Off The Mic

What would you do if you hadn't taught a live class in five years… and suddenly you're asked to jump on the schedule after a 22-minute assessment, and then teach five in one day? In this episode, I break down what actually carried me through that first day back: not a perfect playlist or flawless programming, but my persona. Your presence, intention, transitions, timing, and voice will take you further than the "perfect" class plan ever could. We'll unpack what it means to stop worrying about what

In this episode of Off the Mic, Shay dives into one of the hardest truths for group fitness instructors: not everyone will love you. And that’s okay. In fact, it’s the key to a long, fulfilling career. Shay shares why confidence comes from knowing your secret sauce (who you are, why you teach, and how you deliver your classes) and how the best instructors in the world don’t try to please everyone. They master their craft, own their style, and magnetize the right people. You’ll learn: • Why being

Have you ever had that gut-punch moment when someone copies your playlist, your cues, or even your whole class format? It stings. In this episode of Off the Mic, I’m sharing a candid, story-packed conversation about: My 2025 East Coast summer training tour and why in-person mentorship is making a comeback The difference between copying vs. “stealing like an artist” Why originality is a myth and your secret sauce is unstealable How to protect your energy, trust your creativity, and keep

We’re halfway through the year, and if you’re anything like me, this is when things start to feel… fuzzy. You’ve been showing up. You’ve been pouring your energy into your classes. But maybe your momentum has dipped. Maybe you’re starting to coast. Or maybe you’re wondering… “Am I even growing right now?” This episode is your nudge to pause and check in with yourself, your goals, and how you’re feeling in your role. Not because something’s wrong,  but because you deserve to feel aligned, supported,

What if your playlist wasn’t just a high energy list of songs, but a nervous system intervention? What if music could be the difference between a class that feels flat and one that leaves people cracked open in the best way? In this episode of Off the Mic, my husband Barry and I sit down with Emma Marshall, speaker, educator, and author of Music is Medicine, for one of the most soul-shifting conversations we’ve ever had on the power of music in group fitness. Emma’s work explores how music affects

You know that song that brings you to tears? The one that gives you goosebumps—or makes you feel like you could rise from the ashes and run through a wall? That power comes from something called prosody—a songwriting principle that aligns music and meaning to create emotional impact. And here's the thing: prosody isn’t just for musicians. It’s a tool you can use in your classes to make every movement, music choice, coaching moment, and transition work together to tell one cohesive, powerful story

In this vulnerable and fire-filled episode, Shay takes on one of the most damaging myths in the fitness industry: the idea that your body is your résumé. She shares the raw truth of how she got her start as a trainer—not because of credentials, but because of how her abs looked—and how that moment both launched her career and planted a seed of disillusionment. This episode is a call to action for instructors who feel like they have to look a certain way to be taken seriously. Shay explores how

Welcome to the very first episode of Off the Mic—the podcast for fitness instructors who know their work is bigger than workouts. In this debut episode, host Shay Kostabi shares what it really takes to lead unforgettable classes—not just when everything goes smoothly, but when sh*t hits the fan. What do you do when your mic cuts out, a client disrupts the flow, or you blank mid-track? Shay gets real about what recovery actually looks like (spoiler: it’s not a magic trick), and offers actionable tips