Today we’d like to introduce you to Betsy Blumenfeld.
Betsy, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
Growing up, I was never the most athletic child. Even though I participated in almost every sports team imaginable, exercise never really piqued my interest. I often went to pilates classes with my mom during high school however and always left with a euphoric head buzz after an hour of low key rolling around on the ground. Time passed and my interests in the pilates method wavered throughout college. Soon, I returned to San Diego and quickly realized that my once-booming circle of friends had significantly diminished since everyone had scattered across the country, and I felt a little lost. I quickly reignited a passion, stronger than ever before, for Pilates, an relished in how good it made me feel in my own skin. I quickly got trained and began teaching – I so desperately wanted to share that feeling of confidence with anyone and everyone that walked through the studio doors.
Being a teacher was a change from my initial brief foray in PR and Marketing, and I loved the act of popping into peoples lives for an hour at a time to help brighten up their day a little bit, but teaching all around town to multiple different demographics for multiple different studios was an interesting thing. I basically spent the last ten years in an anthropological study of (mostly women) ranging from twenty-two to sixty-five years old living throughout San Diego, and I can tell you that my main takeaway from that is how empowering, vulnerable, and collaborative exercise is. I’ve loved watching people create friendships in and out of the studio walls, motivating people to push themselves further than they thought they could, and supporting people when they feel outside of their wheelhouse – which is often because newsflash – Pilates in daunting. You’re sweating, balancing, huffing and puffing – all while being watched and corrected to a T.
I personally struggled to find an instructor or a studio that inspired me. often, upon entering a new space as a hopeful practitioner I’d be greeted with a harsh introduction from a bored and often bitchy instructor, spend the hour doing uninventive exercises in a cold ugly room, and leave feeling a little worse than I started. I knew I could do better, and that all these other women I was teaching deserved better. I vowed to make a space that was as welcoming as it was sassy, as calming as it was badass, and more importantly, a place to sweat for your sanity, where you left feeling fantastic in both your mind and your body. And just like that, SALT hot pilates was born. We are a studio dedicated to mat Pilates, where 60% of our classes are heated under infrared panels (the other 40% are air-conditioned and room temperature), we have all the props you can imagine and are here to help you sweat for your sanity.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Simply put, nothing worth it comes easy. The path to opening this studio has been riddled with roadblocks starting from day one. I’ve had insane bosses and mentors who tried to turn my confidence against me in every way imaginable, worked obsessive hours at 10 classes a day 7 days a week, and have been fired probably more times than I can count. I never wavered from the thought that this was exactly what I was meant to be doing though, and I think that’s the real key. I somehow, very luckily, ended up doing exactly what suits me and my personality best. So, 99% of the time, I’m walking into work or face planting into my next challenge with vigor and enthusiasm. When passion is your driving monetary force, all the tricky bits end up being a hell of a lot more fun and manageable. That being said, my support system is ironclad and I would never have Mae it this far without my family and close friends answering my stress calls throughout all hours of the night. The best advice I can give it to ensure that you’re doing something with your time that lights a fire under your ass, leaves you going to sleep smiling, and to make sure you have solid people around you on speed dial.
Please tell us about SALT Hot Pilates.
I find that the mental health benefits of exercise are often overlooked or considered secondary to the physical gains, and I really try to flip that around. Personally, I would be a crazy person if I didn’t have exercise as an outlet and I know that often just a friendly face and a smile go a long way. So, every aspect of SALT is driven to help you sweat for your sanity and feel f***cking fantastic from head to toe. From the personable and friendly teachers that work to brighten your mood, to the hands-on adjustments – because often just a touch from another person can calm your brain and make you feel seen, all while the sweat from the infrared feels like a purge of toxicity from your body. All around we want you to leave feeling happier than when you walked in, and I think having that be our driving force sets up apart from all the other “bikini body” business models out there.
Who have you been inspired by?
All the women in my family are strong, capable, do it for yourself kind of girls – and nothing is more inspiring to me than that. I admire someone who can get their hands dirty and see a problem through to the end. My mother has taught me the value of not stressing out in the middle of a crisis – she is constantly calm, cool, and collected and I spend most of my time trying to emulate her level head. My sister is an actual workhorse and could probably take over the world with just a phone in one hand and a tea in the other. Truly watching the two of them work happily yet tirelessly has pushed me further in my career than I ever thought possible.
Pricing:
- Founding Member Unlimited Monthly Special $99
- 2 Class Pass $10
Contact Info:
- Address: 3636 Fourth Avenue suite 305, San Diego, CA 92103
- Website: www.takemetosalt.com
- Email: hello@@takemetosalt.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sweat.salt/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Sweat-SALT-1129457640550604/?notif_id=1571600619568252¬if_t=page_fan
Image Credit:
Betsy Blumenfeld
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