Name: Hannah Hawkins
Hometown: Charlotte, NC
Year: Sophomore
Major: Business
Go-to Cheat Meal: Oreo/Reeses milkshake from Cookout and chicken nuggets
Her Campus (HC): What made you so passionate about living a healthy lifestyle?
Hannah Hawkins (HH): I’ve danced since I was young, so eating healthy and staying in shape was always emphasized at the studio. My mom is actually the reason I got into group exercise classes! She’s passionate about staying fit and I started going to group exercise classes with her at a young age. By taking those classes, I learned proper form and technique and began working out on my own and reading/researching more about fitness in my free time. Now working out is an essential aspect of my life. It’s my stress reliever, energy booster and allows me to have my “me” time.
HC: You teach fitness classes here at FSU. Tell us a little bit more about that.
HH: I teach several types of classes like Total Body Sculpt, HIIT Cardio, Xtreme Fit, TRX Power 45, Barre Burn and Kickbox & Build! I went through the training and got certified about a year ago and have LOVED my job ever since! I genuinely enjoy sharing what I’m passionate about and I have a lot of fun interacting and getting to know the students who take my classes. To me, it doesn’t feel like work. There’s such a sense of community at the gym, and I especially feel that vibe in group exercise classes. I give modifications for everything in classes, so all levels are welcome!
HC: What is your favorite class to teach?
HH: It’s hard to say because I honestly enjoy teaching several different formats, but HIIT Cardio is probably my favorite class to teach. It’s a really fun, quick 45 minute class that allows me to get creative with plyometric exercises that get the heart rate up (Harambe jumps, anyone?) followed by strength training in between bursts of cardio. I don’t run due to past injuries, so this class is an awesome way to incorporate intense cardio into workouts without having to hop on a treadmill.
HC: What is your go-to workout?
HH: I’m into weightlifting so I separate my lifting days into muscle groups, but if I’m pressed for time and need to get a quick workout in, I’ll do a full body circuit. This might include barbell front squat to overhead presses, burpees, bent over rows, kettle bell swings, tricep dips, walking lunges, planks, and jump squats followed by 15 minutes of HIIT on the stair master. I post my workouts on my “fit”stagram – @hannahh_fit !
HC: What is your best advice for college students who are looking to avoid the freshman 15?
HH: Eat wholesome, nutrient-dense foods! Fill your plate with veggies, fruits, nuts and meats and avoid the ever-so-tempting yet always mediocre Suwannee fries, pizza, etc. Don’t give into your friends’ peer pressure to get late night fast food. Keep healthy snacks in your fridge and plan ahead if you choose to cheat one night. You’ll feel better and have much more energy throughout the day if you fuel your body properly. The Leach offers over 100 group exercise classes a week and offers free personal training as well as fun excursions and hiking trips on weekends, so there’s no excuse to not stay active!
HC: What are you up to right now in the fitness world?
HH: I teach other types of group exercise classes at Queen of Hearts Fitness right by Lake Ella! I am working on getting my NASM personal training certification for next semester, and I hope to start personal training as soon as I attain it. I love to take classes at Dance Fusion for fun and will be teaching Cardio Dance next semester at the Leach!
A schedule of the classes Hannah teaches (as well as all other classes offered) at the Leach Recreation center at Florida State University can be found here! (I personally recommend her HIIT 45 class on Tuesday nights, especially after all of the holiday eating.)