Amy J.

Amy Johnson bent down to pick a washcloth up off the floor and her back went out. She couldn't walk without help. That's where her fitness story actually starts, not in a gym, but on the floor of her own house.

Amy spent most of her life on what she calls the "hamster wheel," moving at crazy speeds and working hard for things up ahead instead of enjoying the life right in front of her. Slowing down had been her project for a while. When she came to Timber & Steel, she wasn't looking for a transformation or a finish line. She was looking for something that would support the slower pace she was building.

What hooked her was that the gym pays attention to more than the body that everyone sees. "It's a place where I learn to listen to my body instead of pushing through pain," she says. As she gets older, her goals are strength, flexibility, and mobility. Not a number on the scale. The kind of fitness that means picking up a washcloth, or a heavy box, without bracing for an injury.

What's changed since she started is hard to put on a scale. She has more energy. She has more patience because she isn't always overwhelmed. She's mindful of movement during the day instead of trying to cram a workout in. "Movement has become more of a way to think through how I'm living life rather than another thing on the 'to do' list."

Her training is a mix of semi-private and group classes. The semi-private gives her room to know herself and the people around her at a slower pace. The group gives her variety. If she's out of town, she can change her routine without losing money. When she mentioned once that she'd love to do a pullup someday, Bridgett heard her and started weaving the movement in. No pressure, no timeline. When she started, Amy couldn't even hang from a bar because her shoulders hurt. Now she's doing jumping pull-ups and, in her words, "using muscles I didn't know I had."

The room matters to her. "I have so much more energy and positivity after working out with any of the groups. They feel like my people even if I don't really know everyone yet." Some days she might just start crying for what seems like no reason. Nobody thinks it's weird. "We are more than the physical body that we all see."

For anyone worried about what they'll wear, how they'll look, or whether they can do the workouts, Amy's advice is to stop thinking about that part. The On Ramp is built to bring you in gradually. She recommends starting with semi-private training and adding group classes once you've got the movements down. "You won't have to wonder or worry about what to expect."

What she's looking forward to is a full pullup. She isn't there yet, and she isn't rushing. A couple of hours a week is what it has taken to start changing her life on her own terms.

"All you have to do is try it out. We're probably your people."

If that sounds like the kind of place you've been looking for, book a Free Intro Call. We'll listen first, then walk you through what comes next.