TRAINING TALENT: ALICE RAMSHAW OF BODY BY SIMONE

If you ever wondered what it’s like to lead an army of fierce fitness pros, you might ask the founder of Body By Simone, Simone De La Rue. But, it’s her director of training, Alice Ramshaw, who helps ensure those BBS badasses carry out their work excellently every day.

When Ramshaw moved to NYC seven years ago a friend introduced her to De La Rue, and she soon realized her passion for dance had shifted and she was ready to delve into fitness fulltime. Her style, energy and technique blended perfectly with the BBS system, which is based on dance, Pilates and yoga in a joyous, unintimidating atmosphere; Ramshaw dove in.

Now, the Australian powerhouse ensures Simone’s approach is carried out with care and enthusiasm. Read on for her ideas about how to lead a troupe of warrior goddesses—and how to work out like one.

BBS SQUAD GOALS:

BBS sculpts lean muscles with light weights and high repetitions. The dance cardio portion, one of the most famous aspects, is meant to keep clients moving—“not train to be a Rockette!” says Ramshaw. She reminds new clients of this, and suggests they “just keep moving,” she says. “The more you come, the more you’ll learn the steps and notice your progress. But even if you’re flailing around, dance with abandon…and enjoy! And in terms of starting out well, we love Newton Running shoes for support and jumping around. And don’t forget to stretch your calves!”

For clients with joint issues, she suggests the trampoline rebounder class, and for newbies hoping to amp up their skills and strength, Ramshaw suggests four to six classes a week. “If someone wants to dive in, we also offer an eight-week transformation program with unlimited classes and initial private consultation for training evaluation and nutrition considerations,” she says.

BBS TRAINING TIME:

Since De La Rue obviously can’t be everywhere, Ramshaw runa the auditions at all studios, hires trainers, guides them through training and continues with ongoing development. In auditions, Ramshaw looks for instructors with exceptional dance ability, the stamina to endure high impact cardio and that strong spirit BBS is well known for. “Our team members are loving, generous, supportive and inspirational to our clients,” she says. “I’m always looking for passion and energy that fits in with that.”

Training sessions every four to six weeks with Simone help the group bond, and each session has a focus like injuries or prenatal client. “We’re always learning and engaging,” says Ramshaw. “I check in with the trainers every few weeks with one-on-one sit-downs.”

HAPPY WORKOUT, HAPPY LIFE:

For Ramshaw, exercise has to be a way of life (for her trainers and clients) so momentary hiccups are treated as just that—not disasters. “You will have moments where you fall off the wagon a bit and days you feel crappy and can’t push any harder. But the most important thing is to acknowledge that it’s totally fine, get back into it the next day and keep moving forward,” she says. “Those little steps backward are totally normal.”

 

BBS FAVES:

BBS has a ton of trademark moves. Check out three:

  • Window Washer Plank: Move into a traditional plank, with a gliding disc beneath your right foot. Circle your leg out toward your shoulder and then back to the plank in a small range of motion.
  • Pony Kick: Start in a tabletop position. Keeping your knee bent, drive your right heel up toward the ceiling, like you’re stamping the roof. Then lower back to the other knee. Add ankle weights for an extra boost.
  • There’s No Place Like Home Dance Cardio: Start in a parallel squat. Jump high in the air and touch your ankles together: A jump squat with a heel click in the air, like Dorothy!

ALICE’S FAVES

Healthy restaurant: Hu Kitchen and Blossom in NYC
Splurge meal: Burgers and ice cream!
Fitness studios: SLT in NYC and AIR Aerial Fitness in LA
Fitness Apparel: Koral Activewear and Vie Active
Rev-Up Fitness Songs: Panda (Desiigner), Figure It Out (Dave Audé) and One Dance (Drake)
Relaxing activities: NYC Meditation studio MNDFL for 30-min sessions and complimentary tea or Aire Ancient Bath
Vacation spots: “Anywhere with a beach! I always try to head somewhere new on every vacation (there is so much of the world to see!) or otherwise get back home to Australia.”

Alice’s SBS Mantra: “Be Calm. I find it so easy to get carried away with the fast pace and high intensity of living in NYC. I often find myself agitated, burnt out and unhappy if I don’t take time to be calm and find balance in my life.”


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