I had the opportunity to join The Dailey Method’s Align and Shine Challenge in October. It was my first time at the studio and I am so glad I participated. Exercise has been intimidating for me due to a neck injury but I always felt comfortable and safe in The Dailey Method’s classes and they have helped me to get back on track! 

The Injury

Two years ago I was stopped at a red light on my way home from the gym and I was rear ended quite badly by another car that didn’t stop. I instantly got whiplash from the impact and two discs in my neck shifted. There were some days when the pain was so bad it would affect everyday activities like doing dishes, holding grocery bags and doing one of the things I love the most, going on photo walks for littlemissottawa. I’ve always been very active but I’ve had to take a lot of pauses and be extremely careful with exercise.

Recovery

On and off I would try and resume my exercise goals but pain from my injury was holding me back. I was finally placed with a good physiotherapist this past February and my biggest takeaway was that slowly but surely, building back the muscle in my upper back/core would help decrease the pain. A huge seller for me to join The Dailey Method challenge was their ongoing emphasis on alignment being essential to preventing injury. I fell in love with their barre classes. These classes consist of repetitions of smaller movements. It was a great opportunity for me to build up my muscle without overdoing it. I was able to target muscle groups and determine the area I needed to work on most (shoulders!). They offer a mix of barre, spin, and yoga classes so that you’re able to get everything you need in one spot! The instructors were aware of my neck injury and were able to make modifications to exercises for me without any hesitations. I was never in pain during any of the classes and I felt myself get stronger as early as the second class!

Why I love The Dailey Method

I would recommend this place to anyone and here’s why:

Community

Going to a new gym can be intimidating but not here. The instructors are so friendly and approachable! They know your name and motivate you throughout the whole class. Whenever I had any questions or concerns they were happy to help out.  They were also very supportive in ensuring that I was in proper form for the various exercises for the whole class.

Commitment

One of the many things I loved about the Dailey Method is that you use their app to sign up for classes. It’s so convenient and you can opt-in to adding the classes to your calendar. This ensures you have time carved out to attend the class so it is prioritized with other activities in your calendar! Another great bonus is that all you need to bring is your workout outfit and yourself. They have the rest ready for you from mats, towels, lockers with locks and more! All of this combined makes it easy to stay committed to classes and to taking care of yourself which is so important!

Form

They place a high emphasis on alignment which is so important to me! This ensures you have proper form when doing the exercises and decreases the chances of injury. Having the instructors there to guide me was so helpful. Whenever a position needed an adjustment they would help me without hesitation. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable and their teachers go through extensive training to ensure you’re getting the safest form of exercise possible. After my first barre class, I could already feel myself getting stronger. As I’ve learned from physio, regular conditioning of the core muscles is vital for supporting your back/neck and preventing injuries. The Dailey Method classes emphasize strengthening the abdominal muscles from start to finish.

Variety

Another benefit of The Dailey Method is that they have a variety of classes you can add to your schedule.

My favourite class was the barre classes. It was my first time ever doing barre classes and I immediately loved them. In just one barre class I was able to work all my different muscle groups and it was perfect for showing me what I needed to work on and in helping me to increase my strength. Their fusion class is a mix of barre and cardio. Their spin classes is high energy cardio on a bike. Their yoga classes are perfect for flexibility and relaxation. All of these classes combined creates the perfect workout regimen. Every single class had catchy playlists and the right tempo whether you needed to kick your workout into high gear or cool down. Just when you you’re tempted to quit in a workout, the perfect beat will come and you’ll power through it and feel amazing for it. For all classes, modifications can be made to ensure that all of of the movements address your level of need and comfort. Another benefit was that no classes were ever the same with a variety of movements and music.

Whether you’re looking to get active, increase muscle tone, improve cardio endurance, posture, stay healthy, or get back into fitness after an injury like me, the The Dailey Method is the place to go. You’ll instantly feel a part of The Dailey Method community and will look forward to challenging yourself among friends in the different classes. They have plenty of plans and packages to suit your needs. Try it out for yourself and let me know what you think of it through Instagram, Twitter or Facebook or feel free to reach out if you have any questions about my fitness journey here.