#LETSCHAT: Meet Ellie Goodwin of @TopKnotPDX
Last Fall I introduced a series of interviews called #LETSCHAT with the amazing women that inspire me. This weekly series is based on incredible, strong and empowering individuals that inspire me through health and wellness. They are people that have made an impact on my life, big and small, that motivates me to be a better version of me, and I hope they can inspire you as well.
WHOA, GUYS! It's been a minute with my #LETSCHAT series. I'm really excited for this onToday I'm introducing you to Ellie Goodwin, aka @TopKnotPDX! She is someone that is a true motivator and inspiration, who cares about helping others to be the best versions of themselves. I first connected with Ellie back in 2015, during our 3-month extended stay in Portland. I had been taking Ellie's megaformer classes at a local studio, and was instantly hooked on her style of teaching, the workout, and her energy. And as tough as the workout was, Ellie always had the right things to say to keep the class going and not giving up. She pushed us to limitis that we didn't think we were capable of. Moving to Portland in 2016, I was really excited to jump back into her classes.
Flash-forward to today... Ellie is the co-owner of her very own studio, MegaBurn Fitness. It is a place that I find myself consistently at. The energy, the classes, the music, the community, the instructors at the studio is something I've never felt anywhere else. You really feel like you belong there. But, it's no surprise! The Megaburn community is a mirror image of Ellie and who she is at the core. I'm beyond grateful to call her a friend and motivator!
I hope she inspires you! So, let's get started!
It is so rewarding to share my love for this workout with others and so inspiring to watch my clients make progress each class.
VF: TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF: WHAT DO YOU DO, LOCATION, HOBBIES...
EG: My name is Ellie Goodwin and I live in Portland, Oregon with my husband, Jessiah Goodwin, and our two puppies: Sweetness (a 7 month-old American Bully) and LeeRoy (an 8 year-old Jack Russell Terrier). I am the co-owner of MegaBurn Fitness located in Tanasbourne. We offer private sessions and small group classes on a machine called the Megaformer M3S. The workout combines the slow, controlled movements of Pilates with high-intensity training. My days are filled with teaching classes, training our instructors, meetings, emails, and usually taking a class at my own studio or cross-training at one of my favorite spots in town: Pure Barre LLoyd, Barre3, Studio Blue Pilates, Sculpt Yoga or Burncycle to name just a few. In the afternoons, I break to make lunch at home with my husband and take our puppies to play at the park.
VF: WHAT GOT YOU INTO HEALTH + FITNESS?
EG: I started taking Pilates Mat classes at my local YMCA when I was 17. I didn’t think the first class I took was that hard but was surprised to find myself sore the following day. I figured it must be working, so I kept going back for more. I fell in love with Pilates and learning how to engage my muscles to move my body. Eventually, I was approached to become an instructor, which I turned down the first time I was asked. I was fairly shy back then, and instructing a room full of clients felt daunting, to say the least. I also couldn’t comprehend how the instructor was able to cue and physically perform the exercise at the same time. The second time I was approached to teach, I figured I would give it a shot and see what happened. I had two incredible mentors and trainers who coached me through the process. Fairly quickly, I lost the feeling of being shy in front of a room full of clients, because it wasn’t about me. It was absolutely about them. The workout is always about the clients who were staring me in the face, ready or not, to spend an hour focusing in on their bodies and their breath. After Pilates, I began teaching other fitness classes, such as: Step Aerobics, Turbokick, Indoor Cycling, Barre, Pi-Yoga, and Lagree Fitness. The last one: Lagree Fitness, is the method I teach now at my studio, MegaBurn. It has such strong roots in Pilates, my first fitness love, that it was a natural fit for me! I’ve been obsessed with the Megaformer since my very first class 5 years ago.
VF: HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN TEACHING?
EG: I’ve been teaching group fitness classes and doing personal training for 13 years. I absolutely LOVE IT. It is so rewarding to share my love for this workout with others and so inspiring to watch my clients make progress each class.
VF: WHAT IS YOUR MANTRA/WORDS TO LIVE BY?
EG: There is no reason today can’t be the best day of your life.
VF: IF YOU COULD BE ONE TYPE OF EXERCISE, WHICH WOULD YOU BE AND WHY?
EG: I would be Bear. It’s a Plank on the Megaformer with your hands on the front platform and your toes tucked lightly on the carriage. You scoop through your low belly to pull the carriage forward, bending your knees in until they are underneath your hips. It engages your entire body from head to toe. It was one of the exercises I sought to conquer when I first started doing Lagree Fitness, and it is still so challenging, but I love it!
VF: I'M INSPIRED BY YOU AND YOU GIVE ME SO MUCH MOTIVATION TO NOT GIVE UP, EVEN IN YOUR TOUGH MEGABURN CLASSES! WHAT OR WHO INSPIRES YOU?
EG: My clients. They inspire me with their hard work, their positive attitudes, their energy, and their progress. I am inspired daily by my clients. After 13 years, I never stop being amazed by them.
VF: WHAT GETS YOU OUT OF BED TO TEACH?
EG: It’s the people. You know you have 10 clients showing up for you to deliver them a challenging workout. You have people counting on you and that is a powerful feeling. I show up for them.
VF: TELL US YOUR MOST PERFECT DAY. HOW WOULD YOU SPEND IT? WHAT WOULD YOU YOU DO?
EG: I would wake up with my family, coffee, and an egg sandwich. I would teach a few classes, take a class from one of my trainers, and head to the park to play with the puppies. We’d make something yummy and healthy for lunch. After lunch, I’d head to a coffee shop for a little me-time with a good book, then back home to plot on dinner. Pizza night is my favorite, so it’d be a pizza and wine night at home, and we’d watch one of our favorite ridiculous tv shows, like VanderPump Rules or something actually good, like Game of Thrones.
VF: OKAY, NOW, WHAT IS YOUR DAY REALLY LIKE?
EG: Basically exactly that, except every night can’t be pizza night and instead of reading a book, I’d likely be working! :)
VF: WHAT IS YOUR RECIPE FOR A HAPPY, HEALTHY LIFE?
EG: Life is all about BALANCE. Find the things you love and enjoy them. Everything in moderation, not deprivation.
VF: WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE GO-TO FOOD?
EG: Egg Sandwich: one slightly runny egg, English muffin, a slice of tomato, and avocado, with a dash of dragon sauce. I have this for breakfast or a mid-day snack.
VF: FINISH THESE STATEMENTS:
"EVERYTHING TASTES BETTER WITH A LITTLE…"
EG: Salt.
“THE ONE THING THAT I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT IS…"
EG: COFFEE!
“MY GUILTY PLEASURE IS…"
EG: Bad reality TV. I know it’s bad but I can’t look away. That and rosé! Put them together and I’m in heaven.
VF: WHERE CAN WE FOLLOW YOU?
EG: On Instagram @TopKnot PDX
