Recreational Sports

You may recognize Adison Pigg from seeing her around Dixon Recreation Center. She is a Zumba and Yoga class instructor.  “Shy” would probably not be the first word you would use to describe her. Prior to teaching Fit Pass classes, Pigg says she was very quiet. However, through her teaching and work for the Department of Recreational Sports she’s been able to grow in her self-confidence and interpersonal skills, as well as work towards her own personal fitness goals.

Her mother taught Pilates and Yoga, but Pigg didn’t want to follow the same path: “I don’t want to do what my mom did.” As an avid lover of dance and all forms of creative movement, she found herself drawn to fitness.

This passion led her to begin practicing Vinyasa, a form of Yoga where students coordinate movement with breath to flow from one pose to the next. She started participating in Zumba three years ago. Soon after she received her certifications to teach both Yoga and Zumba. This provided the perfect opportunity to pursue her passions and aligned well with her future career aspirations to become a fit coach.

This passion has benefitted her in various areas of her life. Instructing a large group of people throughout the week has helped her build confidence, especially in terms of public speaking skills. She has also been able to make connections with students and co-workers who she feels share the same goals and passions as her. Members are familiar with her face and this encourages others to approach her and ask their fitness questions both in and out of the gym setting. This often leads to even further conversations, which allows her to connect with others and build meaningful relationships within the community.

In addition to the social and career growth, Pigg also loves the physical benefits of having a job that allows her to spend so much time on fitness. She enjoys practicing Yoga and staying fit, “I love always being able to do new things with my body.” And through her frequent practice she has discovered, “The body can do amazing things with practice and consistency.”

For her, it is all about growth. She started weight-lifting last term. She recounted that the first few times were daunting, but she grew to love it as she continued to practice and work on her technique. She advises others that it may be uncomfortable the first few times you try something new, but suggests coming with a friend.  “Find something you love enough to do several times a week which can help you achieve your fitness goals.”

 As for those times she feels hopeless, she always reminds herself: “If I’m consistent, no matter what, I’ll see progress.”