Nitzan Gilinsky

I'm Nitzan Gilinsky, 26. Sports were always part of my life — I danced for years, until I was 17, and I've always loved being in motion. But I think my real connection to this world arrived in the army.

In the army I was a fitness instructor on a commanders' course in Combat Engineering, and that's where I first understood how much power a workout has beyond the physical. I saw people arrive after a rough day, tired, drained, or in a bad mood, and how one class — with music, energy, and a good atmosphere — could send them out completely different.

I'm someone who's very affected by the energy of the people around me, for better and worse. That's where I discovered how much I love being on the side that gives that energy to others. Seeing someone walk in one way and leave a little happier, looser, and stronger feels good for me too.

When I finished the army I knew I wanted to take that with me into civilian life. I wanted to build people a place they come to train, but leave with much more than that.

That's probably still what I love most about the work. A good class, for me, isn't only how much you lifted or how hard you worked. It's also how you felt walking in, and how you felt walking out.

If I managed to send someone out of my class with slightly better energy than they walked in with — I did my job.