82: Meet Inspiring Group X Leader, Carolyn Coleman!

Leading a workout is one thing. But leading people day after day, year after year, and truly changing lives? That's something else entirely. 

In this inspiring episode of Group X Appeal, Kimberly and Terry welcome Carolyn Coleman—seasoned fitness professional, studio leader at Life Time Laguna Niguel, devoted wife and mother—for an intimate conversation about purpose, passion, and the power of showing up for something bigger than yourself.

From her start in the cassette tape and step aerobics era (with corded mics!) to her current role developing instructors and building community, Carolyn shares the unexpected moment that transformed how she viewed her teaching career.

Discover what keeps her inspired after decades in the industry, her biggest challenge as an instructor, the legacy she hopes to leave behind, and why stepping just outside your comfort zone is where the real magic happens.

Whether you're a fitness professional seeking leadership inspiration or someone wondering what separates good instructors from truly transformational ones, this conversation reveals the heart, wisdom, and grounded compassion behind sustainable impact in group fitness.

Plus: Carolyn's power playlist might surprise you (ACDC to Britney Spears? You'll have to listen).

Follow Carolyn on IG: @carolynbutterfly0913

Follow us on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube - @groupxappeal.

Questions or topic ideas? Email us @ groupxappeal@gmail.com

Get your FREE Guide To Holistic Well-Being here: https://gxaguide.com/

Stay Connected with Kimberly:
- @kimberlyspreenglick on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube
- email: kimberly@theinspiredlifeuniversity.com
- website: www.theinspiredlifeuniversity.com

Stay Connected with Terry:
- @terryshorter on Instagram & Facebook
- email: terry@rippedplanet.com
- website: www.rippedplanet.com

Transcript

What does it take to build a lasting impact in the fitness industry? Not just for a season, but for a lifetime of service, leadership and transformation, because leading a workout is one thing. But leading people day after day and truly changing lives, that is something else entirely. And today's episode is all about purpose in motion and the power of showing up again and again for something bigger than yourself.

Kimberly/terry (01:00)
Welcome back to the Group X Appeal podcast where we celebrate the energy, the passion and life-changing impact of group fitness, right? Yes, group fitness, yes. So today we are honored to introduce a true leader in our industry. We've got Ms. Coleman in the house. Carolyn Coleman. Hi Carolyn. And by the way, yes, this is our 82nd episode. She is our star of the show today. The star of the show.

Carolyn Coleman (01:20)
Thank you for having me.

Kimberly/terry (01:28)
Yep. And also I'm Kimberly Spreen Glick and I am with I'm Terry Shorter. Yeah. You got us too. You get to have Carolyn, but you're stuck with us too. Yeah. So Carolyn, of course, is a seasoned fitness professional, a devoted wife and mother and the studio leader at the lifetime in Laguna Niguel, where we both teach there. She oversees the studio classes, cycle, yoga, signature group training programs. All these programs impact both the members and instructors at a really high level.

Yeah. And she's not just teaching classes, you guys, she is building community. She's developing instructors and creating spaces where people feel stronger. They feel seen and supported. Most definitely. Well, today we dive into Carolyn's journey, her leadership philosophy, how she balances it all, family, fitness and purpose. So get ready to be inspired by our special guest, Ms. Carolyn Coleman. Yay. So glad you're here, sister.

Carolyn Coleman (02:11)
Thank you.

Thank so much. I am

too.

Kimberly/terry (02:28)
And out of 82 episodes, which is, know, we've, we've got some history now, right? Carolyn is our very first automobile interview. That's right. Right. And we talk about this all the time. This podcast, we encourage people to listen in your cars. You can do interviews in your cars too. Who'd a thunk.

Carolyn Coleman (02:42)
Yes.

Kimberly/terry (02:51)
But here's what's cute, for those of you who teach for Carolyn, you know this, but we get a weekly message from Carolyn and it's typically car chats with Carolyn. So when we first connected and scheduled for her to join us, she knew she was gonna be in her car today and asked if that was gonna be okay. And we said, of course it's casual. Conversation, she's like, well, I guess it's pretty on brand for me. So today we're having a car chat with Carolyn.

Carolyn Coleman (03:15)
This

is This is the only place that I usually don't get interrupted. So.

Kimberly/terry (03:20)
Right. Sounds about right. That sounds definitely about right for sure.

Well, excellent Carolyn. Well, for the listeners, for the viewers, take us back. How did you get started with group exercise? What made you love it and why do you still love it?

Carolyn Coleman (03:39)
That's going way back. So, ⁓ yeah, way back. ⁓ At least, yeah, yeah, way back. Gosh, you know, I was always really active growing up and I was in gymnastics, a competitive gymnast, and that career ended with a back injury and I still wanted to be fit ⁓ and I loved to move, I loved music, and so I started going to...

Kimberly/terry (03:41)
How back? How far? We'll leave it at that.

Mmm.

Carolyn Coleman (04:07)
24-hour fitness, which was right around the corner from me and we took these amazing step classes. And that's all there was, there was step, step and more step. Occasionally high impact thrown in there. And I loved it. It was challenging, it made me feel alive. So I finished out kind of high school going to fun group fitness classes down in the Orange County area and then went away to school in LA.

Kimberly/terry (04:13)
Ha

Last of step.

Carolyn Coleman (04:37)
And I wasn't getting that ⁓ same class that I wanted. And I was like, gosh, maybe I can do this. And so I started learning how to count music, which took a half a second for sure, ⁓ even longer than that. ⁓ And I got offered a class. And of course, it was a 6 AM, because that's where we all started. Yeah, right.

Kimberly/terry (04:52)
you

Of course. 545, right here. Not anymore

though, mister.

Carolyn Coleman (05:06)
I didn't sleep the night before because I was so nervous. But I showed up and I had my first class and back then it was fun to just be able to put together a routine and to deliver it and that's how I got started. was hooked.

Kimberly/terry (05:26)
Hmm. I love that. So cool. Yeah, it's funny talking to others who started back when really all there was was high, and step and leg warmers.

Carolyn Coleman (05:35)
it

and corded mites and corded mites.

Kimberly/terry (05:38)
Lots of them. Yes. how could

you do step with corded mics? Okay. Now, no, which, which was your music modality? Was it, was it cassette tape? Yeah. That was me too. The first one was cassette tape. So, so Carolyn, next question for you, what is an unforgettable moment you could share from teaching? Maybe it's like a goosebumps story or a hilarious mishap. Maybe.

Carolyn Coleman (05:43)
yeah, we were good.

Kimberly/terry (06:05)
Maybe just the time our participant changed her perspective in some way.

Carolyn Coleman (06:11)
There's been so many mishaps.

Kimberly/terry (06:15)
No. I don't believe it.

Carolyn Coleman (06:17)
Like the time I wore

two different shoes to teach a class, that was super fun. Didn't even realize it until a member pointed it out. That was fun.

Kimberly/terry (06:20)
Okay. Yeah. All right.

Were they

at least both like sneakers or did you have like a dress shoe on and a sneaker? Okay, that would have been tough.

Carolyn Coleman (06:28)
Yes. No, no, they were both. Yeah.

Same ish shoe.

Kimberly/terry (06:36)
Well, that's what happens when you teach six o'clock AM classes. It's still dark. Cause it's still last night, brother. Oh, it wasn't six AM. Oh, it wasn't. Wow.

Carolyn Coleman (06:42)
This wasn't a 6 AM, though.

⁓ But I think, you know, it's funny. I remember a point that really changed my kind of perspective. ⁓ You know, I got into fitness because it was fun and it gave me something I was missing in with not competing, with not being physical. But there was this circumstance where I was teaching yoga and ⁓ this lovely member would come in week after week.

She'd say hi, she'd smile. It was a yoga class. She was with me for probably six months straight. And ⁓ after about six months, she handed me a little note. And it was this thank you note that ⁓ just thanking me for my yoga classes and how that she had gone through a really hard period of time for the last six months and was out of work and taking a leave.

and that my yoga classes really helped her get through and she was going back to work. And like at that moment I realized, wow, there's so much more to this job than I really realized and maybe initially got into it for. And I realized that, wow, we have this amazing gift that we're able to give to these members, even though they're giving us a gift back. So it was like a full circle kind of moment. I still remember exactly that day.

Kimberly/terry (08:15)
So what a gift you gave her and what a gift she gave you.

Carolyn Coleman (08:19)
Absolutely. Absolutely.

Kimberly/terry (08:22)
Give and take that is awesome. So, ⁓ yeah, that is definitely an unexpected kind of, ⁓ experience. Like I think, I think we've all experienced that before at some, at some point in our lives or in our careers. It's just a realization that it's more than just the workout, right? Absolutely. Way deeper, way deeper than just, you know, physical experience. So, and very much like both Kimberly and I, you know, you've, you've

been doing this since the 1900s, Carolyn, how do you, how do you, at this point, how do you stay inspired to continue teaching with passion and intention? Cause that's not, I don't think it's very easy to do.

Carolyn Coleman (09:06)
Honestly, I can say that people like both of you inspire me to continue bringing my best. I'm sure your listeners already know this, but you guys are some of the most positive people. You come in like a ray of sunshine every time and they're like that all the time, you guys. It's not just when the camera goes on. It's amazing.

Kimberly/terry (09:29)
It's probably kind of annoying. ⁓

Carolyn Coleman (09:35)
It's not just for the camera. It's not just for the podcast. It's not just for the class. You guys are seriously just always a breath of positive fresh air. And so you guys inspire me. ⁓ As well as me. For sure. And as well as like all the other team members that we have, they inspire me to keep growing. And I think also growing.

Kimberly/terry (09:48)
⁓ Thank you, Carol.

Carolyn Coleman (10:00)
Continuing my education. Anytime I learn something new, I can't wait to bring it to the next class and share it with my members. So that keeps me inspired.

Kimberly/terry (10:09)
It is definitely a synergistic kind of you know thing that we've got going on there at the club. It's super super special You inspire us as well. I'm excited to show up to work It's a get-to all the time for sure every day every day and Carolyn you're a huge part of that get-to and we know when I think of you both as as a manager as a leader of the program as a as peer as a fellow instructor and just as a human being and as a friend your

your compassion and your kindness and your levelheadedness, your grout, she's so grounded. Let's talk about her. She's just so grounded. I know that Lady Carolyn. But, but truly, ⁓ but it, but it is greatly appreciated. So to know that in some small way, you know, we inspire you is, is a true gift. So thank you for sharing It's an honor. But.

Carolyn Coleman (10:52)
I don't have any tissues, stop.

Kimberly/terry (11:06)
You know, Terry did mention it's not always easy, right? So what would you be able to share with our listeners that has been a challenge? What's been your biggest challenge as an instructor and how did you overcome it?

Carolyn Coleman (11:19)
You know, ⁓ honestly, one of my biggest challenges is probably always coming up with something new, something special in choreography and verbiage. ⁓ Because I want it to be functional also. I mean, you can do all the bells and whistles and backflips and side lifts, but is it fun? I mean, that's but is it fun? Yeah, yeah, yeah. Right. That's true.

Kimberly/terry (11:28)
Hmm.

No, I can't. anymore. Not anymore, Carolyn.

what cost.

Carolyn Coleman (11:48)
But is it functional? it giving them some kind of benefit? So that's always kind of a balance. And back in the day, like it was hard to come up with new stuff because we didn't have the internet that we could just, you know, Google something or YouTube something. So ⁓ I feel like it's always borrowing and getting inspired from other people. That helps me now come up with those new ideas.

Kimberly/terry (11:50)
Yeah.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

All right, I have to ask because you're a long time step instructor like myself, have you ever taken a hand towel and placed it in the middle of your living room? And practice choreography on the towel or like one of the little rugs or just something that was like the faux step. Because your calves are too sore. My calves are still sore. I taught step like two weeks ago. ⁓

Carolyn Coleman (12:24)
Yeah, yes, yes, yes, for sure. ⁓ for sure.

my gosh.

Kimberly/terry (12:42)
But no, I just, at the time I didn't have enough money to have a step at home. So if I couldn't get to the club to rehearse or practice, I would just put a towel down on the floor. it WIT, whatever it takes. it takes. I love it. That is awesome. That is awesome. So, ⁓ yeah. And one of the things about, ⁓ staying inspired, what's great is I think in the environment that we're all at and the, the environment that you've helped to cultivate too.

Carolyn Coleman (12:48)
absolutely.

Yeah.

Kimberly/terry (13:09)
the community or the ecosystem that you help community amongst the other instructors. We don't have to go very far to get inspired. We can just go to one of our peers, one of our coworkers classes and pop in a studio, pop in ⁓ a class and, ⁓ just jump on a treadmill next to one another and just, know, kind of chat things out. And I haven't tried that. You haven't? meet you at the treadmills. I'll meet you there. yeah, we don't have to go far, which is great.

Carolyn Coleman (13:33)
Ha

Absolutely. No.

Kimberly/terry (13:38)
Yeah, it's a great team. It is.

Carolyn Coleman (13:39)
Absolutely.

Kimberly/terry (13:41)
So, ⁓ so Carolyn, fast forward now, let's kind of a future pace here. 20 years. Let's talk legacy now, right? What impact do you hope that your group X teaching career leaves behind? I mean, what do you hope that your participants and also, you know, the instructors that, you know, that you work with and coordinate X, you know, say about the experiences that you provided.

What do hope we say? ⁓ No pressure.

Carolyn Coleman (14:08)
No, no, no, no, no, no, no, no,

Gosh, I hope the members feel or felt supported. I hope they learned something. I hope they had fun.

Kimberly/terry (14:18)
Mm. Mm.

Carolyn Coleman (14:27)
And for like the team members, the team, I hope again, yeah, I hope they felt supported also and that maybe I saw something in them and was able to help bring it out in them. Maybe a superpower that they didn't even know they had. And I feel like we all have these superpowers and they're all different. And we have to just like play to our strengths and our super hero-ness. So I hope I've helped.

somebody, the members, the instructors find their super strength.

Kimberly/terry (15:02)
I have a feeling she's helped lots of somebody. Yeah, you're you're well, well on your way there. So done. Check. Check. No, actually, no, you can't do that. You may not. Don't do that. Yeah. So that'll be with ⁓ three hundred four. Yeah. So on our three hundred and forty second episode, we'll we'll make sure we reach out to you for that next episode. Twenty years out. Yeah, that works. That works.

Carolyn Coleman (15:04)
Ha ha ha ha.

I can retire.

Okay, not yet.

retirement. Okay, okay, that sounds good.

Kimberly/terry (15:32)
I love it.

what a great, that's a, that's a great legacy. Yeah. Yeah. So I love it. And that the fact that you, it's important for you that people feel seen. I think that's really, really powerful because I think, you know, in, in, in our humanness, I think what we want more than anything is to be seen for who we are. I mean, it's also our greatest fear to truly be seen, but when it's someone that comes at it with a level of it, of empathy and compassion and love, just,

Yeah, to be seen as such a gift. So on a lighter note, we would love for you to share if you have any favorite kind of go-to songs that get you pumped up either for class or just in day to day. Or driving in your car. Yeah. Or maybe get you pumped up to go to a meeting with the manager of the club, you know, whatever.

Carolyn Coleman (16:19)
Yeah.

Yeah.

Gosh, you know what's funny is I always get made fun of because I never know the words to any songs. I really miss them. Okay. ⁓ thank goodness. I sing them all wrong.

Kimberly/terry (16:31)
That's me too. Same. Yeah. Which is funny because

I got, I got him a game, like a trivia game where in order to win, you have to know the words to like nineties hip hop songs. And I thought for sure, I'm like, Terry loves music. It'll be a great game. And he's like, yeah, I don't know. And I'm a songwriter too, which is even crazier by trade.

Carolyn Coleman (16:44)
⁓

Yeah.

I mean, occasionally there'll be lyrics that like are not appropriate, but I don't even know because I don't hear them.

Kimberly/terry (16:57)
Yeah.

Same, same. I'm the same way. So it's not your fault. Yeah. The beat moves you.

Carolyn Coleman (17:02)
I love the beats. Yeah, so I had to approve these two songs.

I had to approve these two songs before I was going to tell you. I have two that are my go-to. ⁓ So ACDC, Thunderstruck. I like that. Really? OK. Just that strong beat, that like, ⁓ I just want to do some boxing.

Kimberly/terry (17:12)
Okay.

Okay, got it. That's trending huge. Nice.

Okay. Have

you ever seen the Dallas cheerleaders do the thunderstruck routine? Okay. Yeah, I've never seen. I will be Googling as soon as we finish. Yeah.

Carolyn Coleman (17:30)
Yes, yes, amazing. for sure. It's pretty spectacular.

And then also, got to have, know, Brittany, Brittany, you better work. I love it.

Kimberly/terry (17:43)
Oh, there you go.

I did not see that one coming. You better work B. It's the rest of, yeah, got it. Awesome. you guys used the Thunderstruck Tabata version? No. There's a Tabata version. It's one of the ones with Coach that gives the queuing for it.

Carolyn Coleman (17:50)
Yeah, that's right. Yep. Yep. I always gotta have Britney.

Okay.

Kimberly/terry (18:09)
And yeah, it's a Tabata version for Thunderstruck. I use it in cycle. It's super fun. You're to have to listen to that now. Good times. Oh, we all have homework now. I love it. It's incredible. So those are the two songs. are movers. Thunderstruck and you kind of from ACDC to Britney. Yeah, that's quite a gamut. That's a spectrum of genres right there. I love that. Perfect.

Carolyn Coleman (18:14)
Yeah?

You gotta have it.

Yes, I'll it in.

Yep.

Kimberly/terry (18:38)
Excellent. So do you have any questions for us at all, Carolyn? ⁓ I've ever asked that before. I don't think you've ever asked that before. ⁓ that's I just opened a big old gate of opportunity. Seriously, I don't know if I have answers.

Carolyn Coleman (18:43)
Well, you... Yeah, wow.

Let me see, I know, right? I know, gosh, questions.

my gosh, so many.

Kimberly/terry (18:56)
All

right. Otherwise, are there any other nuggets that you'd like to share? Maybe any kind of favorite quotes or just thoughts that come to mind that you'd like to share with the listeners out there when it comes to fitness, group fitness, the healthy way of life that we all are trying to live?

Carolyn Coleman (19:00)
You

now.

Yeah, you know, it always hit me kind of ⁓ where I needed to hear it was a quote just about, and I'm probably going to get it wrong, but it's always about... ⁓

Pushing ⁓ just outside your comfort zone is where the magic is kind of thing. And I have to remind myself that because I do like my comfort zone. ⁓ And so, yeah, not being afraid to just be okay if it doesn't go exactly the way you want it and give it a try just outside that comfort zone.

Kimberly/terry (19:33)
Mm-hmm.

Mm.

me out here.

What a great quote to share for anyone who perhaps would either be new to group exercise or considering trying group exercise, but maybe they're a little intimidated because it would be uncomfortable to get in there and give it a shot. Absolutely. But, ⁓ yeah, that, ⁓ stepping outside that, that realm of discomfort is where that growth really is. That's where it's waiting for you. So join in and jump in. Love it, Carolyn.

Carolyn Coleman (20:03)
Yeah, absolutely. Yeah.

Absolutely. Yep. Thank

Kimberly/terry (20:20)
So

Carolyn Coleman (20:21)
you.

Kimberly/terry (20:21)
are there any projects, any special events, anything that, that our listeners or we need to know that you're heading up or planning or working on?

Carolyn Coleman (20:31)
You know, there's always something exciting in the plans. I'm still working on some fun stuff just at the club. But I get to collaborate with great people like you guys that help me with these events. So we'll just collaborate and see what we come up with in the future.

Kimberly/terry (20:34)
haha

Mm-hmm.

Absolutely. Well, yeah, most recently, ⁓ Carolyn got together with the team and put together ⁓ a very special pop-up class, a class schedule for the month of ⁓ March. And it was really cool to go back to your roots, right? We were stepping.

Carolyn Coleman (21:09)
Okay, yep.

Kimberly/terry (21:11)
And we were all stepping on a Tuesday and we appreciate you bringing the team together. But here's what's really awesome about it is that the Carolyn reached out to all of us instructors who at one point taught step and said like, let's alternate weeks so that our calves have time to recover. ⁓

Carolyn Coleman (21:27)
For

sure. For sure. You need at least a couple weeks in between.

Kimberly/terry (21:34)
Absolutely. But it's been so much fun. Yes. So if you're a current member, please keep your eyes on the calendars or special events like like that that Carolyn coordinates. Carolyn likes pop up classes. She sure does. Yeah, an eye out for him. Yeah, stay aware. Yeah. Keep your eyes open. And Carolyn, what are your current classes? What are the days and times and classes you're teaching right now? Because you don't just manage the rest of us. You're teaching out there in the front lines teaches everything.

Carolyn Coleman (21:36)
Yes.

I do. I like fun. ⁓

teaching.

Well, right now I'm teaching yoga, lot of yoga, Monday, Wednesdays at noon, Fridays at 7.15, and then mat palates on Tuesdays at 9.30 and Saturdays at 8.15.

Kimberly/terry (22:13)
Yeah, so if you're a current member, please get to her classes. If you would love to be one of our guests here at the Laguna Niguel lifetime location, please reach out to us. Check out Carolyn's classes or any other special events that she's coordinating. We would absolutely love to have you. can guest you in, no problem. Yes, we can.

Carolyn Coleman (22:16)
Thank you.

Absolutely. Yeah.

Kimberly/terry (22:33)
Awesome. Well, Carolyn, thank you so much for jumping on. Really, really appreciate you taking time out of your day to share a bit about you. got to learn things about Carolyn we didn't know. So that's super cool. I love it. I love that we both started in like the step high low genre. Back when it back when it was called aerobics aerobics. huh. Yeah. That's right. Carolyn, I've done a couple of events that we

Carolyn Coleman (22:44)
I'm

For sure. Yeah.

Yeah, aerobics instructors.

Kimberly/terry (23:01)
we paid homage to 80s, high, low and step. And we broke out our headbands and our leg warmers and I wore my new kids on the block t-shirts. You didn't wear your leotard? You know I did. All right. You know I did. But anyway, it was so fun. So, fun. We'll have to do it again some There's more to come. More to come. Well, excellent. Well, thank you so much, Carolyn, for joining us. It's been a privilege. It's been a pleasure. And we're so excited that we got to

Carolyn Coleman (23:15)
That was a blast. Yeah, was super fun. Yes, yes.

Kimberly/terry (23:31)
the opportunity to share you with our community here at Group X Appeal. And of course, as a listener, as a viewer, thank you so much for taking time out of your schedules to join us today for the 82nd episode with Carolyn Coleman here in Laguna Niguel. And as always, we encourage you to share this broadcast with a friend who needs to be encouraged or inspired. ⁓ Please feel free to leave a review on Spotify or Apple.

Carolyn Coleman (23:44)
Ha

Kimberly/terry (23:59)
And leave a comment here if you're watching this on YouTube as well. Yep. And we will put a link in the description for where you can find Carolyn. And I know you're on Instagram, so people can kind of follow you there. And then of course, they can find you at Lifetime in Laguna Niguel, California. It's pretty cold in a lot of the country right now. They should probably come to California anyway. Absolutely. But otherwise, share, follow, comment, stay in touch with us. All the stuff. Yeah, absolutely.

Until then, we appreciate you again. Until next time, we encourage you to make it a great day. And why, Kimberly? Because it is a great day to have. It is. Take care. Much love.