Fever Yoga Cycle Strength Archives - Fever

A collection of stories, insights, and teachings from the Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength community. Yoga-inspired education, lifestyle tips, and studio updates.

Barre Teacher Training in Grand Rapids

January 27, 2026/0 Comments/in Fever Yoga Cycle Strength /by Shannon Austin

What to Expect from Our Barre Teacher Training

Our Barre Teacher Training is designed for individuals who are passionate about barre as a movement practice and are interested in developing the skills, confidence, and presence required to teach it with integrity.

This is a comprehensive, immersive training that blends technique, musicality, anatomy, and real-world teaching application. While the program is completed over two weekends, participants should expect a focused and intentional experience that goes beyond simply learning choreography.

Throughout the training, participants will dive into:

– Barre fundamentals and structure

– Intelligent sequencing and class pacing

– Musicality, timing, and teaching to tempo

– Cueing with clarity and confidence

– Hands-on assists and safe adjustments

– Observing bodies in the room and teaching to a range of abilities

– Building endurance, control, and muscular integrity

– Understanding how barre fits within a balanced fitness ecosystem

This training is both educational and experiential. Expect to practice teaching, receive feedback, observe others, and refine your skills in real time.

A Pathway to Teaching at Fever YCS

Our Barre Teacher Training is intended as a true teacher training and may serve as a pathway to teaching at Fever. Graduates are considered for onboarding as teaching opportunities arise, based on timing, studio needs, readiness, and overall fit.

Like any active studio, our roster evolves. This training prepares you to step into opportunity when alignment and timing meet, whether at Fever or beyond.

Led by Abby — Experience, Integrity, and Commitment

This training is led by Abby, a lead barre and yoga instructor at Fever and the owner of a dance studio in Allendale. Abby brings a rare combination of technical precision, deep movement understanding, and genuine care for the teaching craft.

Her background in dance informs her exceptional musicality and attention to detail, while her experience as a studio owner gives her a grounded, real-world perspective on what it means to teach responsibly and sustainably. Abby is deeply committed to her students, her craft, and the integrity of the practice.

Participants can expect thoughtful instruction, honest feedback, and a training environment that is both supportive and high-standard. You will be challenged, encouraged, and well-prepared.

Simply put, you are in very capable hands.

Who This Training Is For

This Barre Teacher Training is ideal for:

– Barre practitioners ready to step into teaching

– Dancers or movement professionals looking to transition into fitness instruction

– Current instructors seeking to refine their barre methodology

– Individuals who value precision, musicality, and thoughtful movement

No matter your path, this training is designed to help you teach barre with confidence, clarity, and integrity.

If you’re ready to commit to training click here – > Barre Instructor Training Application

February Plank Set Challenge

This February, we’re introducing the Plank Set Challenge – a simple, structured way to build strength, consistency, and momentum while moving alongside the Fever community.

Each week throughout February, a new progressive plank set will be added to every yoga (All-Levels, Power Vinyasa), Pilates, barre, and Fit class. When you attend class, the plank set is already built in – no extra scheduling, no separate workout required. Show up, take class, and your progress counts toward the challenge.

The goal is simple: take 8 classes in 28 days.

What Are Studio Challenges?

Challenges are a fun, low-pressure way to interact with the Fever community while building consistency in your practice. They’re designed to support participation, not perfection.

Throughout the year, we’ll offer a variety of challenges—each focused on different aspects of strength, movement, and commitment. Some are about frequency, some are about skill-building, and some are about showing up with intention. The Plank Set Challenge is focused on repetition, core strength, and personal power.

What to Expect During the Challenge

• A new plank set introduced each week

• Progressive core work layered directly into class programming

• Strength built through repetition rather than intensity

• No “extra” workouts—your regular classes count

• A shared experience that builds momentum and accountability

This challenge is designed to help you feel stronger, more stable, and more confident—not just in plank, but in how you move and show up overall.

How to Join on the Fever YCS App

All challenges live inside the branded Fever YCS app.

To sign up:

1. Open the Fever YCS app

2. Tap the trophy icon at the bottom of the screen

3. Select the February Plank Set Challenge

4. Join the challenge and start tracking your progress

Once you’re enrolled, your milestones are tracked automatically as you take class. You’ll be able to see your progress, stay motivated, and move alongside other members participating in the challenge.

Why We’re Focusing on Plank This February

Plank work builds isometric strength—meaning your muscles learn how to stabilize, support, and sustain effort without constant movement. This type of strength is foundational. It supports safer transitions, better balance, stronger lifts, improved posture, and more efficient movement across yoga, Pilates, barre, and Fit classes.

By returning to plank week after week, you’re not just working your core—you’re training your body to organize itself under load. That kind of stability carries into everything else you do, helping you move with more control, confidence, and resilience.

How to Refine Your Plank (and Build a Stronger Body)

• Stack shoulders directly over wrists and actively press the floor away to engage the upper back

• Draw the ribs in and knit the front body together to support the spine

• Engage the legs and glutes so the whole body participates, not just the arms

• Keep the neck neutral by lengthening through the crown of the head

• Breathe steadily to build strength without holding tension

When plank becomes a full-body action rather than just a core exercise, it creates strength that’s transferable, sustainable, and protective—supporting how you move both in class and in daily life.

Join the February Plank Set Challenge inside the Fever YCS app and move with us all month long.

Common Hot Yoga Myths

December 24, 2025/0 Comments/in Fever Yoga Cycle Strength, Hot Yoga /by Shannon Austin

Hot yoga has been practiced for decades, yet it continues to carry a surprising number of misconceptions. Some of these myths come from misunderstanding the role of heat. Others come from experiences that were never properly explained. When you look beyond the assumptions, hot yoga reveals itself as a thoughtful, adaptable, and deeply grounding practice.

Here are the most common myths — and what’s actually true.

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Many people believe you need to already be flexible to take a hot yoga class.

In reality, flexibility improves over time. Hot yoga attracts people who are stiff, sore, or simply curious about moving differently. The warmth can help muscles feel more receptive to movement, but no one walks in flexible on day one. The practice meets you where you are.

Another widespread belief is that hot yoga is dangerous.

Like any form of movement, it requires awareness, hydration, and rest when needed. Most issues happen when people feel pressure to push past their limits instead of listening to their body. A well-taught hot yoga class emphasizes breath, pacing, and self-regulation, not endurance at all costs.

It’s also common to hear that hot yoga is only about sweating.

Sweat is a natural response to warmth, but it isn’t the purpose of the practice. The real value lies in how heat sharpens awareness. Sensation becomes more noticeable, breath becomes more intentional, and subtle alignment shifts become easier to feel. It’s not about how much you sweat — it’s about how present you are.

Some assume that hot yoga is only for advanced practitioners.

This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most hot yoga classes offer a wide range of options so beginners and experienced students can practice in the same room. Hot yoga is absolutely a beginner-friendly environment. Resting, modifying, or skipping poses is not only acceptable — it’s encouraged. Hot yoga adapts to the person, not the other way around.

Another myth is that hot yoga is a passing trend.

In reality, heated movement practices have been around for decades. The reason hot yoga continues to resonate isn’t because it’s fashionable, but because it works. As more people explore the connection between movement, breath, and the nervous system, the relevance of hot yoga continues to deepen rather than fade.

Another common belief is that you can’t practice hot yoga during pregnancy.

What’s often missed in that conversation is the difference between starting hot yoga while pregnant and continuing a practice your body is already deeply acclimated to.

For someone who has never practiced in heated conditions, pregnancy is not the time to introduce that kind of environmental stress. The body is already adapting in major ways, and heat tolerance hasn’t been trained yet.

However, for people who have practiced hot yoga consistently before becoming pregnant, the body is already conditioned to the environment. Many experienced practitioners choose to continue their hot yoga practice throughout pregnancy, adjusting intensity, taking more rest, avoiding deep twists and compressive shapes, and staying closely attuned to their body’s signals.

The key distinction is not pregnancy itself — it’s acclimation. The body that has spent years adapting to heat is responding very differently than a body encountering it for the first time.

This is why the practice becomes less about rules and more about relationship: knowing your own baseline, honoring your limits, and allowing the practice to evolve alongside the changes already happening within you.

Finally, many believe they should push through discomfort in a hot yoga class.

One of the most valuable lessons in the practice is learning the difference between sensation and strain. Heat amplifies feedback from the body, making it easier to notice when something feels supportive versus overwhelming. Pausing, resting, or stepping back is not a failure — it’s a sign of intelligence within the practice.

Hot yoga isn’t about extremes. It’s about awareness, adaptability, and learning to listen more closely to your own experience. When approached with curiosity instead of expectation, it becomes far less intimidating — and far more meaningful.

Do Grand Rapids locals prefer working out in the morning or afternoon?

Do Grand Rapids Locals Prefer Morning or Evening Workouts?

May 17, 2025/in Fever Yoga Cycle Strength, Fitness /by Shannon Austin

If you’re trying to find the best time to work out in Grand Rapids, you’re not alone. One of the most common questions we hear at Fever Yoga Cycle Strength is: “Should I be working out in the morning or the evening?” While both options have benefits, we’ve noticed clear patterns right here in our community—and we’re here to help you discover what works best for you. Building a balanced fitness week is key to a successful routine.

Morning Workouts in Grand Rapids

Many of our members love the sense of accomplishment that comes from getting their movement in early. Whether it’s a sunrise hot yoga class, a focused barre session, or a strength class that jump-starts your day, morning workouts offer:

• A mood and energy boost (thanks, endorphins)

• Better consistency and fewer schedule interruptions

• A sense of community with other early risers

At our Grand Rapids fitness studio, popular morning classes include hot yoga, barre sculpt, strength training and cycle—especially before work hours.

Evening Workouts in Grand Rapids

For others, evening workouts at Fever offer a welcome release after a busy day. Whether you’re sweating it out in a high-energy cycle class, building strength with resistance training, or grounding down with yoga, evening workouts:

• Help release daily stress

• Offer more flexibility for late risers or parents

• Often feel more social and community-driven

We see consistent turnout for evening hot yoga in Grand Rapids, especially among those who prefer to work out after 5 p.m.

Which Is Best? The Answer: It Depends on You.

Whether you prefer AM or PM workouts, we’ve got options to meet your schedule. Our goal at Fever is to support your long-term consistency—so choose the time that helps you show up most regularly.

Looking to build a habit? Start with 2–3 classes per week during your preferred window, and mix in a variety of modalities:

• Barre, Pilates, Hot Pilates and Hot Barre in Grand Rapids for strength and alignment

• Hot yoga for detox, flexibility, and empowerment

• Group personal strength training for guided results

• Cycle classes in Grand Rapids for high-energy cardio

Final Thoughts

At Fever YCS, we offer morning and evening fitness classes because we know one size doesn’t fit all. Your lifestyle, energy levels, and goals matter—and we’re here to support them with flexible schedules, welcoming instructors, and results-driven programming.

What is Cross-Training?

February 9, 2021/in Fever Yoga Cycle Strength, Fitness /by Shannon Austin

What is Cross-Training?

Once you find a style of workout you enjoy, it’s easy to get stuck in a routine. Other forms of exercise might seem difficult or intimidating, so you avoid them altogether and stick to what you know. While there’s nothing inherently wrong with focusing on one form of exercise, you might be missing out on potential results and the opportunity to increase your overall strength. Cross-training with a balanced fitness routine is one way you can keep achieving results and avoid getting in a rut.

Understanding Cross-Training

Put simply, cross-training means practicing a different form of exercise than your typical routine, or regularly incorporating a variety of workouts that target different muscle groups. The purpose of cross-training is to improve your fitness and performance by increasing your overall strength and fill in any gaps or shortcomings created by your typical form of exercise.

Although any exercise is good exercise, being intentional about the type of cross-training you choose can help you achieve your goals and build strength in specific areas you want to improve. For example, a runner might swap out one run a week for a 30 minute HIIT, or add an indoor cycling class to their weekly routine to increase their endurance. Someone who practices yoga frequently might benefit from adding in strength-training sessions to build their overall muscle, flexibility, and core strength.

Benefits of Cross-Training

In addition to helping you build strength, one of the main benefits of cross-training is avoiding mental boredom and burnout. No matter how much you love your yoga sessions or your cycling class, you may find yourself feeling complacent and seeing slower results if you focus all your energy on one type of exercise. Trying different types of workouts might be the boost you need, challenging your mind and body to stay engaged and achieve new goals.

Incorporating different workouts in your routine will not only help you keep things interesting, but it will also help you avoid injury from over-exertion. Cross-training allows certain muscles to rest and recover while you focus on others, and will even allow you to continue training if you do experience injury in one muscle group.

Focusing on full-body conditioning will give you a higher level of strength in whatever workout you choose to do and improves your overall endurance, agility, and balance. Switching up your workouts also keeps your body from getting too well-adjusted to your routine and will help you continue to see results over time.

This week, challenge yourself to step outside your comfort zone and incorporate cross-training into your routine. The options are endless:Feverycs.com