What is your business called and what does it do?

Major Yoga & Fitness is my wellness company that is dedicated to helping all people reach their healthiest potential through a variety of modalities.

My own branded classes I teach are:

– Major Power Yoga
– Major Power Core
– Dance Fitness
– Capoeira Dance
– Sergeant Major’s Bootcamp
– Meditation

I lead Sound Bath Experiences – a unique experience of soothing sounds and vibrations that will help relax your mind and body. The sound waves wash away stress and tension, leaving you feeling rejuvenated and refreshed. Sound Bath is a guided, meditative experience that uses sound healing instruments like crystal singing bowls, chimes, ocean drums, and mantras to help ease stress and anxiety. No experience is necessary; all people need to do is relax and listen. You can think of it as a really soothing (sonic) massage for your brain and nervous system.

I also lead day and week-long wellness retreats.

With Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Liberty Village, I teach classes in the infrared heated studio:

Tuesdays:
4:30pm – Hot Tone & Sculpt
5:30pm – Amazing Arms & Shoulders

Thursdays:
4:30pm – ABSolutely Burning Butts

Sundays:
5:30pm – Freedom Flow Yoga
7pm – Candlelight Deep Stretch & Relaxation

What made you want to do this work?

I love moving the body and making people feel good. The class environment is so special to me because the energy everyone brings helps everyone else to achieve more.

What problem did you want to solve with the business?

How can we make wellness and fitness fun, challenging, and safe?

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Honestly, anyone and everyone who wants to work towards improving their wellness. I have a rule- come to class and sleep for 90% of the time if you want, and work out 10%. Maybe next time you come and do 11%. It’s all good, just make it to class.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Mostly from studios paying me to teach classes. As well as from special events and ticket prices for events.

Where in the city can we find your profession?

Around the Liberty Village area, mostly.

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Please give the answer as well.

Will I be challenged, but have some fun while doing it? (The answer is YES!).

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part is seeing people work through their challenges and come out feeling stronger!

Worst part is the freelance / gig work nature of it- no sick days, a piecemeal schedule of many moving parts, no security, and all the other things that come along with freelancing/entrepreneur/gig work

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

Where can we follow you?

Instagram | Facebook | Website

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?

Oxygen Yoga & Fitness Liberty Village

The post Homegrown Business: Melissa Major of Major Yoga and Fitness appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

We are Forest Hill Village Gym, a boutique fitness facility offering a variety of high intensity fitness classes. Our programming is based on proven exercise science, enabling you to achieve measurable results during your time with us. The structure of our classes is designed to allow the client to progress towards their fitness goals. Week to week and month to month, our goal is to help our clients become a stronger and fitter version of themselves.

What made you want to do this work?

I actually had no idea I would end up in this field of work. My typical 9-to-5 day was a desk job that I was getting a little bored of. A friend approached me and said perhaps you should get certified as a personal trainer. He knew how active I was and how much I enjoyed my own workouts so he thought that it would be a good fit. One thing led to another and I got certified. I didn’t think I would have the success that I have had moving into this field of work. It’s been quite a blessing.

What problem does this solve?

Forest Hill Village Gym strives to support and uplift anyone who is looking for a lifestyle change to improve their overall health and fitness. Our goal is to create engaging and interactive fitness classes to ensure all of our clients stay motivated to achieve their highest fitness potential.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Our clientele is anyone and everyone! Whether you are a beginner or an advanced client, all of our classes are tailored to suit your needs and our highly knowledgeable trainers can guide you through any circumstance. We understand that each client has their own set of unique goals and we are able to give each individual the personalized attention they deserve.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

Up until last weekend the business wasn’t making any money due to COVID-19, however starting June 2, we have been offering paid classes on Instagram through our private account @fh_villagegymvip. This is where members can access daily live classes or classes on demand. It was not an easy decision to move to this platform but for the future and survival of my business, I had no choice. We continue to offer our free kids class through @fh_villagegym.

Where in Toronto can we find your profession?

We are located at the corner of Spadina and Lonsdale.

What makes Forest Hill Village Gym different?

We are a boutique style Gym where we offer exclusive, focused training programming to our clientele. We are strong believers that each client should be viewed as if they were our only client. The client experience at our gym is extremely important. We also have a strong community feel where our gym members interact with one another on a daily basis and it gives our gym a family-like feel.

What is the best part about what you do?

I absolutely love my job. The interaction from client to client on a daily basis keeps me going. Most importantly, watching and seeing the results our clients are achieving from week to week, month to month, and from year to year. It’s really special to see how much stronger our clients feel, both mentally and physically.

What is the worst part?

There aren’t enough hours in the day.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

That in order to be a trainer you must have a perfect diet. LOL. That’s not certainly something I follow. Balance is key.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Toronto business that you love?

Delicious dish cooking with Carolyn Cohen and Toben Catering.

The post Homegrown Business: Be Summer Ready with Forest Hill Village Gym appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

What is your business called and what does it do?

Sister Fit is the first gym in North America to cater to Muslim women (although we welcome all women). Our gym culture has an Islamic vibe – we work with our members through cultural understanding, community engagement, and personalized support to deliver excellent results. We offer semi-private and small group training in boxing, Muay Thai, arnis, Krav Maga, bootcamps, and strength yoga. We also provide self-defense workshops.

What made you want to do this work?

I wanted an easy and meaningful way to connect with the Muslim community in Toronto when I moved here six years ago. I’ve been working full-time in the fitness industry for the past 10 years and can’t explain how much good it has done for my well-being.

I’ve worked in and had memberships in many different kinds of gyms – big box gyms, smaller boxing and martial arts gyms, as well as private studios.

Each gym had its own culture. The best gym cultures kept me very committed and excited to come back again and again. I wanted to create a new gym culture that incorporated Islamic values so that Muslim women could be re-introduced to fitness – it’s a strong part of our faith that often gets dusty and forgotten.

I knew that using health and fitness as a point of connection would be a powerful way to make a long-lasting impact on a community that often puts physical health on the backburner. Women usually put themselves last and I want them to put themselves first.

What problem does this solve?

Sister Fit solves a major problem for women (not only Muslim women), who desire professionalism in a private setting where they won’t feel shy to physically express themselves in ways that may leave them feeling too vulnerable, too exposed, or simply uncomfortable. We provide an atmosphere where women are understood, valued, and treated with professional, high-level expertise.

Integrating fitness as a long-lasting habit is more than just about exercising. It’s a lifestyle. For that reason, incorporating culture, faith, and belief into those rituals makes the experience much more meaningful. Our gym culture is affirming of women who desire something other than what mainstream fitness can offer.

Who are your clientele/demographics?

Hard working, awesome women between 20-30 years old – predominantly Muslim.

How does your business make money? How does it work?

We sell gym memberships that are three, six, or 12 months long for our small group classes. We also sell private one-on-one packages for very committed women. Outside of the gym, we set up self-defense and boxing workshops across the GTA that help generate revenue as well.

Where in Toronto can we find your profession?

After ten years as a personal trainer, I now specialize in self-defense. Though you can definitely find people who offer self defense training and similar skills in studios and gyms across Toronto, the type of weapons self-defense I specialize in (arnis, LESKAS lineage) is very hard to find!

What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services? Give the answer as well.

How is your gym different than an all-women’s gym or the women’s section at GoodLife?

Not only do we offer a unique gym culture where you are treated with care and respect, our service and attention to detail gives everyone the personalization and attention that they deserve. We keep our classes small (4-8 women) so that everyone’s needs can be met. We test and graduate students to the next level of skill so that progress can be ensured. We also have our own app that allows members to stay connected with their fitness goals and commitment. Members can use the app to book their classes, update their transformation log (photos, body weight, and measurements), and see what’s happening at the gym each day.

Sister Fit prides ourselves on a one-of-a-kind mentorship program for high-level students who want to become coaches. We have mentored two home-schooling moms who have both become Certified Personal Trainers and certified boxing coaches. This provides them with income and encourages Muslim women to become fit.

What is the best part about what you do? What is the worst part?

The best part about what we do is changing people’s lives for the better and being part of a great community that can be very supportive. The worst part is being part of a community that can be equally unsupportive. People can easily blindly support or blindly hate. We are a niche within a niche.

What is your favourite joke about your own profession?

That I’m really thinking about food, not fitness.

PAY IT FORWARD: What is another Toronto business that you love?

I have to give a big shout out to Artistic Hair Lounge located on 1519 Bayview Ave in East York.

This hair salon is run by three Kurdish sisters from Syria who always make time to cut my hair and make sure I look extra sharp. I’m inspired by their story; they escaped war and arrived in Canada as refugees from Kurdistan. Together, they started their own business from the ground up. As someone who is Kurdish and Taiwanese, I have a great appreciation for their struggles and their success.

The post Homegrown Business: Meet Your Fitness Goals with Sister Fit! appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

City Shred, founded by fitness expert Cheryl Willberg, works with Torontonians all year round with workouts led by celebrity trainers who challenge participants to push their limits. At City Shred Kids Edition, the first-ever kid-focused event, professional soccer player and Founder of DeRo United Futbol Academy Dwayne De Rosario will host and lead the kids in a fun and active afternoon.

“I’ve always believed in the importance of helping our youth achieve their maximum potential by providing mentorship and developmental tools,” says De Rosario. “It’s something we strive for through the DeRo Foundation and working with local community organizations like City Shred to create programs from soccer and sport to fitness and just being active that teach youth the importance of leadership, teamwork, education, health and nutrition.”

The day will also include live DJ and the opportunity to work with Toronto’s top fitness trainers and sports coaches including Emma Brown (Spokehaus, Equinox and trainer on the Studio app) as well as Carlos Salas (Founder of Calisthenics Canada).  A one-hour HIIT workout led by the former TFC player De Rosario will sure to kick up the energy levels.

City Shred Kids Edition kick-off event will be held on Saturday, July 20 fro 11:00 am to 2:30 pm at Central Toronto Academy (570 Shaw Street). $30 per participant.  Suitable for kids 8 and up.

Get Tickets

The post Dwayne De Rosario leads the City Shred Kids fitness event in Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.

UNDRCARD is a total body workout in a group boxing setting …with a beat. With the first location in Calgary, the successful fitness studio has now landed in Toronto. A third location is set to open later this fall in Vancouver.  Co-founder Joanna “Magik” Majcherkiewicz tells us UNDRCARD has a clear vision of what and who they want to be. Authenticity is important to them from a boxing history not only with the trainers with athletic and boxing backgrounds leading the classes but also the mentality of “working for it” and “fighting for it” with that champion mentality.

Part of the reason why UNDRCARD formed was to break down barriers and allow people to take in the benefits of the sport and techniques without feeling intimidated.

“We wanted people to feel that champion mentality and take that feeling into their daily lives,” said Majcherkiewicz. “We want people to feel good, feel strong, both mentally and physically, and feel ready to tackle life and what’s thrown at you on a daily basis.”

UNDRCARD is also about the people who dedicated their lives to the craft of boxing. The staff includes athletes and trainers who work with boxers and fighters. The mentality here is that ultimately the main event is your life and what matters to you also outside of the studio.

“There are so many analogies between life and boxing. If you think about all the lingo that is used day to day like ‘saved by the bell’ or ‘throw in the towel’ for example, so many come from boxing,” says Majcherkiewicz.

And others we’ve found other everyday sayings that originated from boxing: roll with the punches, low blow, throw your hat in the ring, groggy…so many!

We’ve all heard the famous Muhammad Ali saying “Float like a butterfly, sting like a bee.” In boxing, Majcherkiewicz tells us it’s very much that. It’s not just about throwing punches —  there is a bit of dance movement and choreography involved.  Every step and jab that’s taught flows into the next movement.

Majcherkiewicz tells us the classes are a great way to develop lean muscle mass, work your cardio as well as your strength. “People are so surprised at how much it works your core, your booty, and people get really cut abs. Would you ever do a 1000 squats in your house? No. You do so many squats and crunches in this very uplifting environment that’s triggered also by the music which makes you want to work longer and harder.”

UNDRCARD is also committed to arts and culture. Inspiration comes not only from the instructors but also through music. Playlists are curated by the trainers (btw Majcherkiewicz is also a DJ – check out JoannaMagik on Spotify) to motivate and the space is very art focused to do the same.

The studio itself is darkly lit with 30+ punching bags. No need to worry about being judged — here you just focus on the instructor and learning the movements.  But if you’re super self-conscious there are what they call “secret bags” that are tucked into corners.  Strobe lights controlled by the instructor helps to keep the group moving along with the incredible playlist. No Eye of the Tiger or theme from Rocky in our class!

You’ll also find a boxing ring in the studio that will be used for private training, footwork training, padded training, and technical boxing.

Classes are available for adults currently but the studio will roll out programs for kids and teens coming this fall. It’s a great sport for kids as they learn proper techniques, respect, get humbled, and even learn how to avoid fights.

After one class with “Joanna Magik” and I’m feeling a little more fierce and ready to conquer the world. 24 hours later and my abs are tender and my legs are jelly. No coffee needed. My energy level is still high. Okay, I may have even sworn a little more than average during the day, too.

UNDRCARD is located at 425 Adelaide Street West. Officially opens to the public Friday, June 7.

The post Boxing is life at the new UNDRCARD studio in Toronto appeared first on Toronto Guardian.