#FrayLife Follows: Devin Maier
We’re back with another edition of #FrayLife Follows – our monthly series featuring a local DC Instagram account that we follow and think you should too.
This month we are featuring Devin Maier from Balance Gym – a local fitness expert with a huge crush on seeking out the coolest places DC has to offer.
Check out his story, then give him a follow @devinmaier!
Give us some background on your experience in the fitness industry. How did you get started, what are some professional highlights, any other important/interesting info?
Growing up the eldest of six kids (with roughly one-year age gaps), I didn’t get much exposure to organized sports as my parents were mostly focused on the babies. While that gave me the ability to play outside and get in to lots of mischief, I found myself borderline obese towards the end of middle school, and my youthful hi-jinx had gotten me recommended for expulsion. My plea deal required me to stay after school everyday for a mandatory weightlifting program that was run my my guidance councilor. Let’s just say that this opportunity has opened more doors than I’d ever imagine.
What are your three favorite ways to workout and why?
First and foremost, I love high intensity training in a gym, a la CrossFit: something that leaves you in a puddle of sweat on the ground and can be completed in under twenty minutes. No one wants to work out for endless hours a day, so I love to make it efficient and make it fun! I do 4-5 workouts like this weekly. My second favorite would be long and slow on the weekends: paddle boarding, hiking, biking, or jogging (in that particular order). Lastly would be sport/play, because everyone needs some friendly competition that tricks you into busting your butt.
What’s your go-to outdoor workout to do in DC?
I’ve been playing around with my own triathlon these days: Paddle Board around Teddy Roosevelt Island (3 miles), Trail Run to Fletcher’s Boat House along the C & O canal (5 miles), then bike from the Key Bridge to Bethesda (10 miles). Mark my words, this will be a semi-official race in the near future. If that sounds a bit too extreme, my other favorite is Capitol Biking to all the monuments after the bars close!
What is something completely random or unusual that most people don’t know about you?
My first job was selling apples/apple cider and xmas trees at Eastern Market. I did this job every Saturday from age 8-13. Market Lunch takes me back!
What kinds of content do you regularly share with your IG followers?
I have a huge crush on DC and I look for beauty in areas that many residents may be unaware of. My favorite spot is on my paddle board watching the sun rise over the Lincoln Memorial.
What are your three biggest health/fitness tips for those of us who aren’t gym rats?
Consistency. Find something that you enjoy and make it sustainable. It’s amazing how exercise can enhance all facets of a persons life and my job is to make it accessible and fun for all.
What is your favorite local IG account to follow? Let us know in the comments and you might just see them featured on a future edition of #FrayFollows.
Want to see another one of our favorites? Check out #FrayFollows: @dcfoodporn
GET OUR WEEKLY EMAIL »