You know that friend that you have that's just a constant level of fun and excitement? That's Katie Martin. Her hair color often embodies her personality - vibrant and eye-catching - and her energy is absolutely contagious. If you want a themed class, particularly one that includes super sweet dance moves, just seek out Katie. You can find her most often at PM classes, that is when she's not vibing at some cool music festival or concert. Read more below to get to know the fantastic Katie Martin.
Hometown: Zionsville, IN - just northwest of Indy
How long have you lived in Louisville? 15 years
Tell us about your family: On the 29th, Josh and I will be celebrating 11 years married. We met through a mutual friend at a college party 18 years ago 😂. We have Izzie who is 8 and Rex who is 5.
Current/Previous career: I graduated from UofL in 2012 with my Doctorate in Audiology and have never strayed! I love being able to help patient connect with loved ones again through better hearing
What did you want to be “when you grow up”? When I was really little, all I wanted to be was a cheerleader. I cheered through middle and most of high school and think I make a pretty good cheerleader in other ways these days! Then, naturally, I wanted to be a marine biologist like any other 80s kid.
What is the furthest you have been away from home? In 5th grade our school participated in a French exchange program so I lived with a family outside of Paris for a couple weeks.
What is your favorite thing to do? I’m a music lover; so concerts, music festivals, or just throwing on some tunes and dancing like a fool anytime anywhere
What is something about you that someone may not know? I am a bit of a language nerd, I’ve studied French, Spanish, Hebrew, Mandarin and American Sign Language but would definitely NOT consider myself proficient in any. My coworkers often dub a “word of the week” based on random vocabulary I throw out. I also LOVE crosswords.
What is your favorite local restaurant to eat at? What is your go to order? The kids pretty much dictate our outings these days - we’re often at Double Dogs (LOVE to get a grilled buffalo chicken salad), Selena’s or El Toro in Middletown. Otherwise, we frequent many of the breweries in town; HiWire, West Sixth Nulu, Gravely, Ten20 Anchorage. Third Turn Oldham is one of our favorite hangouts as a fam.
What is the best thing about living in Louisville? Moving to Louisville from Indy, I loved that it had a big, small town feel and have LOVED watching it grow in the time I’ve lived here. So many amazing restaurants, breweries, festivals and events.
What is your favorite color? Depends on the day, but if it comes down to it, varying shades of teal
What is your favorite song or artist? Many know my undying love for My Morning Jacket, so ALL of their stuff. I’m all about the Indie or Jam Band music but one of my all time favorite songs is, naturally, “Kate” by Ben Folds
What TV shows are you currently watching? My guilty pleasure is The Real Housewives of Atlanta. That and Top Chef are the only reality shows I watch regularly. I have a very dry/corny sense of humor so I love shows like What We Do in the Shadows, Always Sunny in Philadelphia, SNL.
Tell us something about yourself that would surprise us: My first name is Marion. I’m named for a great aunt Marian but my parents spelled it the other way when filling out paperwork. My mom thought for sure I was gonna be a boy so they pivoted at the last minute.
If someone had to describe you in one word, what would it be and why? Bubbly. I’ve had many patients ask me if I’m “always this happy”
How did you find FIT4MOM Louisville? When I was pregnant with Izzie, I had seen a friend in Lexington post about her F4M journey and I was SO hoping we’d have one in Louisville. My prayers were answered when I saw a post about the grand opening when Izzie was around 5 months old. I am a major introvert so I was terrified to go but I’m beyond thankful I did because I cannot imagine my life without this village!
How long have you worked for FIT4MOM Louisville? 6 years
How has FIT4MOM Louisville changed your life? How HASN’T it? I was never one to do much exercise on my own yet hated the feel of not knowing people in group fitness classes. I also was never much for a “girl gang”. Finding F4M completely changed all of that and I’m so thankful!
What was the first class that you attended and/or taught? What was the last class that you attended and/or taught? First class attended was the first Saturday Strides class offered at the Parklands back in 2015. First class I taught solo was my Sunday evening Stroller Barre class. Last class attended was E’s Boost, her classes just make me smile through the sweat.
What classes do you currently attend and/or teach? PM crew all the way! You can catch my Low Impact Boost on Wednesday nights at Owl Creek neighborhood or virtually but I also frequent Meredith’s Cardio Express on Monday nights and E’s Boost on Tuesday nights; otherwise, you just never know where I might pop up
What is your favorite workout move or class layout? What workout move or class layout makes you feel strong? The answer to both: Barre/Pilates! My mantra in all my classes is “Low Impact does NOT mean Low Intensity!” you can get such a deep burn that lasts for days with some of these moves, I love isolating those smaller muscle groups to complement the bigger moves in other classes.
September questions:
Fall is coming, what’s your favorite activity - jumping in leaves, picking apples, watching football, etc? Having an almost Halloween birthday, Halloween is my JAM! I love spooky season and costumes. I’m all about watching all the scary movies (with the lights on under a blanket of course, having a drink by the fire pit, doing all the “fall things”; pumpkin patch, carving pumpkins, fall scented candles, festivals etc.
Best drink to have during the fall season? Bourbon - in cider, alone, in an old fashion, gimme all the sweet, smoky goodness! I’m a seasonal drinker so that’s when I’ll switch to red wine and darker beers too to switch it up. Non-alcoholic, I love a dirty chai, as long as it’s not super sweet.
Sweater weather or keep the shorts and tank tops going? I like summer activities, but I hate summer, gimme all the leggings and hoodies, oversized sweaters, boots, hats, the earth tones, I LOVE It!
Favorite color of fall leaf? I would never say yellow is my favorite color, but I love yellow in nature. The bright yellow leaves, the sunshine and most definitely, sunflowers, they make me so happy!