SH1FT STAR: Lucy Ingleby

Meet this month's SH1FT STAR, Lucy Ingleby. We love Lucy for her positive, service-oriented mindset. Coming from a background in dance, she is such a natural as a leader in the fitness industry. We think you’ll love her balanced and refreshing approach to health and fitness.

She's also a total machine with her weights in L1FT, as you'll see in an upcoming workout!

Without further ado, meet Lucy:

1. Tell us about yourself: 

I come from a professional dance background and moved into fitness in 2018 after going through my own personal health & fitness transformation. Going on a health & fitness journey myself and feeling all the benefits of exercise, personal development & balanced eating could bring, it led me to want to help people do the same. I also have a massive passion for travel and have recently come back from living in Australia for 2 and half years. I love spending time with my family and friends. I love meeting new people from all over the world. My favourite place to be is anywhere by the sea and just being in nature.

My passion is helping & encouraging people to live the healthiest & happiest life possible. When your health is your number one priority you can see every other aspect of your life improve. I am a big believer in mindset work and personal growth, and my goal is to be a forever student in life and I like to bring this into my classes. I am currently doing my PT course as I want to be able to help more people on a individual level, but also be able to bring more education into my classes. My main passion is group fitness as I just love the community of it! I love being a part of the fitness industry as I feel I am born to serve & my goal is to try make a positive impact to everyone I meet.

My biggest goal as a fitness instructor is to contribute towards helping as many people become the happiest & healthiest versions of themselves. Through regular exercise, sustainable balanced eating & personal development. A dream of mine is to also work as a fitness presenter, as coming from a dance and performance background, it is in me to perform, ha! Plus, it will enable me to reach more people & help them lead a healthier life!

2. Where/how do you teach?

Before lockdown and before I went to Australia, I was running my own classes (Insanity & PiYo), then moving to Oz I started working in a Group Fitness boutique studio, which I absolutely loved, and my passion for group ex grew. When lockdown hit and the gyms closed I went virtual with the gym I was working at, but hours were low. So, I started running my own virtual classes for people in the UK just to keep me going over lockdown, but nearly 2 years on and I now have my own on-demand platform and run LIVE virtual classes and I absolutely love it! I found SH1FT whilst in oz back in 2019 (I think when Beachbody LIVE closed) and I am so GRATEFUL to have found it! It's been such a blessing and I have no idea what I'd do without it. My members love the workouts and it enables me to focus more on coaching and motivating. SH1FT's values and vision aligned with mine to a T!

Since coming back to the UK last June, I have continued with my virtual classes and have set up my in person classes too, as you can't beat the energy in a fully booked class! I teach all formats and my members love showing up having no idea what I have in store for them, ha!

3. What’s your favourite SH1FT workout?

Oh my goodness! How am I meant to pick?! Can I pick 1 workout from each format?!

I am a bit of a cardio junkie so I think my favourite workout from SH1FT is Pyramid Scheme! Love that structure & it is a killa workout. My fave L1FT has got to be METABOLIC! Such a great workout as I love strength and conditioning! My favourite R1ZE workout is ALP1NE. Wow, when I taught this, the sweat was insane & my members loved it. Lastly, my favourite M1ND workout has to be the classic M1ND 101.

4. What's your favourite thing about SH1FT?

I think my favourite thing about SH1FT is the values, the amount they care about their instructors and that they are always open to instructors’ opinions. I feel so supported and the Facebook community is such a lovely group. I love staying connected to other instructors who share the same passion. I also love that SH1FT have a big focus on FUNCTIONAL TRAINING and are about helping people get moving who are currently sitting on the sofa.

I also love the MASSIVE variety of workouts, there is something for EVERYONE! From low impact, high impact, core, stretch, strength, dancing on a step (well kinda, ha, R1ZE STOMP & RETRO...amazing!), etc etc! My members stay because they love the variety my classes bring and that is down to SH1FT! I get so many comments on how they are excited to exercise because the workouts are always so fun and varied. So thank you SH1FT!!! I could go on and on, but I just love the SH1FT community and the realness they bring. Not to take group fitness too seriously and it's all about having fun and building CONNECTIONS with lots of different people.

5. What does 'fitness for life' mean to you?

Fitness for life for me is LIVING your life to the full, exercising because WE GET TO, NOT BECAUSE WE HAVE TO. It's about enjoying movement, no matter what and how. It's about moving your body, eating your fave foods along with all the nutritious stuff, working on your mental health everyday and finding that sustainability where you FEEL GOOD! Being FIT FOR LIFE isn't about what you look like, it is about finding ways to move that you enjoy, like the famous Shaun T says 'FIT DOESN'T HAVE A SIZE, IT HAS A MENTALITY’. It is about strengthening your mindset through movement and working on strengthening from the inside out.

6. How has SH1FT improved your life and teaching?

SH1FT has taught me so much in the last 2 years or so. I don't think I would've ever started my virtual classes if it wasn't for SH1FT. The constant education and innovation enables me to bring the best classes to my members. I am also a massive believer in FUNCTIONAL FITNESS so the fact every workout has this foundation is amazing! I love the freedom SH1FT brings for their instructors and how we can teach anywhere, in person & virtually! Even with so much freedom there is also structure which I really love! It is so easy to design your own classes with the bolt-on function in the app. I have found I have become such a better instructor being a part of SH1FT, especially after completing the ADVANCED INSTRUCTOR COURSE Will launched last year! So much valuable information and skills that every instructor NEEDS to help their members, I learnt so much about who I am as an instructor and it is all thanks to SH1FT.

7. What does diversity mean to you, and why is it important in fitness?

Everyone on this planet deserves the same opportunities and to be seen and heard! Everyone has varying skills & abilities and I think it is so important to be shared with the world. It doesn't matter what you look like, we are all a gift because there is only ONE YOU on this planet and I think that is INCREDIBLE and we should always treat someone with grace and kindness. Diversity in fitness is key because we are all SO DIFFERENT, which is what makes us amazing. Everyone prefers different styles of coaching so having a diverse fitness industry is 100% KEY! Fitness instructors don't need a six pack or need to be a fitness model, we need instructors of all shapes, sizes, gender, race, ethnicity because we all relate to different people. This leads to creating a positive environment and a safe, non-judgemental class.

Find Lucy on Instagram here.