ashton roark shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
ashton, it’s always a pleasure to learn from you and your journey. Let’s start with a bit of a warmup: What’s more important to you—intelligence, energy, or integrity?
Energy. From the moment we awaken, our energy interacts with the world, influencing and being influenced by the vibrations of those around us. This interplay is evident when a friendly smile from a stranger lifts our spirits, while a stressful encounter can leave us feeling drained. By acknowledging and harnessing this energy, we can foster a more harmonious and fulfilling life.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Revive is crafted to provide two essential elements that trainers often overlook during your fitness journey. Our workouts are not only varied, incorporating different methods to challenge both your mind and body, but they are also specifically designed to assist your body in reducing stress and detoxifying. These are two of the most common factors, aside from diet, that may be hindering your results.
Trainers often overlook the fact that you might be doing “all the right things,” yet stress and emotions can hinder your progress. These feelings manifest as trapped energy within the body, requiring an outlet for release; if not addressed, they can lead to pain, muscle tension, stubborn fat, and more. We utilize various methods—including vibration, infrared heat, red light therapy, sound bowls, and lymphatic massages—to assist your body in shedding excess baggage, enabling you to achieve the results you desire physically, mentally, and emotionally. Your workings should go beyond physique.
We utilize both Pilates and Power Plates for training, as they are widely regarded tools for professional athletes and body rehabilitation. Our Pilates sessions are focused on athleticism, applying the principles of functional strength training on the mat and using a reformer to achieve targeted results. On the Power Plate, we blend various techniques, including yoga, Pilates strength, and cardio exercises. If you’ve never experienced a Power Plate workout, the advantages of vibration are undeniable and worth trying for yourself.
I’m certified in cycling, Lagree, barre, Pilates, TRX, and personal training. However, the workout that truly transformed my life was Whole Body Vibration with Power Plates. After suffering a major car accident, I struggled for two years to regain strength, energy, and balance, despite the efforts of doctors and trainers. I battled fractured bones and severe neurological imbalances without any clear explanation. Remarkably, just four months on the Power Plate changed my entire perspective on how I move my body. Not only does it provide a more efficient workout, but the healing benefits it offers are unparalleled.
My journey towards rehabilitation, shaped by years of experience in the fitness industry, has led me to make different choices for my body. I realized that workouts should leave you feeling energized. Unfortunately, there is a toxic ideology in the fitness world suggesting that soreness is a sign of a good workout, when in reality, that couldn’t be further from the truth. Workouts have the potential to revive you from the inside out, allowing you to feel vibrant with life flowing through your veins and fresh air filling your lungs. Throughout my years of training, I envisioned creating a studio that offers workouts designed to serve your body for the long
Appreciate your sharing that. Let’s talk about your life, growing up and some of topics and learnings around that. What relationship most shaped how you see yourself?
My Baron Brown graduates. I probably should have gone to therapy after leaving an abusive relationship, but instead, I chose to attend acting school. It was the combination of my classmates, Lisa—my instructor—and Meisner himself who encouraged me to accept all feelings are valid, and our voices were made to be heard.
They would joke that they had to beat the Southern out of us. We had a tendency to smile and accept unacceptable behaviors. We say everything is fine when we are holding on to a thread. I was exposed to how your thoughts can be just as toxic to the body as other known toxins.
I’ve discovered that creative individuals and athletes share a lot in common. Both utilize their bodies as tools to stimulate energy within them. They both possess the power to serve as an outlet for releasing trapped trauma or stress from the body.
Our bodies are designed for strength, not storage, which is a philosophy we uphold at Revive. This is why all our classes incorporate an element of detox and destress, as most people are unaware that their internal state can hinder their path to success.
If you could say one kind thing to your younger self, what would it be?
Trust Your Intuition: It Always Knows the Path
Pay attention to your instincts; they often guide you in the right direction. When something feels off, don’t justify others’ behaviors or question yourself. Trust those alarm bells.
Even if you can’t see the entire picture, your inner guide’s voice is powerful and persistent. It’s always trying to lead you in the right direction if you train yourself to listen and act on its guidance.
Never allow anyone to make you doubt that inner voice.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
The fitness industry, like any other business, can be misleading. Where should you begin? Numerous popular fitness apparel brands promote clothing knowing it can have a negative impact on your health, while energy drinks and protein supplements often contain ingredients best avoided. Within the Pilates community, there’s a widespread myth that one can achieve a specific “Pilates body,” which is simply not true. In fact, the Pilates world can be just as toxic as the leggings that claim to good for one.
There’s no one Pilates body type. Each body type responds differently to workouts. Experienced trainers assess clients’ body types, diets, and stress levels when they suggest they want to look a certain way. Some people cycle when it’s not the best path to results. Others do Pilates when they’d see better results on the bike. Results depend on how your body responds to what you do.
It’s about having a deep understanding of your body to recognize when it’s responding to a workout. It’s about knowing and accepting your body type and learning to do workouts that suit your body type. The Pilates body comes from creative advertising that only portrays one body type.
Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. What are you doing today that won’t pay off for 7–10 years?
I intentionally challenge you to push beyond your physical limits in each class. There will be days when you face disappointments, fears, loss, insecurities, and more. It’s in those moments that you’ll realize that Pilates isn’t just a class; it’s intentional seeds sown within your mind, body, and willpower. When life knocks you down, you need all three to get back up. Your willpower is your ability to persevere through the memory of the cost it’s taken you. Your mind, your subconscious, remembers everything, constantly affecting you for the good and the bad. For the good, your brain registered that you stayed in that plank even though you were shaking. When your brain reminds your body that you’ve been here and got this, you’ll look back and know that training your body goes far beyond selfies and mirrors. It’s about learning to be a person who grows when things are hard, who keeps moving when it would be easy to quit.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.revivepilatesandplates.com
- Instagram: ReviveNashville
