RISING ALL SUMMER LONG

While summer is in full swing, there’s never a better time to rededicate yourself to RISE. Whether it’s for stress relief, the community support or the importance of regular strength training, RISE Instructors and schoolteachers alike are choosing to use their free time at RISE.

Year-long RISERs and all-star local teachers, Lori Gapinski, Andrea Monahan and Lindsay Schaffnit find that RISE’s schedule offers enough flexibility to stay committed to fitness throughout the year while teaching and that summertime at RISE gives them an opportunity to bring new levels of physical challenges, joy and energy to their routines.

Here’s why these ladies choose to RISE all summer long over their break:

“Right now I do a variety of classes and times but once school starts I do early morning classes Monday – Friday,” says Lori, who will be starting as a kindergarten enrichment teacher at The Ark in the fall. “Sometimes I do a 6:30 PM spin but I love getting up in the morning to start my days with a 5:45am class once I am back in school. I love the summer change up that happens at RISE as well. They ask their clients what we would like to do and when and the schedule reflects that. Even in the pandemic. Outdoor spin was so fun in the early morning sun with smells of bacon from Glen Oak.”

Andrea, who loves in-person RISE classes of every variety and never misses out on a RISE Challenge, knows the value of fitting in each and every workout. “It can be challenging, but I make it work by going to either the 5:30 early morning classes or the afternoon/evening classes. I am NOT a morning person, so it's tricky getting to the early ones,” says Andrea, who teaches Family & Consumer Sciences classes at Glenbard West High School. “RISE is the best! I love the positive energy and community feel. It is like home away from home.”

“During the school year, I take early morning classes,” says Lindsay, a 6th grade special education teacher at Glen Crest Middle school in Glen Ellyn. “One of the greatest features RISE offers is meeting the various schedule needs of all its patrons. Working out is important to me. I choose to RISE through the summer because I enjoy working out with my friends, accountability, and overall feeling healthy.”

Here’s the WHY behind RISE Instructors Rachel Beard, Lauren Buell and Carin Fanter’s RISING all summer long. Consider switching up your routine and following in their footsteps, and we promise you’ll love how strong you feel all summer long.

“RISE during the summer holds a special place in my heart because it’s when I first trained to become an early RISER,” says Rachel. “If you are feeling like you can’t find the time to fit in a workout, consider switching up your schedule to make your goal of workouts per week. A friend used to pick me up early morning on her way to the studio and I found that accountability to her (and the summer sun!) helped me get out of bed. Meet a friend for class on the weekend if you normally take the day off and grab Joy Bar together after class. Or if you feel like you are in a workout rut, try mixing it up with new class - we have Outdoor Bootcamp, Patio Yoga and HIIT Pilates on the Summer schedule. You will never actually regret carving out that time for yourself and you will find that energy from your workout supersedes any exhaustion from that early alarm!”

“With summer here, it's important for those of us who run to get outside, enjoy the weather and just go,” says Lauren. “As a runner, I also know how important strength training is! When you incorporate strength training with running, you strengthen those muscles protecting your joints from injury. Sometimes it's as simple as keeping your core strong so you can improve and maintain correct form. Strength training also helps your body deal with the stresses of running. Your muscles can perform longer before you feel fatigued, which will also help maintain running form. Enjoy the weather, get that run in but keep RISING to keep your muscles strong!”

“For me, Summer is the perfect time to RISE,” says Carin. “With nutrition, I'm a very seasonal eater. There is no such thing as lasagna and mashed potatoes in the summer for me, much to my family's dismay. I shift to a much lighter menu and take advantage of all the great produce - lots of salads for dinner and fruits and vegetables for snacks. With fitness, I like to feel my best this time of year. The sweatier the workout, the better. I don't mind the high temperatures! And warm weather brings so many opportunities to move - outdoor sports with the kids, walks and working in the yard. Summer is the best time to RISE. It's a great time of year to travel and gather with friends, but I enjoy these activities so much more when I'm feeling strong and healthy...

The best way for me to RISE on the go is to always have the following: a giant water bottle, a nut bag, and a kettlebell! So many trail mixes have added sugar, I just make me own and fill it with my favorite nuts from TJ - raw almonds, macadamias, pumpkin seeds, pistachio meats, walnuts and dried cherries (check for the ones with no sugar). If I don't want to eat out, I've got a great source of protein and a filling snack at my fingertips.”