and injury-free as a martial artist. Five years ago she completed her black belt journey without injury and continues to take black belt and sparring classes to this day. She credits her longevity as a martial artist to her daily practice of yoga that has developed her flexibility, focus and resilience. Laura is a 200-hour Yoga Alliance registered teacher trained in vinyasa yoga at Tranquil Space. In addition, she studied at the Kripalu Center for Yoga and Health in Stockbridge, Massachusetts for an 85- hour certification in Yoga of the Heart, a specialty for yoga teachers to adapt yoga practices to the special needs of people living with heart disease, cancer and other life challenging diseases. Laura is a member of the International Association of Yoga Therapists. Most recently, she completed level one Reiki training at the Center for Integrative Medicine in Washington DC. Reiki is a system of still touch (not massage) that when applied to the body starts a process of relaxation, that encourages balance throughout the entire system. Laura's special interest is in teaching athletes to use yoga to prevent injury and/or recover from sports-related injuries. Her teaching style emphasizes using the breath to connect the mind and the body in invigorating yoga sequences that open the seven chakras (energy centers) in the body. Laura believes in the body’s inate healing abilities and in using yoga as a vehicle to maintain good physical, mental and emotional health. She uses deep relaxation exercises in class to cultivate a calm mind and heart and makes yoga philosophy and practices accessible to her students by encouraging them to integrate yoga into their daily lives.

Lizzie graduated from GW in 2006 and has been teaching various group fitness classes in DC since becoming AFAA certified in 2004. Her favorite ways to stay fit are taking aerobics classes, teaching kickboxing, and running around the DC monuments. She completed her first marathon in October of 2008.

Lorenita, who is Schwinn Indoor Cycling and AFAA certified, teaches Real Ryder and VIDA 4 Life classes at the Metropole location. She also holds certifications for yoga and resistance classes. She believes that exercise, as with everything else in life, should be full of positive energy and fun, and that it is every person’s responsibility to incorporate some form exercise in our daily lives.

Michael
Michael became hooked on cycling after doing several local AIDS rides about 10 years while serving on the board of directors for the Whitman Walker Clinic. Not one for cycling outdoors during the summer, indoor cycling classses soon followed. He became a certifed instructor in 2008 and has been teaching classes at Vida. Michael is a full-time health policy researcher with Academy Health, the professional society for health services researchers and practitioners

Mimi is a certified teacher with Yoga Alliance and the Regional Director of Budokon International for DC, VA and MD. Mimi received her yoga certification in 2003 from the Ashtanga Yoga Center and teaches and practices in this style and was the first Budokon instructor in the DC metro area. Mimi believes in pushing past existing fitness barriers and exploring new physical paths, she encourages her yoga and Budokon (a blend of the yogic and martial arts) students to reach their fullest potential as seekers on their physical journeys for an authentic mind-body existence.

Miriam

Miriam is an ACE certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor who has been teaching since 2005, when she was in graduate school at the University of Maryland at College Park. Miriam teaches step and Vida Body. Come ready to sweat and have fun!

Misook has over 12 years experience as an instructor and personal trainer. She began teaching group exercise while attending the University of Maryland and received a BS in Kinesiology. She is NASM Certifed and hold many other certifications in group exercise and Pilates. When she is not at the gym she loves to snowboard, outdoor cycling, hanging out with the husband, and dog park with her 3 dogs.

Monica Shores is certified through Power Pilates and Yoga Shanti's 300-HR Teacher Training program, led by the much-loved instructors Rodney Yee and Colleen Saidman. She is a firm believer in making movement accessible, fun, and challenging for all fitness levels.

Patrick

Patrick became a group power instructor after taking the class for years and appreciating the impact it had on his muscle strength, and overall fitness. He encourages students to enjoy the music, comradery, and motivation the class offers.

Public health specialist by day, fitness instructor by night - Peter,originally from Warsaw, Poland, started dancing at the age of 7, and studied Latin dance for more than 17 years under world champions in Germany, the UK and the USA. He specializes in Salsa, Latin and Ballroom dances working on steps and patterns. Peter brings the European style of Latin Dance to VIDA Fitness. He represented Poland and Germany as a National Team and won various European prizes for dance including:

•        Placed 2nd in Polish National Championship in Latin dances
•        Placed 1st in Polish Open Latin Amateur Championship
•        Placed 7th in the European Latin Championship in Germany
•        Placed 10th in the World Latin Championship in the UK.

In his Salsa Cardio Dance class, Peter focuses on your performance, body strength and flexibility. He will make you sweat to a vibrant Latin music while creating fun Salsa routines!

Rachel

Rachel first discovered the Pilates method as support to her dancing; after pursuing her interest further, she completed her nine month intensive teaching certification in the classic Pilates method with an emphasis on the Ron Fletcher work from Studio du Corps in Costa Mesa, California under the direction of Master Teacher and former professional ballet dancer, Diane Diefenderfer. Rachel holds a BFA in Dance Performance and minors in English and Biology from the University of California, Irvine. Her strong dance background paired with her classical training allows her to focus on muscle lengthening, flexibility and core strength.

Sasha

Sasha joined VIDA Fitness as an employee in 2009 serving as a front desk member, sales consultant and manager on duty. While she currently works full time for the Department of Justice, she loves to continue to connect with VIDA members as part of the group fitness team. She is certified to teach Group Kick and Group Power.

Sean
Sean approaches yoga with a balance of strong discipline and lighthearted fun. Be prepared to work, sweat, and laugh!

Sharon S. has been an active Group X member for 5 years, when she first started taking fitness classes in college. When Sharon isn't teaching Group Step, Group Centergy, and Vida Glide, you can usually spot her in the gym taking other classes! Although exercise is a huge part of her life, Sharon also has a full-time job working in HR at a law firm. It may sound like she's a workaholic, but Sharon definitely enjoys her down time, whether watching TV at home or going out with friends.

Trevor has been training intensively in martial arts for nearly two decades, and holds advanced ranks in many different martial arts systems. As Vida's Mixed Martial Arts instructor, he focuses on pushing students to improve their fitness and overcome fears and limitations. Trevor draws on diverse martial arts to help students develop greater strength, speed, balance, mental focus, and strategic thinking, which are invaluable skills that can be applied outside of martial arts class.