AMANDA KLOOTS’S MISSION: POSITIVITY
How did you go from Broadway to AK! Fitness?
Why did you bring this class to Equinox?
I have always been an Equinox-lover, obsessed with the Equinox brand, and I always believed that Equinox just had the best fitness classes. And so when I created AK! Rope I was like, “this needs to be in Equinox.” It just felt like it was the perfect partnership. I was so happy when they offered up the partnership with me because I've always wanted to be a part of the Equinox family and I'm just so grateful to be here. And I hope that everybody really enjoys this class.
What was the inspiration behind AK! Rope?
What are your passions outside of fitness?
Right now I'm teaching myself how to play the piano. I have a little boy [Elvis] who is keeping me very busy. [He’s] almost two and he's definitely one of my passions. I also am really enjoying finding new hobbies, and one of them is horseback riding.
Do you have a mantra?
I have a couple, but my one that I always end every class with is “Make yourself as big as you can.” And I have everybody stand in a star pose, which is a pose where you have your arms out and your legs open and you're lifting your chest to the ceiling. We spend so much of our lives hunched over a phone, or driving, or at a computer and we don't take time to stretch and make ourselves big and whole and feel like we're really taking charge of our space.
How have you maintained your positivity?
Keeping the smile is not easy. I do try to live a very positive, glass half full lifestyle. But, to give you an example, I went to bed last night in tears. This grief wave rollercoaster that I'm on, and that our whole country and world is on because of the past year, is real, and you can't neglect that.
But as soon as I woke up this morning, I was like, “okay, yes, I can.” I find my positive thought of the day [and] I carry that with me. I put on music that's uplifting and motivational, and I'm very rooted in my faith so I really look to God to give me that strength every day. And I throw my shoulders back, I lift my chin, and I look at the beautiful sunshine, the sky that we have here in Los Angeles, and I'm grateful. There's a beautiful quote [that says] if you can find one thing every day that you're grateful for, at the end of the week you have a beautiful bouquet of flowers. I try to remember that too.
Can you tell us about being a mom to Elvis?
Being a mom is, to me, the best thing in the entire world. You become so selfless in a way because you really focus all your energy and attention on keeping somebody else alive and happy. The minute I see him smile, it fills me with joy. The minute I see him do something that he didn't do yesterday, it fills me with joy. And I thank God that he's here with me right now, because he's not only a little piece of Nick, but he's been keeping me so inspired and motivated every day. And I think one of the most beautiful things about being a mother is that you see this little person growing and you're helping to shape their world.
Tell us about the jump, skip, and smile tagline.
“Jump, skip, smile” came about when I was creating my brand. One of my big mantras is [being] grateful that you can move your body and be grateful that you can get out of bed in the morning, stand on two feet, that you can walk, that you can dance, that you can jump, that you can skip, and that you can smile. So we took that last little bit and I put it on my jump ropes to remind you that you can move your body and smile and be grateful while you're doing it.
What keeps you moving?
My health. [I know] it’s so important, especially after this year and this pandemic. And my little boy, keeping strong for him and being an excellent example of keeping a healthy lifestyle. This interview has been edited for clarity and concision.