“If I Wanted to Lift Weights, I’d Go to a Gym.”

When I first started offering strength classes at the studio, someone left me a message that said, “If I wanted to lift weights, I’d go to a gym.”

And I’ll be honest — it hurt my feelings. It really did. It hit me in that place where you suddenly wonder, Wait… is everyone thinking that? Did I misread this whole thing? It was a gut punch.

But after I sat with it (and probably overthought it for way too long), I realized something: They didn’t understand what we were actually doing. And that wasn’t their fault — I hadn’t really told the story yet.

Because what we offer here is not the same as the traditional “strength” classes I used to take at gyms or the Y. Those classes have their place — I loved some of them. But they were usually the same formula: jump right in, work hard, sweat, wipe down your equipment, maybe stretch your hamstrings for 12 seconds and call it a day.

There was no cool-down.
No real warm-up.
No mindful anything.
Just… go.

And again — nothing wrong with that. I went for years. But what I wanted for us was something that felt more connected. More sustainable. More grounded in how yoga teaches us to move: with awareness, with breath, with the understanding that your body is not a robot you can just command into intensity.

And here’s the part I don’t want people to miss: I still want to be challenged. I love a hard workout. I like to sweat. I like to feel strong. I don’t want watered-down movement — I want movement that makes me better.

But I also want to take care of my body for the long haul. I want to push myself in a way I can recover from. I want to feel powerful and supported. Challenged and sustainable. And that’s exactly what we do.

So our strength classes? They start with yoga.
A real warm-up.
Breath.
A moment to check in before you pick up anything heavy. And at the end, there’s an actual cool-down — not an afterthought. Yoga, stretching, nervous-system-calming cool-down. The thing that is missing from almost every workout class I have ever taken.

And that alone makes a huge difference in how people feel walking out the door.

But the bigger thing — the thing I didn’t expect — is how many people have told me this class has changed their relationship with exercise. Changed how they think about “hard” workouts. Changed what they believe their body can do. And more than one person has told me, “I feel like I can do this for a long time.”

And honestly… that is exactly what I hoped for when we started this.

I didn’t want a class that people could power through for six weeks and then burn out on.
I wanted something people could grow with, stay with, and actually enjoy — something that feels strong and challenging but also doable and fun.

So yeah… if you really just want to lift heavy weights with no warm-up, no cool-down, no pause, no breath, and no mindful component, then absolutely — a gym might be the right place for you. But if you want strength that honors your whole body, your energy, your nervous system, your longevity — and still leaves you dripping sweat and feeling like a badass — that’s what we do here.

Strength that feels good.
Strength that lasts.
Strength that makes sense for real people with real lives and real bodies.

And to the person who wrote that comment… thank you. Seriously. You helped me see what I needed to say out loud. 🤍

The Evolution of Humbled Power Studio

If you’ve known me for a while, you know movement has always been part of my story.

I grew up playing all the sports — gymnastics, softball, basketball, volleyball, even one season where I high jumped in track. I played basketball in college and let’s just say… I did not like to lose. 😅

After college, I tore my ACL and started running, and that’s when my relationship with exercise changed. It turned into a form of punishment instead of something I did out of love for my body. I’d run 50–60 miles a week, take multiple classes a day, and eventually, my body pushed back.

That’s when I found yoga. For nine months, it was all I did. And it changed me — physically, mentally, emotionally. But anytime I tried to add other workouts back in, my back pain would come back. So for a long time, yoga was it.

Then about a year and a half ago, a few students asked if I’d ever consider adding strength training to the studio. They wanted to get stronger but didn’t want to go to a gym or do cross-fit. They wanted something that felt good and still challenged them. That stuck with me — and that’s how HPS Strength (we used to call them Yoga Sculpt) classes were born.

They’re high-intensity, low-impact, and totally adaptable to how you feel that day. You pick your weights, your pace, your depth. It lit something in me that I hadn’t felt in years — that athletic fire — but this time, it came from a healthy place.

And then came Pilates.

After adding strength, things felt really good — but not quite complete. My back was still asking for more stability, more support from the inside out. Hence Pilates! Once I went through training (and a few of our teachers joined me), it became clear — this was the missing link connecting yoga and strength.

Now, with yoga, strength, and Pilates, we’ve become something bigger — a mindful movement studio where you can truly take care of your body in every way. We’re not just yoga. We’re not just fitness. We’re about balance.

And that’s the heart of Humbled Power. 🫶🏽

The Heart Behind the Rebrand

Six years ago, I opened a yoga studio. No business experience. No real teaching experience. Just this deep-down feeling that I was supposed to do it.

Those first few years were a blur. I learned everything the hard way. Plus COVID… There were moments when I thought, What have I done? and others when I couldn’t believe how lucky I was to be doing something I loved.

Over time, the studio grew. I grew. I learned to teach, to lead, to ask for help, and to trust that I could figure things out as I went. Looking back now, I can see how much both the studio and I have evolved.

This rebrand — the name change, the new look, the new classes — it’s not just business. It’s personal. It’s a reflection of all the growth, the challenges, the self-discovery, and the lessons that have shaped me over these six years.

Humbled Power Studio feels like coming home to myself — to my true nature. To strength, to grace, to humility. It’s a reminder that you can be powerful and still be grounded. That both can coexist.

And one thing that’s become really important to me, and to this space, is recovery. Not just physically, but mentally, emotionally. We live in a world that glorifies doing more, pushing harder — but the truth is, the rest is also where the magic happens. That’s why our Unwind classes exist. They’re designed to give your body and mind the chance to reset — to actually breathe.

This process has been the hardest and best thing I’ve ever done. I’ve stepped outside my comfort zone more times than I can count, but each time, it’s led to something good. Something bigger. And the best part? The Humbled love keeps spreading.

take a moment

Welcome to our first blog post! We’re so glad you’re here.

Our dream for this virtual space is to share all things connection, inspiration, and support as you move through your personal wellness journey. Whether you’re a longtime member of Humbled or just getting started with us, this blog is for you.

Humbled Power Studio is more than a space to move—it’s a place to strengthen and transform from the inside out. Stacey’s passion for wellness, community, and helping others feel capable and supported is woven into everything we do here.

This blog is your new go-to space for:
→Practical wellness tips
→Movement inspiration
→Mental and emotional health resources
→Community spotlights
→Real talk about what it means to live well—right here in High Point, NC

We’re grateful to share it all with you —building strength with purpose, reconnecting with your body, and staying rooted in what matters most— on and off the mat.

Let’s get moving—together.

— The Humbled Power Studio Team