Today we’d like to introduce you to Magdalena Patterson.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My journey into the world of fitness has evolved and unfolded just like my life did. I have always been a fitness junkie, and during my years of working in “corporate America,” I have endlessly dreamed about being one of those inspiring fitness instructors that I would follow religiously and take their classes at a local Gold’s gym. Some 25 years ago! I honestly couldn’t wait to get out of the office every day and even scheduled my workaround so that I could catch my favorite workout classes. What really “did it” for me was seeing “yoga” on the group fitness schedule at that local Gold’s gym. Stepping on the yoga mat for the first time was intriguing, inspiring, and frankly, just magical. The class was lead by the coolest, calmest, free-spirited girl. I guess nowadays you would call her a “hipster,” haha… and little me, a corporate girl, was hooked!
This yoga teacher was everything that I envisioned myself being. She embodied “contentment” and happiness, she was from sunny San Diego, and not to mention, she taught yoga and workout classes for a living. Back in the days, that was unheard of. I so wanted to be like her, live my life to the fullest, and do what I loved and was passionate about for a living. I jumped on an opportunity to move to the West Coast and pursued a career in fitness. Yoga certification seemed so unattainable at that time. I couldn’t afford the hefty fee and the time you had to invest into your yoga studies. I had to work around the clock to cover all my moving and living expenses. I started as a personal trainer and a group exercise instructor and quickly realized that I was very good at that. Of course, I struggled at the beginning, but soon I had a full book of clients and was running boot camps and teaching group classes at the best gyms in San Diego. Not to mention, for the first time in my life, I felt like I had wings and I was unstoppable. My accent (being born and raised in Prague, Czech Republic) always seemed detrimental in corporate America, but here I thought it was helping, it became a part of my new fitness persona, and everyone loved it. I dedicated the next ten years of my life to building a successful personal training business while remaining an avid yoga practitioner to keep myself centered, calm, and tension-free. I finally pushed myself and dedicated the time and resources to get my yoga teacher certificate.
Right at that time, I met my husband, who really became the missing piece of the puzzle – He is my biggest fan and always pushes me to be better and never stop learning.
As a yoga teacher, you learn so much more than just poses and how to teach a class. It is a spiritual journey. I started teaching vinyasa classes at local yoga studios, and immediately I realized yoga helped me to be a better trainer and fitness instructor as well. The mind-body connection was what I was missing in my instruction! I was teaching classes full time, anything from yoga studio classes, corporate fitness, and private sessions. I was living my dream! Yes, it can be done. You can make a great living as a fitness and yoga instructor. I didn’t have to spend my days sitting in an office working for someone else! I’m normally a very zen, mellow person, but something happens when I step in front of a crowded class, the adrenaline kicks in and I’m a whole different animal.
Fast forward to 2020, when Covid hit, I took it a step further – when life gives you lemons, you make lemonade, right? All my classes and private sessions disappeared into thin air overnight, so I took the opportunity to take my business online, and then it just took off! BODY BY MAGS Home Workouts is my quarantine baby, and I’m so proud of it. I add a new video every week, and subscribers have unlimited access to the entire library – everything from power yoga to quick workouts, prenatal flow, meditation and stretching videos.
I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. Life puts many obstacles your way, but if you keep focused on your passion and dreams, it only makes you stronger. When Covid hit, all my clients and students were begging for online classes, but I just had no clue where to start and how to approach the business model, what platform to use and how much to charge for online classes. I started with Instagram LIVE classes, and that was super fun at the beginning, honestly, it was just great seeing your friends and students tune in and get a great sweat together. Everyone was stuck at home, so this was such a nice way to connect. I soon realized this was not fair to myself and the whole fitness professional community – we all spend so much time and money to constantly educate ourselves, get new certifications, and it takes a lot of time to design a great class and playlist. Yet, I was myself and so many others in the fitness field just giving their work away for free in social media. Some people were suggesting a “donation-based” classes, but I really did not want to treat my business as a Venmo tip jar!
So I explored all the roads from ZOOM classes to “pay per view” classes, but it all seemed like it was not smooth on my and on the user end. I wanted something smooth, where a client just signs up and can start watching workout videos as if it was Netflix 🙂 That’s how I ended up with an online workout subscription that is so user-friendly and foolproof on my end as well! My advice is, if you have a dream, just follow it and go for it: 1. Do not get discouraged if it doesn’t work out right away. Keep putting work and energy into your dream and it will blossom beautifully one day. That leads me to my next point: 2. Keep all doors open. I still teach super fun fitness and prenatal yoga classes in my local yoga studio that I love, and that has nothing to do with my online workout business. 3. Focus on people who believe in you and who fill you with positive, inspiring energy. Not everyone will share your passion or believe in you. 4. Don’t take anything personally. EVER. So many friends and people in your life will not “sign up for your business,” and that’s totally fine! One of my favorite books is “four agreements”- probably the most influential book I have ever read, on a personal and business level. It teaches you the four agreements you need to make with yourself in order to live a fulfilled, successful and loving life. And in my opinion, the most important “agreement” is “Don’t take anything personally.”
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
There’s millions of online workout apps and websites, so how did I manage to differentiate myself? People really appreciate authenticity! All my workouts are 100% real. I do them with you, I don’t tone it down, but I do offer modifications. There is no “cut.” There is no professional crew taking the footage. It’s my real home workout with my real sweat, with my real comments. Nothing staged, nothing perfect. All available ON DEMAND in one online library, and you can always try it out for two weeks for FREE. And why do my workouts work? Well… I do what I know works. I’ve been in the fitness industry for more than 15 years!
High-intensity, short workouts that use your whole body are always super effective in burning fat and inducing some serious sweat! I’m also a mom with two small children running around during Covid, so I know these workouts need to be efficient. We ain’t got time to waste! I think most of us moms are in the same boat. I want a quick, effective, sweat drenching workout! I have two kids running around during this quarantine. I’m trying to keep up with the homeschooling schedule and also keeping up the house?!? so I don’t have hours to try to do a workout… that’s why all my workouts are just 30 minutes. I put cartoons for the kids while I workout and pray they don’t come jump on me! Usually, they give me exactly 30 minutes…
What sort of changes are you expecting over the next 5-10 years?
I definitely think the fitness industry is now experiencing a huge shift in two big ways. 1. Online presence. Whether you’re a studio or a fitness professional, you have to offer your classes online alongside your regular classes. And it needs to be a user-friendly interface. Fitness Apps will continue being huge! 2. The thirst for mind-body connection will keep rising. I think we all realized during Covid that exercise is about so much more than vanity. Our bodies need to move to make us feel good, reduce body aches, improve mental health and overall well-being. The physical results are just a nice side effect of exercise. The main purpose is mental wellbeing. Fitness professionals will need to become more well-rounded, not be just into lifting weights; you need to teach your clients how to meditate as well.
Pricing:
- Online Subscription: $18/month
- Online subscription: $125/year
- Private session: $145/hour
Contact Info:
- Email: bodybymags@me.com
- Website: www.bodybymags.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/magsworkouts/
- Other: https://bodybymags.vhx.tv
Image Credits
Jaymie Harrison K. C. Alfred
