Pride Fitness DSM

We are exhausted, but our hearts are so full
🩷❤️🧡💛💚🩵💙💜🤎🖤🩶🤍

We had over 260 lifters that moved through the booth over three days.

We had some that got to experience lifting for the first time. Some that experienced the joy of lifting a weight they hadn’t before. We had lifters from age 5 all the way up to 69 and everywhere in between. Some lifted 25 pounds while others lifted 135 pounds. Some completed one rep while others completed 32!

But they all challenged themselves whether it be the first time or the hundredth time.

There were so many standout moments from this weekend I could probably talk about a different one for every day of the month, but the overall best thing was experiencing the joy and community that lifting brings.

I love this job and I love this community ♥️🏳️‍🌈

And shout out to my wife .a.t.e_ for all of the extra time put in behind the scenes to help this run smoothly, and friend for help and mood boosting on Saturday!

“I always loved the way it felt to be strong,” Leah Embrey said.⁠ ⁠ For members of the LGBTQ community, that confidence can be hard to develop. Walking into the gym for the first time can be intimidating under the best of circumstances; worrying about prejudice can compound those anxieties.⁠ ⁠ That’s why Embrey created @pridefitnessdsm, a Drake neighborhood gym for the q***r community and anyone else who worries they won’t fit in at the typical gym.⁠ ⁠ “Having spaces where people can be exactly who they are without having to put a mask on or worry that they’re getting judged, by how they present, what they look like or how they do their hair, is really important,” Embrey said.⁠ ⁠ The one thing that’s not allowed? Negative self-talk, in any form.⁠ ⁠ Learn more about Pride Fitness, and other places building community for q***r Iowans, in our special Pride Health & Wellness reporting part of our May/June issue. Link in bio. 🌈 Because taking care of ourselves means prioritizing mental health alongside physical health, and access to safe, affirming spaces is a crucial part of that work. Those spaces foster belonging and make self-care just a little bit easier.⁠ ⁠ 📸: Duane Tinkey⁠ ✍️: Mathany Ahmed

Pride in practice Taking care of ourselves means prioritizing mental health alongside physical health, and access to safe, affirming spaces is a crucial part of that work. For LGBTQ people, that might mean grabbing …

We’re back again and we can’t wait!! You can try out deadlifting or test your skills with a challenge if you’re up for it 💪

You can find us on the interactive map here:
https://www.eventeny.com/events/map/?id=28672&mid=20370

What do volleyball games and powerlifting have to do with Pride Month? More than you might think. How Des Moines organizations are using fitness to build community and improve the mental health of LGBTQ+ Iowans. FULL STORY⬇️

Meet Pride Fitness DSM, an inclusive gym space serving the LGBTQ+ community throughout the Des Moines metro 🏳️‍🌈 Leah, owner, worked with Iowa Center business coaches to optimize her time and grow her small business! Leah was featured in our “Made in Iowa” small business panel discussion event, helping bring new visibility and clients to her gym and personal trainer program.

Check out the amazing work happening at https://www.pridefitnessdsm.com/