Fitness Champions: Why & How Sam Nims Of Pure Barre Is Helping To Champion Fitness
An Interview With Wanda Malhotra
Don’t just go through the motions, commit to the workout. Listen to the teacher’s instructions and challenge yourself to go a little further each time. Remember, if it was easy, it wouldn’t be called a workout.
Physical fitness is not just about lifting weights or running marathons; it’s about discipline, resilience, and continuous self-improvement. Fitness champions help coach and inspire others to achieve their fitness goals. As a part of this series, I had the distinct pleasure of interviewing SAM NIMS.
Sam Nims, a 54-year-old dedicated fitness enthusiast and owner of Pure Barre Reston, found her path to the fitness industry unexpectedly after a challenging period led her to discover the transformative power of exercise. Originally an English teacher, Sam’s journey began with Pure Barre as a means to improve her mental health and physical well-being, and over time, she not only regained her strength but also discovered a passion for coaching others. Transitioning from teaching to owning the studio in 2023, Sam remains committed to fostering a supportive community where fitness is synonymous with personal growth and resilience.
Thank you so much for joining us! Before we dive in, our readers would love to “get to know you” a bit better. Can you tell us a bit about your ‘backstory’?
I have a degree in English Literature and a Master’s in Special Education. I was a stay-at-home mom for many years before returning to school for my master’s. Throughout my 14-year teaching career, I taught English at every grade from seventh through twelfth and every level from self-contained special education through IB.
I’m 54 years old, and I’ve been married to my best friend and the love of my life, Chris, for 33 years. He is also my business partner. We met at Northwestern University in 1988. We have three adult children: Jordan is 31, Evie is 26, and Adrienne is 29 and married to Dan. They have a two ½-year-old daughter, Elizabeth (my heart), and are expecting in September. I have the privilege of taking care of Elizabeth three days a week. Both of my daughters live about six minutes away from me, which is the best! Given my childhood, I’m truly blessed to have such a great relationship with my kids. I love everything Disney and genuinely believe Disneyland is the happiest place on earth (after Pure Barre Reston, of course). I collect Disney pins and ears and I even have two Disney-themed tattoos.
Can you share with us the most interesting story from your career? Can you tell us what lessons or ‘takeaways’ you learned from that?
I would categorize this story as more inspiring than interesting. We have a member who first came to us when they were dealing with some severe medical issues. They shared that they needed modifications but were hesitant to go into any detail, and we, of course, respected their privacy. As they attended more classes, they started building relationships with other members and our staff. When they felt comfortable doing so, they shared more details with us, and we could better provide targeted modifications for their specific needs. Today, this individual is a robust and vibrant member of our community. They have made friends in the studio and are even mentoring a member of my staff. They have become a true studio and brand ambassador and a dearly loved member of our community.
My takeaway is the importance of paying attention to people, listening to what they are telling you and also what they aren’t telling you. You have to build authentic relationships to engender trust; the only way to do that is to be a positive and constant presence in their lives.
You are a successful leader. Which three-character traits do you think were most instrumental to your success? Can you please share a story or example for each?
Again, I go back to really listening to people — taking the time to get to know them, their stories, and who they are as individuals. I have personally had situations in my professional life where I had poor leaders. These were individuals who were, to a person, incredibly self-absorbed, very focused on their image and their reputation, and highly unconcerned with those around them — especially those under them. To be a leader, you must care about others, even to the extent of putting those people above yourself.
When people come into my studio, one of the things we do is ask them what their “why” is: why are they here? What do they hope to get out of it? Many people can answer that pretty quickly: they want to improve their overall fitness level, strengthen their core, or look for a consistent routine. But some people who come into my studio aren’t pleased with themselves. They’re not happy with how they feel or look, and many of them are coming to me after trying other types of workouts that maybe weren’t successful for them or left them feeling even worse about themselves. Therefore, we must listen to what they aren’t telling us, which takes time and effort. And these individuals — the ones who are hurting and struggling — become some of the most dedicated and enthusiastic members we have because we aren’t just giving them a workout; we’re giving them a community.
Secondly, you have to lead by example. I don’t ask my team to do anything that I myself am not willing to do; I have said that to them, and I have lived that out. Now, people in my community know that I’m not going to request something unreasonable or something that I would consider beneath me.
There are four different Pure Barre class formats, each requiring specific teacher training. When I purchased the studio, I was trained in one format. But when life happens, when people are ill or traveling, someone must step in to pick up those classes. As a leader, I have to be ready to be that someone, so I am now trained to teach all formats to expressly step in where I am needed. It sounds trite, but I believe that leaders lead.
Lastly, and possibly most importantly, I must have strong faith. It is crucial to have a sense of guidance and direction and an understanding that there is a greater power orchestrating my life.
When I seriously considered purchasing the studio from the previous owner, and the idea seemed overwhelming, my husband said, “Let’s pray about it.” And we did, and we felt this was the direction God was leading us, and here I am.
Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that might help people?
There are so many things I want to do! I want to bring in some new lighting and reconfigure the studio lobby and retail space. Both are high priority going into my second year of studio ownership. A new lighting system, where we can program colors and patterns for the various classes, would bring the energy up in the studio, and people always love something new. As far as the lobby, the changes I want to make would improve the traffic flow between classes and alleviate some of the current bottlenecking. It would give me additional retail space and allow us to create more eye-catching displays. Ultimately, I believe anything that provides a cosmetic benefit will improve people’s perceptions and enhance their experience.
Ok, thank you for all that. Now let’s shift to the main focus of our interview. What inspired you to pursue a career in fitness?
Ironically, I never intended to pursue a fitness career. I was inspired to start working out at Pure Barre after having a very, very difficult period many years ago where I had what I can only call an emotional breakdown. I had to take short-term disability leave from teaching, and I had to do some intensive outpatient psychiatric work. I was told repeatedly, and by many people, that I needed to start exercising; I needed to have a workout routine. At the time, I was extremely out of shape and had gained 35 pounds in three months from the medication I was taking. I started walking very slowly and for short distances at first, and that is what I did for a couple of years. After that, I tried a couple of different workouts. I just had a Facebook memory pop up about my 21-Day Fix experience (which was neither successful nor enjoyable). In 2018, my dear friend took me to Pure Barre, and Pure Barre was the first group fitness workout I could enjoy, stick with, and look forward to. Not only could I see the changes in my body, but I could also feel the changes in my mental health. I retired from teaching in 2020 and decided to become a Pure Barre instructor in 2021 because I loved Pure Barre; I missed teaching, and it seemed like the perfect combination. I ended up owning the studio because the then-owner decided to sell in 2023. I was highly concerned about losing my Pure Barre Reston family. I worried about who was going to come in, what changes they were going to make, and how they were going to ruin my happy place. Ultimately, my husband and I decided that purchasing the studio was the best way to preserve that culture and space. So, I actually fell into my fitness career more than anything.
What unique strategies do you use to keep your clients motivated and engaged in their fitness journeys?
We do offer a variety of class formats, and that’s always helpful for clients who are looking to cross-train. We know what our competition is. We know what they offer and make a concerted effort to give our clients access to the same workouts; we just make them better. For example, many clients want to lift in addition to traditional Pure Barre, so now we have a class incorporating heavier weights for progressive overload training called ‘Define.’ We also do a lot of fun themes and events to get people engaged in the community and not just in the workout. For example, we celebrated Taylor Swift’s birthday with a themed playlist, decor, and activities. I brought in a DJ for our anniversary, and we did an outdoor class. We’re also big on celebrating our clients’ milestones (number of classes they’ve taken).
Can you share a particularly memorable success story of a client transformation that you’ve helped achieve?
For me, it isn’t one substantial memorable story; it’s all of the little stories and victories I hear about daily. I have a client who just sent us her Pure Barre testimonial to publish on our social media, and she talked about how Pure Barre has completely cured her sciatica pain, which is fantastic! I have a client who had rectus diastasis, and Pure Barre has strengthened her core to the extent that her muscles are healing. That was great to hear and very exciting. I have people who have said that their lower back pain is gone. I’ve had people who have said they can feel how much stronger their core is. It’s all of those little stories that, to me, speak to the transformative power of Pure Barre. Ultimately, I’m not looking for the most extensive testimonial; I’m looking to see how the people I see day in and day out are improving their lives because of what we can give them.
How do you stay updated with the latest fitness trends and incorporate them into your coaching?
That one is easy: I do what corporate tells me to do! I’m a franchisee, so I do *exactly* what corporate tells me to do and rely on them to keep me current regarding fitness training and trends.
Based on your research or experience, can you please share your “5 Things Anyone Can Do To Improve Their Fitness Routine”?
1. Show up
The first and most important thing is you show up. I can use my story here: I wasn’t doing anything or working out, and it showed. When I started Pure Barre, I was miserable for the first couple of classes I took. I felt like I was the weakest person in the class. I felt like I couldn’t do anything. I felt like people were laughing at me behind my back, none of which was true. But I came back, and I kept coming back.
2. Put in the work
Don’t just go through the motions, commit to the workout. Listen to the teacher’s instructions and challenge yourself to go a little further each time. Remember, if it was easy, it wouldn’t be called a workout.
3. Commit to a lifestyle change
What are you doing outside of the studio? Are you eating well? Getting enough sleep? Fitness isn’t just about your time in class; it’s about your overall approach to your health.
4. Embrace the mind/body connection
You have to get your head in the game (obligatory High School Musical reference for the sake of my young millennial/older GenZ members). Truly, you can’t get the most out of your workout if you aren’t mentally present as well. Fitness is a whole-body experience.
5. Set long and short-term goals
Setting goals goes back to the “why” of exercise. A goal does not have to be specific, but any trip without a destination ultimately goes nowhere. That said, focusing on a particular long-term goal can quickly become frustrating because it takes a while to reach it. So, giving yourself short-term goals along the path to your larger goal is vital to your success. Think about planking (because who doesn’t love to think about planking?). Maybe your long-term goal is to hold a plank for 5 minutes. It’s so much better to start with a goal of 30 seconds because it’s achievable and inspires you to push on toward a higher goal.
What role do you believe mental health plays in physical fitness, and how do you address this with your clients?
I believe the two are inextricably intertwined — as my story demonstrates. I think good physical fitness promotes good mental health, and I feel good mental health keeps you returning and working to become more physically fit. Mental health issues, whether medically diagnosed or otherwise, lead to cognitive distortions that impact your attitude toward your body and significantly decrease your motivation to exercise. It’s so easy to have a defeatist attitude when even the simplest tasks — making the bed, doing the laundry, buying groceries — seem impossible. True fitness has to be physical and mental; a strong mind and a strong body are two sides of the same coin.
As far as how I address this with my clients, it’s not appropriate for me to randomly start conversations about their mental health, but I will undoubtedly reach out on an individual basis if I am concerned. It begins with a simple question: “How are you doing?” People want to feel seen and know that it matters to us whether or not they show up. Personally, I am an open book. Many of my clients and the majority of my staff know at least part of my story, and being open about who I am and what I have dealt with makes me more accessible as a resource should they need it.
You are a person of enormous influence. If you could start a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger. :-)
It would definitely be centered around total body wellness: physical and mental health. I would love to create something that combines the two. I would love to bring some resources around mental wellness into the studio. That might look like a monthly event where someone comes in to teach a mindfulness or cognitive behavioral therapy class. There are so many wonderful resources we can provide people, whether they have a diagnosis or are just at a place where they’re struggling. Finding a way to address the mental and emotional needs as well as the physical needs of my clients would be great. I would love to create something that brings all of that together.
What is the best way for our readers to continue to follow your work online?
You can follow Pure Barre Reston on Instagram, Facebook, and TikTok for studio updates (and occasional staff shenanigans).
- Instagram: @purebarre_reston
- Facebook: Pure Barre Reston (Reston)
- TikTok: @Purebarre_reston
This was very inspiring. Thank you so much for the time you spent on this. We wish you only continued success.
About the Interviewer: Wanda Malhotra is a wellness entrepreneur, lifestyle journalist, and the CEO of Crunchy Mama Box, a mission-driven platform promoting conscious living. CMB empowers individuals with educational resources and vetted products to help them make informed choices. Passionate about social causes like environmental preservation and animal welfare, Wanda writes about clean beauty, wellness, nutrition, social impact and sustainability, simplifying wellness with curated resources. Join Wanda and the Crunchy Mama Box community in embracing a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle at CrunchyMamaBox.com.
