Name: Jenny Price
Alma Mater & Degree: Pilates and barre3 certification
Current Studio: barre3 Tulsa
1.What made you want to become a barre3 instructor?
After I had my first daughter, Alice, 5 years ago I was struggling to find something to teach that didn’t also require getting a babysitter. I stumbled across b3 which is a blend of Pilates (my background), yoga and ballet barre work, plus most studios have a play lounge! I actually did my first class online and I immediately knew that I wanted to teach. There was a studio in OKC where we were living at the time. I sent them an email and told them I was going to be an instructor and they told me to come in and see if we were a good match. That was just over 4 years ago.
2.What are your go-to resources for information regarding health? (i.e. blogs, books, magazines)
Oh gosh, not to be all barre3 everything, but we have an AMAZING blog! It’s called b3 Magazine and it’s filled with everything from how to push past plateaus, to how to find your personal favorite salad type, to interviews with our instructors and clients. It’s so much fun and covers so many different topics.
3.If you could tell your clients one thing, what’s the most important piece of fitness knowledge to know?
Listen to your body and get to know what’s right for you on a day to day basis. It changes every day and we (your fitness instructors) can only be your guide, you have to do you.
4.Are you currently addicted to any fitness or wellness trends? (i.e. juice cleanses, butter coffee, everything organic, etc.)
I hope the current whole food and smoothie obsession is not just a trend! There are a couple great local spots, Pure Food and Juice is just down the street and we partner with my favorite, Ediblend (Superfood Café) in Utica Square a lot. They are great clients and people!
5.What’s your go-to healthy snack pre or post workout?
I always have packets of Justin’s Maple Almond Butter in my purse. I get very hangry so they can really save me from turning into a monster. I eat so many I actually subscribe and save them from Amazon. Some of the girls from the studio and I were recently looking into bringing in a new athletic wear line that features a cell phone pocket in almost everything they make and we were like, “think about all the almond butter packets we could put in there!”
6.What’s your go-to beverage in the morning?
Real talk, coffee. I know it’s not ground breaking or the healthiest answer but it’s true. I would love to say a nice cup of green tea but that’s not me. At least it’s black coffee…unless it Sunday, then it has Bailey’s in it!
7.What’s your favorite way to unwind after work/ on the weekends?
Really just lounging and watching tv. If you want to go down any garbage tv rabbit holes we can go there. Tulsa does have amazing, parks, trails and special events, plus it’s super dog friendly. I enjoy getting out with my family and the dog, especially in the spring when Tulsa is in full bloom. It’s stunning. Also if it’s Tulsa Tough weekend or Oktoberfest you’ll find me there.
8.How many pairs of leggings do you own?
Oh gosh, probably like 50. But since I just had my second daughter, Hazel, 3 months ago I only have about 5 pairs that are working overtime in my rotation. My current favorites are a barre3/ Beyond Yoga collaboration. They’re buttery soft, high waisted and stretchy.
9.What’s your favorite type of workout (it’s ok if it isn’t what you teach)?
B3 hands down! That said, I love to mix it up and I’m excited to start layering in some things with StudioHop that I wasn’t able to start while I was pregnant. I’m especially excited to get in on a Down & Dirty Hip Hop Ride with our studio neighbors, Physiques by Monique and a hot yoga class at SALT in Utica Square.
10.Is weight just a number on a scale?
Ugh, what a question! It is. The true test for me is how my clothes fit and how I feel. At my six week check up after having my most recent daughter I legit thought I had lost 15 pounds more than I had. I’m only 5’3” so on my frame that’s quite a bit. I was disappointed, but I realized I felt better than the number on the scale because of how active I was during my pregnancy and how quickly I started doing little bursts of activity afterward. At barre3 we talk a lot about what we call “off the scale victories.” I’m definitely focusing on those right now since the number on the scale doesn’t match what it normally is, or what I think it should be but I still feel confident, strong and healthy.
11.What’s your favorite splurge meal?
Tulsa is a town filled with little greasy cheeseburgers! We have 4 local spots that have been serving up the best burgers for generations without changing a thing. Ron’s Hamburgers & Chili, Claude’s, Brownie’s Hamburgers and Weber’s are all in my rotation. Safe to say if you want to get down on a burger and fries, I’m your girl!
12.What’s currently in your fridge?
3 kinds of La Croix ( I recently read a Pop Sugar article about the definitive rankings of La Croix and I realized I needed to branch out), Hoisin sauce (aka “sweet sauce” to my 5 year old daughter), veggies for the week from the Cherry Street Farmers Market (it’s amazing the street gets shut down every Saturday morning and locals flood to it), hummus from another local favorite, Bill & Ruth’s, and some frozen smoothie ingredients all packed up and ready to go in the blender.
13.What’s your favorite part about being a barre3 instructor:
That’s easy, our clients. Getting to know our community, seeing people’s lives change and the pure magic of when they open up to us about how they are different outside of the studio because of what they do inside it.
14.What’s the last song you listened to on Spotify (or iTunes, Pandora, etc.)?
Most of my Spotify time gets taken up with b3 music and the Disney soundtracks my oldest daughter listens to on repeat. I did listen to The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill the other night while I was making a rum cake for my friend’s grandad’s 90th birthday. It’s such a gem still to this day.
15.Do you believe in supplements? If yes, which ones? If no, why not?
I’ve never really gotten into that world. Occasionally, I’ll use protein powder in my smoothies, but I prefer to get the nutrients from their foods like almond butter or cashew cream.
16.What’s the real key to changing your body and becoming stronger?
Finding something you LOVE to do! We’ve come so far from even a generation ago when working out was a chore and diet was about depravation. Recently we’ve seen fitness become about feeling good rather than achieving perfection and healthy eating has become a lifestyle. I always say I never regret going to class, I only regret not going. It’s the love of the way I feel during and after class that keeps me going back.
17.What’s the most rewarding memory from your job so far?
I love to see clients recover from injuries and illnesses. Seeing someone stand taller, become more confident or be able to take less medication because of the work you’ve helped them with is amazing! I also love teaching on holidays. Thanksgiving is my favorite! It’s such a fun day and everyone is so thankful to be able to come to class before the chaos of the holiday sets in. I’ll never forget, a couple of Thanksgivings ago I taught a barre3 class and my husband went downtown to 918 CrossFit while my mother in law watched our daughter. When we got back to her house to eat she said “why would you workout today?” and in unison we both just said, “to feel good.”