Who: Shawn Morris
Does: Sweatbox studio manager and Vida U Street group program manager
Approach to fitness: “For folks to be successful, fitness has to be sustainable. I approach all fitness from a place of functionality disguised as fun. In any of my classes, you’ll find a fire playlist, energy through the roof, and maybe even a little twerking. I find it helps to motivate people and make them forget how hard they are working because they are also having fun.”
The Bag
“My old faithful bag is my Timbuk2 backpack. I won it years ago—it’s been through hell and back with me and is still in amazing condition.” Parker Commuter Backpack; $219; Timbuk2
Workout clothes
“Between teaching cycling and Sweatbox classes, I end up sweating many times a day. Back-up shorts and tanks are an absolute must. I’m a sucker for a short-short, and these four-inch shorts are pretty much my favorite. They allow me to move, squat, run, or jump.” Surge Short 4″ Liner; $68; Lululemon
“I need to be able to move freely without sweating to death. This tank allows me to do that.” Fast and Free Tank; $29; Lululemon
Face wash
“Again, I sweat, so I need something to clean my skin and maintain its PH balance. This great product does it all at once.” Deep Cleansing Solution; $36; GM Collin
Cross-training shoes
“Since Sweatbox is my main form of fitness, I don’t need to carry much, as Sweatbox provides the equipment, the music, and the experience,” says Morris. That means he usually just carries around a pair of cross-training shoes for full body workouts. “My go-to right now is the Reebok Nano 9. They are great for the squatting, lunging, jumping, and cycling (among many other things) that we do in Sweatbox.” Nano 9 Men’s Training Shoes; $130; Reebok
Snacks
“When you’re burning well over 1,200 calories a day exercising, you must refuel throughout the day. My favorite go-to is a dark chocolate chip peanut butter Perfect Bar.” Dark Chocolate Chip Peanut Butter Perfect Bar; $24 for a box of eight; Perfect Bar
This interview has been edited and condensed.
Mimi Montgomery joined Washingtonian in 2018. She’s written for The Washington Post, Garden & Gun, Outside Magazine, Washington City Paper, DCist, and PoPVille. Originally from North Carolina, she now lives in Del Ray.
