Ambassador’s Corner: Dane’s Body Shop Recap

Greetings AFM!

We are putting the spotlight on another local gem to share in our quest to capture the many offerings Austin holds for you to get your sweat on. This month’s tour brought us to Dane’s Body Shop, where training is a call to adventure.

Ambassador’s corner is continuing efforts to support the Central Texas Food Bank in combatting the ongoing presence of food insecurity in Austin. Thank you for your generosity throughout this year which is aiding the work of keeping Austin fed, and every donation counts as we work to increase food access to families in need.

Jason’s Chosen Nonprofit: Central Texas Food Bank

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Dane’s Body Shop offers multiple styles of fitness programming and a unique, friendly culture. The Shop, which has come to be a member-favorite nickname, started in August, 2010 in a small auto repair shop on the corner of 43rd St. and Guadalupe (Hyde Park). Their Manor Rd. location opened in 2016 and they recently upgraded their Hyde Park location to a newer, 6000 square-foot facility just north of the Triangle.

The Rundown

There is an inviting feel with every visit to The Shop and a connection to the people around you that helps you feel accountable and motivated — the camaraderie is infectious in the best way! Class offerings include Strength & Conditioning, Mobility, Olympic Weightlifting, Running and various social and competitive events exclusive to the members and their family or friends. The coaching team is diverse with distinct coaching styles to offer members a multitude of guidance in classes.

The Workout

I arrived at the 4:00 p.m. Strength and Conditioning class (thanks Coach Chad). This session was a continuous movement, work at your own pace, full-body strength program.

The session led with a warm welcome from the class but it was clear the focus was set on the heavy lifting to come. Warmup consisted of half-a-mile jog, core activation and hip mobility work to prime our bodies for the ensuing heavy lifts.

Our work set consisted of a heavy sled march for 15 yards, 1 barbell Turkish get-up, farmer’s carry for 40 yards, stone walk for 10 yards, repeat for 20 minutes. Simple, right?!

When they say the focus of the class is functional strength, they mean, “select the heaviest weights you can safely move.” About the second round of the stone walk carrying a 120-pound stone on my chest, my eyes were bulging, my veins were protruding to the surface of my skin, even the soles of my shoes were struggling and it was then I realized how they define heavy.

Just when you think you might be done for, a bit of encouragement comes from a member cheering you on and making for the perfect level of accountability; you know someone’s watching and you know not to stop when you’re tired but instead, stop when you are done! Thank you for the encouragement!

What I liked: Lifting heavy is my favorite. It’s personal, and sure there is a physical outcome that accompanies the heavy lifting, but it’s the mental clarity, the emotional release of smashing a new PR that keeps me coming back for more. Coach Chad was great about giving cues and support, helping us recognize and maintain safe body positions all throughout the session. Also, he made it a point to add more weight for you if your execution of the lift needed more resistance — strength day!

What I found most challenging: Carrying that 120-pound stone was the perfect torture – I mean, exercise! It brought out all the feels for me. The elements of fear and anxiety along with the positive self-talk that no stone could rob me of completing the session. I took on the challenge, and for about three days following, the stone talked back to me in the form of delightful muscle fatigue.

Whether you consider yourself a novice or an experienced athlete, the benefits of resistance training are worth it. And I know just The Shop to get you started!

I learned the vast majority of members that start at The Shop have little to moderate experience in fitness. The coaching staff will guide you like a baby bird to successful and effective strength building that is safe and will last a lifetime!

In addition to the Fusion (Strength & Conditioning) classes, there are online live-stream coaching and midday Hybrid classes that they enjoy tweaking a bit for the more hyper athletes, but all are welcomed and encouraged to come.

Regardless, the coaches always try to greet members with a smile and open arms, and members seem to reciprocate (thanks Lauren). Their culture is open and caring with a bit of spice. What’s not to love about that?

Answer this call to Adventure and get over to Dane’s Body Shop to find you a mini-meet or any other awesome event they are running. If you are unsure which event is right for you, just ask one of the members when you arrive and brace yourself for the experience.