Team

There are no excuses for not getting to the gym- I’m a wife and mother of 3 teenagers, one girl & two twin boys. And I always find the time to fit fitness into my day! I was a competitive gymnast and cheerleader from the age of 7, sparking my fitness regimen at an early age. I was a hurdler on my high school track team and cheered at the University of South Carolina where our squad placed 3rd in the national competition.

I became interested in teaching group exercise classes when I started taking pilates 5 years ago and have received certification through Balanced Body University; I have been teaching group exercise classes for 3 years.

I joined as a member at Keep It Tight Fitness in 2009 and now instruct Bikini Bootcamp and Mat Pilates classes and have earned the title “The Pulse Queen.” I look forward to meeting you & training you at a fun & intense level!

Amanda Strong
Fitness Coach

Afraid of the “freshman 15,” Amanda quickly found herself a permanent fixture in Ohio University’s group exercise classes. She enjoyed them so much she studied and trained to earn her group fitness instructor certification through AFAA in 2001.

Amanda has taught a wide range of group exercise classes from Hip Hop to Kickboxing and everything in between including Mat and Reformer Pilates, which she earned certification for in 2005. Amanda LOVES exercises that offer a challenge physically and mentally and is always seeking out new and fun ways to keep her body fit and healthy! She loves her weekly belly dance class, yoga and is a running fool, running her first half-marathon in May 2008.

In 2009 Amanda got a crash course in pre-natal fitness and found the balance between her old “Work ‘til you drop” fitness routine and one that included a baby on board. Since she and her husband welcomed their daughter into the world on Christmas Eve, she’s been on one-woman mission to prove that you don’t have to be Heidi Klum to get your pre-pregnancy body back!

Amanda is thrilled to join the Keep It Tight Fitness team and is excited to coach you to meet your fitness goals!

Rachel Ecklar
Fitness Coach

Inspired by the book “Body for Life” by Bill Philips, I started on my fitness journey and never looked back! There was a turning point in my life where I decided it was time to take charge of my health and it was the best decision I have ever made. What started out as an effort to look and feel better ended up being my biggest (and most contagious) passion! To me, the human body is such an amazing thing and it’s a terrible thing to waste! With the right combination of training, nutrition and rest it’s truly amazing what you can do with your body.

My fitness journey has led me to meet a lot of amazing people, many through competing in the Bikini division at several NPC shows. I pushed myself to new levels when preparing for these shows and it made me want to share with other women that they can reach their goals too! So many times we put ourselves last or push back or priorities for others. I was motivated to reach my goals and found a way to get in every work out by getting up early and going to the gym before work. I packed all of my food for the next day the night before so I didn’t have an excuse to eat something off of my plan. I knew that excuses wouldn’t get the results I wanted! We really can be as fabulous as we want to be if we just put our mind to it and make ourselves a priority.

I want to share my love for fitness, health and life with others and that’s why I’m so excited about teaching at Keep It Tight!

Julie Laux
Certified Zumba Instructor

Zumba is designed for everyone, every shape and age. My philosophy is that anyone can take a Zumba class and have fun. This program is not limited to dancers or fitness fanatics – it‘s for everyone. There is no “wrong” way to take a Zumba class.

I began taking Zumba in 2005 after my second daughter was born. Zumba not only helped me burn that baby weight, but it also gave me a fun and motivating way to exercise. Gaining confidence in dance, I became a Zumba instructor in 2008 to share the experience. I am also certified in Zumba Toning and Zumbatomic (kids classes). The styles of dance that I am certified to teach through Zumba are salsa, merengue, reggaeton, cumbia, tango, flamenco, samba, and belly dance. I am a member of the Zumba Instructor Network (ZIN) and I currently teach 6 classes per week.

Having two kids, fitting in fitness is one of the toughest things to do. Zumba is a way to dance the stress away and re-energize yourself. Not only has Zumba given me a boost in energy, it has also lowered my blood pressure and trimed my waistline! My goal is to reach out to others so they can experience these benefits of Zumba Fitness!

All exercisers from beginner to advanced will enjoy the benefits of a Zumba class. I gear my classes to allow everyone to enjoy the workout – from those who want a killer workout to those just getting their legs up under them.

Megan Elkus
TurboKick Instructor

People seem to be intimidated by the word “turbo” in Turbo Kick….when in fact, EVERYONE can do this class! Turbo Kick is the class format of the popular at-home workouts Turbo Jam and Turbo Fire, and I have been teaching it since 2007.

My journey into fitness began with my struggle to lose some extra pounds I gained after college as I tried to figure out what to do with my life. I was presented the opportunity to coach high school tennis. Immediately, I realized these girls had no knowledge of conditioning or training, and worked with them using techniques I learned from classes I was taking at the gym. Realizing my love of teaching and helping others to get stronger, I became a certified Body Pump instructor and then certified Turbo Kick instructor. Over the course of one year, I lost 15lbs by doing moderate cardio, weight training, and teaching one turbo class a week! My cholesterol also dropped 17 points.

Since that time, I have also been certified in Hip Hop Hustle, a dance program by Turbo Kick creator Chalene Johnson, and also have experience teaching other class formats such as boot camp, interval training, aqua fitness, and core strength. I love helping others achieve their fitness and health goals, and my personal goal is to make sure you have fun while doing it! Because exercise shouldn’t feel like work….it should be fun!

This class maximizes your workout with ab sculpting moves and fat burning cardio! A unique blend of intense intervals and endurance training perfectly choreographed to motivating music! No need to have any dance or kickboxing experience, this class is intended for EVERYONE who wants to get a great workout, listen to some HOT music, and have so much fun you will want to keep going after class is over! For more info, check out www.turbokick.com.