• Requirements: Due to the value of the rebounders, we are only able to rent to existing Freehouse clients who have taken rebounding classes at our studio.
• What you're receiving: a 44" bellicon premium rebounder with stainless steel frame and fold-up legs so it can be stored easily in a lot of places! ($1000 retail). And FREE access to Freehouse On Demand for as long as you have the rebounder.
• Price: $40/week. The weeks run Saturday to Friday (+/- a day) and there's no limit to how long you can keep the rebounder, up until the time we request they are returned.
• Pick-up & return: Renters are responsible for pick-up and return. The rebounders will fit in most vehicles but check that you have a 45" opening in your car! We'll arrange a 2-hour window for contactless pick-up. Then simply contact us by Thursday if you are bringing the rebounder back on Friday.
• The studio re-opening: We do not anticipate offering rebounder classes immediately upon reopening due to mask requirements. But when the time comes that we do need the rebounders returned, we will provide a minimum of 3-5 days notice.
• ​Agreement: Upon reserving a rebounder, we'll email you a short agreement for you to virtually sign before pick-up.
• Staying safe: Rebounders will be thoroughly wiped and sanitized before pick-up. We will have them available for you at the door of the studio. We ask you to thoroughly wipe and sanitize prior to your return.

​

Our city and our community is calling out for change. A change that is long overdue and injustice that MUST be addressed. I pledge to do more. With the privilege and resources that I have at my disposal, I can do more.

In the days and weeks ahead, I'll be exploring every option and opportunity. I'll work with my team and update the community on our plans. And I'll keep the lines of communication open for your feedback, suggestions, and requests.

Right now, here is where I'm starting.

I can better support advocacy for social justice with our beneFIT classes, which provide financial donations and awareness for charitable organizations or causes in our community. We've begun making plans for our next beneFIT class. Stay tuned for more details about this virtual (and possibly in-studio) event that will bring together our community to support social justice.

I'm examining ways I can support people of color pursue a career in fitness. Diversity in instructors and trainers is crucial to making fitness a welcoming place, and supporting health and wellness in communities of color. With over 10 years in the fitness industry as an instructor and studio owner, I want to open the doors as wide as I can for those who are not well represented in this industry.

I am passionately seeking out voices of color dedicated to black wellness so I can better hear and see the experiences and perspective I do not have. My ideas, thoughts, and approach to fitness are shaded by my white upbringing and perspective. I recognize that creating a fitness experience based on what I enjoy without enough influence from voices of color can result in excluding or underserving my clients and communities of color. 

With all my heart, I am grateful for the voices that are speaking out. I pledge to use my voice and my privilege more, and will fight to create more space, justice, and love in this world for black lives.

Dana

​Join Freehouse Fitness for a live virtual class to support our Philadelphia healthcare workers!

On Saturday, May 30th at 10AM, Freehouse will host a 1 hour live class taught by Dana, Te'yana, and Amanda. Three powerhouse teachers are ready to bring the fire with their favorite moves and a nonstop flow. This will be a fierce and fabulous workout you won't want to miss!

*** Can't attend the live class? You can sign-up (spots are unlimited) to access the on demand video afterward or just make a donation!

​Cost: $25. Proceeds for this class will be donated to PPE 2 PHL, a team of Philadelphia-based health professional students providing healthcare workers with the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) they need to combat the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Every registration helps our healthcare workers and city stay safe! Thank you so much for your support.

​Ready to sweat with us? We can't wait!

​In the almost 4 years since Freehouse opened, we’ve offered over 200 free classes to say THANK YOU to our community for your support. And even though our studio is closed, we don't want to stop 💛 So we’re excited to offer a line-up of LIVE community classes. And we hope you can join us!

Friday, May 15th @ 12PM
30 minute Matness with Amanda

Thursday, May 21st @ 5:30PM
30 minute Matness with Amanda

Tuesday, May 26th @ 12PM
30 minute Matness with Amanda

Thursday, May 28th @ 5:30PM
30 minute Matness with Amanda

​The Class: A more grounded sculpting workout on the mat that will build strength and muscle tone in fun, creative ways! No props required but grab a set of light weights about 2-3lbs if you have them. Or substitute water bottles or cans!

New to freehouse? Join us! The workout is challenging but approachable no matter your fitness experience.

Details: This virtual video class will be hosted by Zoom. Registration closes 30 minutes prior to class beginning, then an email link to join the class will be sent out. This workout will only be available LIVE. There will not be a recording available afterward.
​

Freehouse Fitness is partnering with the amazing recreation apparel brand, Outdoor Voices for a free virtual workout next week! Join Dana and lots of fabulous fitness friends for a LIVE 45 minute sweaty sculpt class on Tuesday, May 19th at 12PM. 
​Note: The class is listed in Central Time on the registration page.

​For more details and to sign-up for this free workout (to be hosted on Zoom), visit the Outdoor Voices Event page​. Then...you may want to shop their super cute and comfortable apparel! Tip: The TechSweat™ crop top is a Freehouse instructor favorite!

We are so thankful for the opportunity to still workout with you all virtually. Hearing how much you've been enjoying the Freehouse Online videos and LIVE workouts is amazing! We'll keep 'em coming! And did you know that there are a few more options to keep moving with other Freehouse teachers too? Tracy, Courtney and Olivia are all virtually available to keep you feeling fit, healthy, strong and sane!

Workout with Tracy virtually with 1:1 personal training sessions guaranteed to kick your butt and make you smile! No equipment needed, just space for a mat. You'll be surprised by how easy and fun it is to train 1:1 online! Check out TracyLeighFitness.com or email [email protected]. for more details.

Stay grounded and find your at-home flow with Courtney. Take a private session in the comfort of your own home at a time that's perfectly convenient for you. Or share the love (and cost) with a friend! Reach out to Courtney at @fourtheloveofyoga. You can also flow with Courtney on YouTube and catch some free live yoga/meditation sessions at Four Love's IG page.

Love a great pairing? How about Yoga + HIIT with Olivia (and Kat)! Join this power team for virtual, alignment-based workouts at @_bacon_berry_ and on their Bacon Berry YouTube page, with all donations supporting relief work. You can also book Olivia for a private or small group virtual yoga class! Email [email protected] for more details.

Miss your rebounder workouts? We do too! Let's jump together.

Instead of letting the rebounder sit in our studio, we're going to put them to use. We are offering 12 rebounders for weekly rental while our studio is closed and will provide 3 weekly rebounder workouts for you on our video website freehouseonline.vids.io. ​Hello endorphins!

Here are the details!

• Requirements: Due to the value of the rebounders, we are only able to rent to existing Freehouse clients who have taken a minimum of 20 classes at our studio.
• What you're receiving: a 44" bellicon premium rebounder with stainless steel frame and fold-up legs - so it can be stored easily in a lot of places! ($1000 retail)
• Price: $40/week with a 2 week minimum. So the first charge will be $80 for 2 weeks. Each week after that is $40. The weeks run Saturday to Friday and there's no limit to how long you can keep the rebounder, up until the time we reopen!
• The pick-up: The rebounders will be available for (first) pick up on Saturday, March 21st between 9-11AM. If you need another pick-up time, email us and we'll try to accommodate it.
• The return: If you want to return the rebounder (before the studio reopens) the first return date is Friday, April 3rd or any Friday after from 9-11AM. We need you to tell us by Wednesday end of day if you are bringing the rebounder back on Friday.
• The studio re-opening: We will provide 24-48 hours notice in 'calling the rebounders back' for the studio re-opening and will adjust or refund the rental charge for that week.
• Agreement: Upon reserving a rebounder, we'll email you a short agreement for you to virtually sign before pick-up.
• Staying safe: Rebounders will be thoroughly wiped and sanitized before pick-up. We will have them available for you at the door of the studio. We ask you to thoroughly wipe and sanitize prior to your return.

How do you sign up?

Book a spot in our Saturday, March 21st Rebound Rental "class" that will be posted at 5PM. Booking a spot means you've reserved a rebounder! *there's no actual class* After reserving a rebounder, we'll email you shortly with confirmation details.

It quickly became clear yesterday with the continuing developments of COVID-19 that it’s the right time to take this step. We hate to say it, but effective immediately, our studio will be temporarily closed. This was a difficult but collective decision by the freehouse team. A team that loves teaching and loves our clients SO much! But we truly felt it was in everyone’s best interest and would be a valuable step to take in keeping everyone safe.

With this, here are a few important and helpful things to know. If you have any questions, please email us​!

​QUESTION >>  Do I need to cancel my classes?
<<  No. We're doing that for everyone now for all classes starting today, March 16th.

QUESTION >>  What happens to my classes that you cancel?
<<  They go back on your account for you to reschedule and use when we re-open!

QUESTION >>  Will you extend the expiration dates of my classes that will expire before I can use them?
<<  Absolutely. We don't want you to lose any classes. We won't be making changes right now in MindBody as we don't know the timing of our closure, and who would need an extension. But once we reopen, if you have a class that expired after March 1st, just email us a quick request to reactivate and you'll be all set!

QUESTION >>  I have a monthly auto-renewing package. Will it be suspended?
<<  Definitely. A few clients requested a suspension earlier in the week and we activated the freeze on those dates. For our clients who continued to take class this week, their packages will be suspended as of today. We'll be very thorough with any updates and communication regarding a future reactivation when the time comes!

QUESTION >>  Do you think you'll open in 2 weeks?
<<  It's a wait and see kind of thing! We'll keep you posted.

QUESTION >>  Do you have any workouts online?
<<  We will! We'll have 30 minute workouts online starting Tuesday (tomorrow) or Wednesday. Stay tuned for details!

QUESTION >>  Is there anything we can do to support the studio during the closure?
<<  Some clients have asked us this and it is so very thoughtful of you! We'll provide an option/suggestion for this related to our online classes in our next post :)


Did we miss anything? Please feel free to email us with any other questions!
​

Being a local, Philly-born studio that's part of the community means so much to us! It inspires how we build relationships with our clients, how we support local organizations, schools and businesses, how we give back to charitable causes for our clients, and how we offer free classes for our community. A lot of free classes!

In the past 3 and a half years, Freehouse has offered over 190 free classes. That's an average of 1 free class a week! We add these classes generously to our schedule as a way to say thank you and give back to our clients, as an opportunity for clients to make-up a missed class, and as an open door for anyone in our community to enjoy a free workout at a boutique studio.

Sign up for a monthly community/make-up class! These occur the second Sunday of the month at 12PM and they are mat-based sculpting workouts with props. The classes are posted on our schedule and anyone can book a spot up to 3 weeks in advance. 

Take class with a teacher in training. These classes pop up on the schedule each month and are announced on IG stories. The instructors are always well trained and practiced, and usually have already been teaching for a while! We just like to run a few free 'mock' classes whenever a teacher takes on another type of freehouse class (i.e. absession, burnout) to build their comfort with timing and flow. These classes are available to book online as soon as they are posted.

Community classes have been a long standing part of our studio in the past, and will continue to be an important part of our studio in the future. Thank you for being a part of our community and welcoming us into yours!
​

On any given day, a client walks through our door and gives us a long-lost greeting. "Hi! I'm back! I know it's been a while." It's often said with a hint of sheepishness... reflecting how our "be stronger than your excuses" culture can cause guilt and imply it's weak to let fitness fall away. But it's not. It's life. 

Sometimes it's something big that changes everything. An injury. A job. A move. A birth. A death. Or sometimes life becomes increasingly busy and fitness fades into the background as we juggle priorities. It happens to everyone. 

What matters is that as soon as you're able to (logistically, physically, emotionally), start to clear room for fitness to come back into your daily or weekly life. You know that once you do, everything feels a little bit better, and that's something to look forward to!

The start-up or return can be challenging though. Your body may not be at it's best so it can be physically difficult. And there's mental stamina and energy needed to put yourself back into a workout environment. So be mindful of how you start to integrate fitness back into your life and try this approach as you make the transition.

1. Start with workouts you really, really enjoy. What type of exercise is your favorite? What workout environment is most comfortable for you? Don't factor in the intensity or whether the type of workout will help with any personal goals you might have longer term (i.e. weight, body composition). It's important to just enjoy the experience as you get back into the swing! 

2. Prioritize frequency. It's about building a mindset and making space for fitness and activity on a daily basis. Any amount of time is better than nothing when it comes to building a routine because it's a stepping stone to building more at a later date! So seize any 10, 20, 30 minute opportunities to workout. Do any kind of movement, at any rate of intensity. Just start moving.

3. Go stronger with strengthening when you have those options to choose from. Physically speaking, cardio does require strength. Cardio asks your body to move with speed, power and agility. Having a baseline of strength will make your cardio more enjoyable and more beneficial. So if it's been a while since you've worked out, your body will usually feel better with building strength first.

4. Hold off on setting attainment goals. There are a lot of factors that go into making big changes in our bodies, and while setting attainment goals can be motivating for some, it's not the only approach or the right approach for everyone.  And setting goals too soon is like trying to run before you walk. Bring fitness back into your life, schedule, brain and body first, then set goals (if you want to)!

Try to enjoy your whole fitness journey - the ups and the downs, the good streaks and the not-so-good ones. Don't judge yourself for it. Just get excited for the opportunity to exercise again! Get excited to walk back into studios you've been away from, knowing that we will always be SO happy to see you and share a workout with you.

See you at the studio!
​Dana