How This Corepower Instructor Gets in a Sweat with Only 30 Mins – For the Girl on the Go
Ever feel like you are running a million miles a minute and have NO idea how you’re going to get in a sweat on any given day? I feel ya, GF! We’re all running around like crazy peeps going at 100 MPH, 24/7. I’m always wondering what to do in order to get the most efficient, EFFECTIVE workout if I only have 30 mins to spare – so I went straight to the source (a GOOD source), my friend Danielle. Danielle also happens to be a bad a$$ real estate agent, CorePower Yoga Instructor, Barre Instructor, Pilates Instructor AND Cycle Instructor. Need I say more? Well, I will 🙂
Her classes are INSANE and I love her positivity. Here is how she fits in a sweat when she only has 30 mins, plus some more goodies from her! Spoiler alert – she’ll even tell you that she eats chocolate every damn day. My kind of girl!
Q: Give the readers a low down on who you are 🙂
A: I’m Daniele! I am a 200 hour certified yoga instructor with additional training in Barre, Pilates, and Cycle.
I live in Chicago’s Gold Coast neighborhood and practice Real Estate by day. I am infinitely passionate about all things wellness and spend most of my free time exploring the fitness and wellness world. I’m addicted to chocolate, obsessed with my dog, and wear real pants once every six months (maybe) 🙂
Q: Tell the readers all about your (tons of) certifications and how ya stumbled in on this career.
A: This is one of my favorite stories! My grandma managed a gym and taught yoga classes in her younger years. Her and I were very close and when she passed away it took a toll on me. Ironically enough, Corepower had opened up in my hometown around that same time. I was a college student at the time and told myself I would check it out for the free week only. On one level it seemed like a way to connect with my grandmother, on another it seemed like a healthy way to cope with the loss. I went in for my first class and the instant it ended I know it was exactly where I needed to be. If I can give you any wise yogi advice it is this- there is a strange pull you will feel to the places and things that are meant to be on your path. Listen to it. Follow it. I had no idea why being in that studio and in those classes felt like home, but looking back, every good thing I have now has stemmed from that moment.
A few years later I was teaching Yoga Sculpt in the West Loop a barre instructor approached me insisting my style was perfect for barre. Again, I knew nothing about barre but I liked the idea of branching out of yoga. I was trained at The Barre Code in 2014 and have been teaching there ever since.
I was privately trained in reformer pilates a few years ago and dabbled in teaching cycle for a while as well. Currently I am only teaching Barre, Hot Yoga, and Yoga Sculpt as my real estate job has become more demanding.
Q: OK – you have the busiest day but you want to get in a quick sweat and have 30 minutes. What do you do?
A: It really depends what I need that day. If it’s cardio, I will let one of my running playlist roll and run to the ups and downs of the beats. This is a good way to not overthink interval training. For example, when the beat drops and the music becomes faster and more intense, sprint. Once the music starts to slow down, slow your pace down. Interval training is the best way to get an effective short workout in. If it’s strength training I need, I’ll take it back to basics with a simple circuit consists of moves for each area of the body. For Example:
- 1 minute plank hold (core)
- 1 minute wall sit (legs)
- 10 tricep dips (arms/triceps)
- 10 body or weight squats (legs, whole body)
- 10 push-ups (arms/chest/back)
- 1 minute glute bridge hold (glutes)
Repeat until you hit that 30 minute mark or burn out. I know this is insanely simple, but if you only have 30 minutes and over-complicate your moves you’ll spend more time trying to figure out how to do them rather than actually doing them. This is also my hotel room workout because it requires nothing but my body!
Q: Your body is killer, and I know you always are doing something different. What is the one workout you couldn’t live without and why?
A: I’ll try anything and everything when it comes to a new workout, but I always come back to hot yoga. I know this is where I will lose cardio enthusiasts or endurance junkies, but hear me out! One hour of power or hot yoga is all encompassing. You will work your legs, core and arms, while also stretching them. You’ll connect your breath with your movement and use that focus to move away from the chaos in your head to a moving meditation. A heated room will warm your muscles to deeply stretch them and you’ll sweat out anything you’re holding on to. One hour of yoga is one hour of nurturing your body in every way.
I can’t live without yoga because it reminds me how strong and capable my body is. Mentally, it brings me back down to earth and helps me feel centered. Plus the heat just feels SO damn good.
Q: Out of all of the different classes you’ve taught, what is your favorite aspect of each?
A: Ah so many things!
Yoga sculpt is my baby. I’ve been teaching it for six years and the community I’ve built around is really special to me. At any point in the class someone from the back might yell something encouraging to someone in the front. I lose my voice yelling over 60 students often and when they sense that my students might start counting for me. I think it’s become this way because the class is so intense you feel a responsibility to carry on for each other. You cover every part of the body plus a stretch and yoga flow in a room heated over 95 degrees. Somehow it is both a killer workout and a feel good place to be.
Hot Power Fusion is such a mix of fire and ice. We work really hard the first half of class and when we hit supine pigeon to slow down you can just feel the relief in the room. There is a moment when I look around right before savasana and everyone is completely zoned out, that sense of calm is so pure in such a hectic world.
And Barre- it’s SO underrated. Once you really learn the movements and sensations you’re supposed to feel in them, you’ll shake from beginning to end. I actually cannot emphasize how awesome that shake in the the thighs is enough. I look around the room near the end of a thigh set and these girls are shaking and holding on for dear life until I say release. When I do, the sense of accomplishment in their faces is so satisfying.
Q: Tell us about the demographics of each class that you teach. Any dudes? Anyone older? AKA how does a girl convince her boyfriend, friend or mom to join your classes? I remember bringing my mom to your pilates class and it was so fun!
A: That was fun! You need to get your moms secrets for this blog, she looks amazing!
Yoga sculpt and HPF are starting to see more and more men in class than in the past. In my Monday night sculpt I had 61 people total, 10 of them were men. In a class of 26 HPFer’s, 11 of them were men. They definitely aren’t alone, just outnumbered. The age range varies so much here. Monday night the youngest student was 17 years old, the oldest was 59. The bulk of class is usually 20-40’s with a handful of badass 50 to 60 year olds who are unstoppable. Personally, I’m really big on letting my student modify as needed. I’m not going to expect a 60 year old with two knee surgeries to the same amount of squat jumps as a perfectly healthy 20 year old. You know your body better than anyone else – so customize the moves accordingly. Don’t worry, you won’t stick out, everyone does it!
I see a lot of girls trick their boyfriends into taking Yoga Sculpt by telling them it is just a normal yoga class, which is pretty funny to watch. Usually once they take it, tricked into it or not, they are hooked! Yoga sculpt is for endurance junkies and those who need pure intensity in a workout. If your parents already work out that way, awesome. If not, probably better to ease them in with a power yoga class first.
HPF is an easy sell for dudes. It is so complimentary to every sport, as well as lifting and strength work. I see a lot of pro athletes come to HPF, they almost always tell me their coaches strongly encourage yoga. I’ve actually convinced my dad to take HPF by telling him it’s in a dark room and he can hide in the back corner (he did). Newbies will do this a lot and as time goes on I’ll slowly see them emerge from their hiding spots in class and make their way to the front. It takes a little time for the weary to understand that we really do check our egos at the door in yoga.
Barre is almost all women with the occasional guy who lost a bet. I’m sure it doesn’t help that the studio is mostly pink. Barre is available for anyone to take, although I do think it’s tailored more for a women’s body. Through core work we do a lot of pelvic floor strengthening (it’s so important!) which means a lot of thrusting hip type movements. Most of class is 20- 30 somethings with a few 40- 50 year olds. Barre is so gentle on the joints, yet efficient and modifiable. I strongly encourage it for any age.
Q: Go-to kick-@$$ workout song? Your playlists are always SO on point.
A: So many I don’t even know where to start! Go to my Spotify, steal all my playlist, they are public! Many of my students ask for them after class to run or workout on their own.
A few all stars: Do You Even Lift? T-Cheezy; Chris Cox Mega Mix (5 minutes of Britney); Unlimited Combinations- Bassnecter; Seven Cities- Armin Van Buuren Remix; Hello Chicago- Tom Swoon Remix, Topher Jones
Q: What is your favorite workout fuel and post fuel?
A: My job in Real Estate is allows me to be flexible in my schedule so I have the luxury of working out mid morning most days. Breakfast is always my biggest meal of the day. I load up on healthy fats, fiber and protein in the morning and workout a few hours later. That combination keeps me fueled for a long time. Most mornings this means:
Overnight oats -soak oats overnight in yogurt, add in whatever you want. I do cacao nibs, almond butter, and blueberries.
Smoothie bowl- vegan vanilla protein powder, frozen dark cherries or acai, almond butter, cacao or maca powder. Topped with a little granola.
I eat a piece of dark chocolate after breakfast every. single. day. I’ve done this forever. Dark chocolate over 72% cacao is good for you!
Post workout fuel usually ends up being lunch or dinner but if I work out and can’t have either of those within an hour I’ll go for a quick simple protein or fruit. Two scoops of almond butter, a clean protein bar (RX bar) or a few slices of pineapple.
Side notes: Pineapple is good for muscle recovery! Also- I try to stay away from dairy as much as I can. I’m an almond butter junkie so I’ve learned to be careful when buying it. Make sure the label reads nuts and salt, nothing else. Some brands sneak things like powdered sugar in to keep it thick and cheap. Not worth it.
Q: Spill your typical weekly sweat regime, please!
A: So this is really an ever changing experiment. Right now I’m playing with taking more recovery days than usual and working out when my body feels ready rather than when my legs are still barely functioning.
Typically my week looks like this-
1 Cardio workout- An interval run, Soulcycle class, or Brawl at the Barre Code.
2 Barre classes – for strengthening and toning.
2 Yoga classes- sometimes a Yoga Sculpt and a c2, sometimes just C2, it really depends on how I’m feeling.
*C2 is Corepower’s level 2 heated vinyasa.
Almost every day includes an hour long walk with my dog if it’s warm enough. If not, I always try to hit 10k steps on those days. I am the girl walking laps around my office.
Q: Such amazing info, thank you!!! Where can everyone find you and follow you?!
A: Instagram: @deepresto
Spotify: Daniele Presto
I’m at Corepower Gold Coast three times a week:
Monday 7:15pm Yoga Sculpt (get there early to get a spot!)
Wednesday 8:30pm HPF
Thursday 10:30am Yoga Sculpt
My name on the schedule is Daniele P.
At The Barre Code Michigan Avenue
Tuesday at 12:15pm Barre Code
Daniele on the schedule 🙂
Alright you guys – if you’re local to Chicago, I’m telling you you need to book one of Danielle’s classes STAT. And IDK about you, but I am for sure adding that quick sweat to my notes in my phone for when I’m in a pinch. Thanks Danielle!
