Carrie Skinner Fitness (Cork City, Ireland)

I qualified as an Hour of Power Instructor in May, 2012. I was looking for a new class to teach, that was high energy, effective, not a ‘fad’, and most of all, fun. Somewhat selfishly, I found HOP® to cover all the bases, and I love teaching the class because it’s continually challenging to both to me and my HOP®-ers. I started teaching right away and it’s by far my most popular class, every week.

The giggles, conversation and catch-ups between clients happen as per any normal class, but as soon as the music starts, the gang know that this is their time. They take a few breaths to ground themselves and forget about their day, and to really focus on being there for the following 60 minutes.

They say the squat section lasts forever, but I know they secretly love it! And the ab-section is so popular they ask ‘Carrie can we do HOP® abs please?’ in other classes during the week.

I have a hard-core group of HOP®-ers who turn up week after week, but they are the most welcoming bunch to nervous newbies. A sly smile, a ‘you’ll be grand’ and they are welcomed into the HOP® community.

For myself as an instructor, there is nothing more rewarding than seeing a new HOP®-er come back for more, and better yet, spreading the word. A close second is every time I tell a client they are ready for a heavier weight.

HOP® is still new in Ireland, indeed I am one of only 3 Instructors in the country, and I can’t wait for the word to spread even more.

Classes from the beginning were popular, and almost 9 months later, HOP® fever has well and truly struck in Cork. Each week up to 16 women and men come to my class.

It truly is the Ultimate Workout. My classes are attended by high school students, sportspeople looking for off-season training and everyone in between. I even have fellow fitness instructors attending for their own fitness because they love it so much! The beauty of the class is that you challenge yourself with your weight selection, and once one weight is mastered and you move up to the next dumbbell, it’s like starting all over again. I’ve also recently introduced HOP to the corporate world, teaching two classes a week to desk workers in a their company gym. The focus on breathing technique and exercising in good postural alignment is the perfect antidote to their sedentary office jobs

About the Instructor

I am Carrie Skinner. A fitness instructor with a passion for life.

I started my own HOP® journey with the HOP® DVD. I was busy- studying and working 2 jobs so my fitness was on the backburner. The HOP® DVD was just the thing I needed to kickstart myself back to it- especially since I had decided to pursue health and fitness as a career and was studying to become a fitness instructor. I started, honestly, with 0.5kg weights, and moved up to 3kg’s slowly with practice, good technique and improved strength.

The more I did the DVD, the more I wished there was a class I could join near me to share the experience. So it was only logical that I become a HOP® Instructor! I travelled to London in early January 2012 for the training course and started teaching in May.

Carrie Skinner Fitness (carrieskinnerfitness.com)

See Carrie’s HOP® Instructor profile
Read personal testimonials from class participants