Today we’d like to introduce you to Fred Woods.
Hi Fred, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My story, I was born and raised in Chicago, Illinois from a single family up bringing. My mother and grandmother raised me along with my four sisters and one brother. Growing up in Chicago was not easy. I was either trying to avoid joining a gang or being very conscious what neighborhoods to avoid to avoid getting beat up for not being part of a gang. I graduated from Simeon High School in 1982, not knowing what my next move would be. I decided I was going to join the US Marines. However, my sisters talked my out of it so I attended DeVry Institute of Technology to be electronic technician. I graduated after two years, but I had no luck in getting a job. So I decided to join the Air Force to continue my education and travel the world. In October 1985, I was off to the Air Force. After basic training and tech school, I was stationed in Abliene, TX, where I began to realize my potential and what I could accomplish if I focused and put in the work. I learned if I think and worked like a winner, I would get the same results. This was evident when I would be nominated to compete for quarterly boards and would lose every time. Then I asked a colleague who was winning all the time what they were doing to win and then I became successful at winning the boards. I applied this same work ethics to every part of my life, work hard and always take the path with the resistance, success is inevitable. Then I began my fitness journey. In Chicago, I always wanted to work out, but I never had a facility to train. This was not the case anymore when I enlisted. I then had a full-blown gym at my disposal. I started weight training 4 days a week and before I knew it I had others wanting to train with me. It became quite easy for me to train other individuals and my love for fitness continued to grow, After 12 years in the Air Force, I decided it was time to exit. During that time, I completed my BA in electronic technology, travelled to number places, married my wife, and raised 3 kids. The Air Force taught me many things about myself, but most of all I learned you can accomplish anything, if you set your mind to it. When I left the military, I has hired by a company in Texas. I continued to train, but not as consistent, but that changed when I started gaining unwanted weight. I started training with purpose again and started training others in the gym. Then I made the decision to get my certification in the training at Cooper Institute. I started off group training friends 3 day out the week. From there, I personal trained and taught insanity and Tabata classes. I had been weight training for years and I always wanted to try yoga, but didn’t think it a was manly thing to do. However, I came to a point in which I could not raise my right shoulder even though it was structurally. The doctor wanted to give me a shot to help it, but I wanted to take a different route…Yoga. At that time it just so happened that Yoga Rocks opened up 3 mins away from me so I decided I would give it try at the time. At that time the classes were all Bikram yoga classes. It was my first experience in a room over 100 degrees practicing 26 poses and 2 breathing exercises. I did not last long, but I did not give up. I started practicing weekly and my shoulder improved. I was sold on the practice! I then started taking other classes like their Rockin’ Hot Pilates/Body Sculpt and Vinyasa Flow classes. I love Yoga Rocks’ classes. Vinyasa flow is my favorite practice. In my opinion, Vinyasa flow classes have no ceiling; you can take you practice as high and far as you would like which aligns with my mindset of always challenging myself to higher heights. In October 2021, I enrolled in Yoga Rocks’ 200 Hour Teacher Training course to better understand the practices and its poses in greater depth. After completing their training, I began subbing Rockin’ Hot Pilates/Body Sculpt classes for Yoga Rocks. This type of class they offer, came naturally to me since I had the background in Personal Training and group training. I soon became a permanent Rockin’ Hot Pilates/Body Sculpt and Vinyasa Flow teacher for Yoga Rocks and have been teaching for them the last 3 years now.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I believe the biggest obstacle I have encountered is myself. I have always told my children “don’t let anyone define you” you must know who and whom you are. If you can’t tell me who you are, how do you make life decisions that moves you in a positive direction. If you succeed or fail in a decision, you know it was your decision. Even if there were other influences, you made the final decision based on who you are. I had to learn this lesson myself the hard way. If you truly know yourself, life becomes less stressful. You can’t make everyone happy, a truth that took me years to overcome. Nonetheless, this understanding allows for the most satisfying feeling. I think challenges are a way of life; they bring growth. I challenge my students in the Pilates and Vinyasa I teach. Growth comes from challenges. There is a saying “Don’t live to exist, but live to grow.” I am that person who embraces challenges; if I set my mind to something and believe in it, I challenge myself to be the best at it. This philosophy has led me to accomplish the majority my success in life. For example, I regularly practice the advanced poses and exercises I teach in my Pilates and Vinyasa classes in order to allow my students to see the possibilities where they can go. They don’t have to go there, however they can see that it is possible for them to get there if they chose to put in the work necessary. I am a true believer that in order to grow, you must invoke change and that change creates discomfort. So I tell my students out of an article I once read, “Comfort is the enemy of progress” at the end of all my Pilates classes to motivate embrace that discomfort in order to grow and achieve their fitness goals as well as life goals.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have been a teacher at Yoga Rocks the last 3 years. It’s hard to believe I began as a student at Yoga Rocks and am now a teacher. Yoga Rocks is the only studio I teach at or have ever taught at. Since I have began teaching, I have come into my own. I am result driven so I teach the class to bring results with the understanding that consistency and persevere is where success lies. The most rewarding thing about teaching is seeing the physical changes in the students as well as their growth of confidence. If you were to ask me why I teach, I would tell you “the students” If you ask me where do you get the energy to teach each time I step into the studio, I would tell you “the students”. I believe without challenge there can be no change. You can’t be afraid of change; you must embrace it to move forward to accomplish anything you are striving for. My classes are challenging and sometimes intense but also fun! I always ask my students: What is your Why? Why are you here? And what whatever that Why is, use that as motivation for the class. Always reach for the sky. If you improve to just one percent better than you were yesterday, you are on the right path.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
I believe you have to be fearless and willing to take risks. I don’t see risk-taking as a risk, but rather an opportunity to become what you are capable of becoming and an opportunity to achieve your goals and dreams. Risk-taking is really just embracing change because if it is the right change for you, it really isn’t a risk but rather an opportunity for change, which is always uncomfortable, but if it’s a growth change, it will be worth it. For example, one of the risks I have taken was joining the military. I had no clue what I was getting into, but I took the risk. That risk made me who I am today, never say you can’t when you have not tried yet. I also believe you take a risk every time I step into the Yoga Rocks to teach a yoga or pilates class. It’s a risk of my effectiveness as a teacher. If I worry about “I am working them too hard” or “I am making it too easy,” I am taking a risk of what defines me as a teacher. However, if I am comfortable with who I am, my teaching will reflect that. I have to be prepared to see my students class after class.
Pricing:
- Cold-Plunge & Infrared Sauna $37
- Drop-in Class $25
- Yoga & Pilates Week Unlimited for $39
- Month Unlimited Intro $99
- Annual Membership w/mat & towel $1199
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.yogarocksdallas.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/yogarocksdallas/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/yogarocksdallas/
- Other: https://www.tiktok.com/@yoga.rocks
