Meet Sharyn von Trapp, a dedicated two year member of the Graviton community!
When she's not pushing herself in the gym, Sharyn is a physical education teacher in Arlington, where she loves helping kids learn, move, and have fun. Outside of work, Sharyn has a busy home life with her wife, Kiersten, and their two boys, Taz (9) and Spencer (5, almost 6). "I also have two French bulldogs that are awesome and I make everybody see them." Sharyn’s dogs, Bella and Pancakes, even have their own Instagram, and they follow Graviton!
Sharyn's passion for sports and fitness runs deep. Growing up, she played a lot of competitive sports, including rugby and football. Now, as a member of Graviton, she’s rediscovered her love for lifting heavy and the thrill of competition. "I work out because it makes me feel good, it helps me get rid of my 'crazy.’ she says. “I also played a lot of competitive sports growing up... so I’m very into lifting heavy and competitiveness, and so this is scratching the itch for me in a safer way."
Her journey at Graviton started during the pandemic when her previous gym closed, and she was searching for a new place to work out. "I looked up Graviton, I stopped by, and it was perfect - it was awesome," she remembers. Since then, her workouts have also become much more exciting and rewarding. "Coming to Graviton has made my workouts a lot more fun,” she says.
One of Sharyn’s proudest moments came when she accomplished something she thought was out of reach. "My biggest accomplishment so far is climbing the rope at 42 years of age," she says. She credits the gym's focus on core exercises for strengthening her abilities. "My favorite part is always pushing myself and learning new exercises... I love learning the new core exercises that they put out."
When it comes to advice for newcomers to Graviton, Sharyn has one key piece of wisdom: "Take it slow." She recalls how eager she was when she first started, but quickly learned that consistency and gradual progress are key. "When I first started, I was like 'I’m going to come every day!' and that is not realistic. And so taking it slow and really putting the time and the tempo in… but it’s hard. It is good, but it is hard."
Finally, Sharyn wanted to shout out the coaches who have helped her along the way. "I love coming to different classes at different times of the day so that I can get a different coach each time. Each coach has little different pointers and they all have great things and helpful things to encourage [you]."
Sharyn’s journey at Graviton is a perfect example of how passion, consistency, and a little fun can lead to growth. Whether she's lifting weights, teaching kids, or cheering on her family, she always puts her all into it and can be counted on to do it with a smile!