Wonder Woman Wednesday: Lauren Heyne

Before she started training at Seattle Kettlebell Club, Lauren Heyne admits to not exercising regularly for ten years. Starting with the club in the days when owner Nikolai Puchlov used to teach classes in the park, Heyne gets her sweat on 3-4 times a week at SKC.

“I liked that the classes were short enough but also managed to work a bunch of different muscles, and I was able to do it.” Heyne said. “I didn’t feel immediately defeated.”

Prior to coming to SKC, Heyne enjoyed walking or riding her bike as forms of transportation, but now thanks to kettlebell training, she finds those activities a lot more enjoyable. Some of her favorite places to bike are Beacon Hill and The Chief Sealth Trail.

"The thing I noticed after I started coming regularly was that when I was riding my bike up a hill, I wasn’t out of breath, and I wasn’t tired,” Heyne said. “After about six months, pants that I didn’t think fit me fit me again.” 

Heyne has also noticed that since starting at SKC, she’s also been more conscious about her diet, but she believes in balance.

“One reason I exercise is so I can have a beer every day. I want to be able to do that,” Heyne said. “I wanna be able to eat pasta sometimes too.”

Heyne takes the Sport classes 3 times a week and the Kettlefit (previously known as GAP) once a week.

“I like the Sport for the endurance and the consistency, and it’s easy to see your growth and meet personal goals,” Heyne said. “For the Kettlefit, I like the quickness and the muscle isolation.”

For those new to kettlebell training, Heyne’s biggest suggestion to people who are just giving kettlebells a swing for the first time is to "dial it down."

“I think that people get the higher weight and go way too hard,” Heyne said. “I think it’s way smarter to listen to your body.”

Heyne reminisces about the beginning days at SKC when the classes were much smaller, and she notes she still has an award for perfect attendance she received almost 3 years ago. One thing that keeps her coming to the club as it grows is the caring nature of the owners and trainers.

“I’d get a text from Nikolai if I didn’t show up,” Heyne said. “I notice when I haven’t seen someone who comes to class regularly. That matters to me a lot when someone notices when I’m gone.”

Living in Seattle since she was six, Heyne graduated from UW with a degree in Linguistics, and she currently works as a consultant for a financial services firm. She has been married for 22 years, and her 20-year-old son is currently attending St. John’s in New York studying TV and Film

When she’s not kicking butt at SKC, Heyne also enjoys lawn bowling. She mentions that she likes the social aspects of lawn bowling versus the competitive nature behind it, which is the reason she enjoys SKC so much too.

“I like the people, and I like the activity. If I don’t like it, I’m not going to do it. I’m not that person,” Heyne said.

-Camille Borodey