Sage YMCA Fitness Spotlight with Fitness Director Stephanie Vedder
At the Sage YMCA, we know that fitness is more than just a workout — it’s also endurance, confidence, and support! That’s why our programs are mindfully designed to meet the needs of every individual, no matter your age or skill level. We meet you where you are, so you can meet your goals.
Sage Y Fitness Director Stephanie Vedder recently spoke with us about her journey at the YMCA and what sets our fitness programming apart.
What inspired you to become a Fitness Director at the YMCA?
I have been in the fitness industry for almost 30 years. During this time, I was an interim Fitness Director on and off until about 2010, when I became a Group Exercise Coordinator. I absolutely loved designing classes, coming up with new, fun formats, and helping manage a team. When the opportunity came up in 2012 to be a Manager, I went for it.
In December 2022, the fitness center I was at for 25 years closed its Crystal Lake location, and I was being moved to Huntley. I received a message from an employee at Sage YMCA that they heard of the closing of the Crystal Lake Fitness Center and that the Y might have an opportunity for me. I met with Sage YMCA Executive Director Mike LaManna, and I absolutely loved Sage Y and the opportunity to become a Director. This allowed for the Personal Trainer aspect of fitness to be under my wings and would give me an added challenge that I desired. The Group Exercise schedule was small, and I was so excited to build it and bring over hundreds of members.
Staying in Crystal Lake was a must for me. I have lived here my entire life, built a fitness name for myself in the town, adored the members, and built a family-like community with them. Making the move to the Sage Y was a bit scary after 25 years in one place. However, I was also excited to stay in Crystal Lake and keep our community together. I love the YMCA and Sage. The day I started, I was welcomed with open arms, and it felt like home immediately.
What’s a typical day like for you as a Fitness Director at the YMCA?
There is actually no such thing! Every single day is different. That is the beauty of it. 99% of the time, whatever plan I had for the day doesn’t happen, either because something else came up or members needed more attention or something broke and needed attention.
Emails, walkthroughs of studios and the fitness center, cleaning, and being available for members and my team are about the only thing that is consistent daily. Group exercise alone is a HUGE beast and must have special attention every day, whether it is with the members, equipment, studios, planning, or the YX app.
What sets the fitness programs at the YMCA apart from other gyms or community centers?
The Y is very family oriented and welcomes everyone. The camaraderie of the Y is above and beyond most others. There are friendships and dedication to our programs that most places don’t have. We offer more group classes than our local competitors.
How do you ensure that the fitness classes are inclusive and accessible to all members of the community?
We promote our classes through social media and word of mouth. We offer classes that fit the needs of every age and fitness level to ensure that every single person who comes to Sage Y has a class that would suit their needs. We continue to monitor these and continue to add to our impressive schedule as needed.
How does the YMCA’s approach to fitness go beyond just physical exercise?
We have developed a community inside our Hub. We offer things for the kids and the whole family. We do fun events such as Healthy Kids Day, Breakfast with Santa, and Corporate Events, and we get out into the community for events such as Family Night Out in Downtown Crystal Lake.
How do you keep your fitness programming relevant and engaging for all ages and fitness levels?
My team is outstanding! We welcome everyone, and we give modifications throughout class. We know who is new in the room so we take extra care to watch these participants so we can give options.
In our freestyle classes, we are great at mixing music from all different genres and decades to give everyone of all ages something they like. We make announcements to make everyone feel comfortable, such as “Do what you works best for YOU today” and “Not every workout needs to be over the top, lets focus more on form today and less weight.”
How do you incorporate feedback from members to improve the fitness offerings at your YMCA?
If it is within my power and others would benefit from a request or feedback, then I make it happen. For example, I had requests for evening classes geared for the older demographic that work, so we added multiple SilversSneakers classes and a Les Mills Thrive class that are formatted for everyone, with emphasis on 55+.
How do you foster a sense of community and support within your fitness classes?
We offer Myzone which is a great talking point and really fun way to get members and staff to come together. Instructors are also in class about 15 min before the start, which gives time to mingle with members, meet new participants, and get the class chatting with each other.
As instructors, we do our best to learn names and use these names as fun ways to communicate during class. We also ask the class for their music requests or what types of moves or equipment they want for the next week for freestyle classes so that they have a say. This makes them feel like they helped choreograph the class and love it.
Can you describe how your fitness programs impact the health and wellbeing of the local community?
We hands-down help better the quality of life for our community. Not only through fitness but also through friendships, collaboration, and communication.
What are the key benefits of movement and exercise that you think people often overlook?
I think they overlook things such as balance. We may do a bicep curl on one leg to incorporate balance. We try and educate them on the importance, and they may even realize that if they slip and DO NOT fall, this is partly due to balance!
Stretching is another benefit for those who love high impact and fast paced classes. In order to avoid injury and stay flexible, these types of classes are important.
One other benefit is the strengthening of muscles that support the integrity of the joints. These MUST be worked, and they can get this benefit from Barre and Pilate classes along with LITE classes that focus on this.
What unique offerings can members look forward to?
In the past two years that I have been with the Sage Y, we have added formats such as Barre, Pilates with Props, Hybrid Pilates, LITE classes, Yogalates, Chair Pilates, Chair Strength, SilverSneakers, Les Mills Thrive, Les Mills Dance, Les Mills , Les Mills Grit, Les Mills Sprint, Les Mills Core, Les Mills Bodyattack, Kickboxing, Restorative Yoga, Deep Stretch, and mixed cycle classes.
What role do fitness instructors play in motivating and supporting members?
The instructor IS the motivation and support. If the instructor comes in saying they are tired and have no energy that just sets the stage for the class. So they come in ready and prepared, with smiles and music playing during set up to bring out their excitement. Right away, you see the excitement of the members.
The instructor watches the class, if they see them struggling, they encourage! We also take the time after class to approach members that we may have seen frustrated and make them feel good about their accomplishments and give support and advice if we feel it is needed.
What advice would you give to someone who is hesitant about starting their fitness journey?
First a Wellness Consultation is a must! This gets beginners started and allows them a staff member to go to that they feel comfortable with. I would tell them to invest in a couple of sessions with a trainer. This will give them the confidence to do things on their own, so they don’t feel “silly” not knowing how to work machines or lift weights.
I would highlight classes for them to start with that would make them feel comfortable and not “out of place” as they learn moves and what to expect in Group Exercise. Sage Y will be offering Small Group Package classes again in January and these are tailored to those who register and are also a great starting point.
Learn more about what the Sage YMCA has to offer through our Hub Offerings webpage. There, you’ll find our most up-to-date group fitness schedule, registration links for fitness classes, and more information on multi-class programs.