My pandemic fitness hero is here to stay
Megan Roup's The Sculpt Society is pure magic
I love everything about a great workout - the exercise high from endorphins, the feeling of accomplishment, the community, the connectedness that comes with moving to the beat of the music, and the investment in self care. I’ve also consistently found both mental solace and clarity in physical activity. While so many people have “light bulb moments” in the shower, mine have more often come while at the gym. So when the pandemic hit in March of 2020, my workout schedule was a place where I felt immediate disruption. My daily routine that I’d adhered to and embraced for over a decade suddenly disappeared.
My initial approach to exercise during COVID was going for long runs outside. This turned out to be a gift because I was able to explore new, picturesque areas of my city that I had never traversed via foot, especially because I was trying to take the path least traveled. At the same time, I knew that running everyday wasn’t sustainable due to the risk of overuse injuries and the lack of strength training. So, I started to turn to online options.
In the first few months, I tried a number of well-regarded programs by major fitness brands, celebrity trainers, and even some influencers. In many cases, I unfortunately found them difficult to connect with; sometimes it was the music or lack thereof, the verbal cues or lack thereof, or the personality and underlying message around image that would come through on the screen. I’ve been so fortunate to personally connect with so many incredible fitness instructors through the years, so feeling disconnected just felt bizarre.
The day I started my trial membership with Megan Roup’s The Sculpt Society everything changed. I was already following Megan on social media and was drawn to her genuine, fun-loving, honest about the hard stuff, full-body approach. With her background in professional dance (she was once a Brooklynettes dancer), Megan would incorporate follow along dance routines into free and body weight sculpting classes that were effective, challenging, but also very kind to my body. When Megan first started teaching fitness, it was simply a side hustle. As she was connecting with women through training, she quickly learned that she had an opportunity to positively influence how her clients saw themselves.
Within her fitness routines, on social media, and in listening to podcasts, it’s evident that Megan wants every single person to feel like they belong and feel comfortable in their body - no matter the shape or size. She is a champion of encouraging people to show up and do what they can, even if that’s only 10 minutes. As she always says, “your body will thank you.” During the pandemic, like so many others, she went from filming her routines for her app in a studio to her living room, moving her coffee table out of the way. When free weights weren’t readily available, she would creatively use soda stream bottles or soup cans. Yes, there are full videos on her app of her doing a full arm workout routine with soup cans - and I adore her for it.
Megan and her team are dedicated to keeping her content fresh and robust. Each week she rolls out at least 3-4 new videos in addition to refreshing older routines and adding collaborations onto the platform. She has me fully dedicated to ensuring I complete the new workouts every week while also returning to my favorite standbys. For those who are pregnant or new moms, Megan has also had 2 children - one born in just the last month - and has created a robust pre- and post-natal library of classes.
In this post-pandemic world, when faced with the choice to return to my gym memberships full time or choose more of a hybrid model, it was a no brainer. I can’t imagine not having Megan Roup’s routines and positive energy in my life…. So much so that when we were trying to determine what to do with our basement space, we opted to turn it into a fitness studio where I could keep up with my favorite videos. This space has been so fun for not only my workouts, but for working out with friends and family - many of these people have completed The Sculpt Society workouts with me. The app also means that I’m often doing Megan’s workouts while on vacation - either in my hotel room or at the gym.
As I was preparing for this post, and simultaneously working out to Megan’s videos this week, I was reflecting on which workouts had the perfect combination of fun energy and solid fitness intensity - without ever being intimidating. There are so many awesome workouts to choose from, but below are a few of my favorites that I have done again and again.
If you’re interested in giving The Sculpt Society a try, you can get a 1-week free trial here. You can also try out a few workouts with her on YouTube. Here’s one with PopSugar Fitness that’s 30 minutes with dance cardio and sculpting. Here’s another one that’s dance cardio only.
15 min. Cardio & Arms
Megan and her husband do this routine in their living room during the pandemic. The music and energy is top notch, and the way in which the two of them look at each other throughout, it seems like they’re having the most incredible time. I felt this contagious energy especially during COVID.
13 min. Arms
This includes free weights and dancing arms with wrist weights optional.
13 min. Abs on Back
I have probably done this video of Matt’s 50 times, if not more. You spend the full video on your back as opposed to mixing in planks, which I personally prefer since I find the other types of workouts I do at different studios to be more wrist heavy. Every time I do this video it feels incredibly effective.
45 min. Full Body
Megan and her sisters do this routine outside in Santa Barbara. I love the dynamic she has with her sisters. The exercises in this one are a bit more advanced, but still approachable.
45 min. Full Body with Ball
Incorporating the ball throughout the routines levels up the inner thigh, glute, and hamstring workouts. It also just feels different and I love it.
Megan + Katy Combinations
When Megan and Katy do routines together, they tend to level up the workouts. Here are some of my favorites of the two of them.
And if you’re looking to incorporate equipment into your routine, Megan has a full store on her website. Here are some of my go-to options that I personally use when working out.
Resistance Bands - I also keep a set in my suitcase so I can do Megan’s band routines while on the road when I don’t have access to a gym.
Ankle Weights - these come in 1lb. and 2lb. options that you can wrap around your ankles or wrists
Mat for Knee Protection - I started using this after my knees started to hurt and it made a huge difference. I don’t have knee pain anymore at all.
Here’s a live action moment from a Megan Roup routine with full participation from the pup - making the outer thigh and glute resistance a bit more intense.
If you’re looking for some positive fitness influence in your life, I couldn’t recommend Megan and The Sculpt Society more. It’s truly a gift.
x jz
Images | 1 | The Sculpt Society | 2 | Net-a-Porter | 3 | People | 4 - 11 | The Sculpt Society App | 12 - 15 | Amazon | 16 | The Sculpt Society | 17 | Amazon | 18 | me
This post contains some Amazon affiliate links. Outside of these links, I do not get paid for nor make money off of this post. All opinions are my own.