Samantha Shao

Hi! I’m Sam (@swagmantha3247). I’m originally from San Diego, CA and have been an athlete for as long as I can remember. I started competitive swimming at age 8, then switched to rowing in high school—which ultimately led me to compete at the Division I level for Harvard.

After stepping away from collegiate sports, I knew I still craved the sense of community, discipline, and joy that comes from training with a team. That naturally pulled me into group fitness. I spent five years teaching heated yoga sculpt at CorePower, YogaSix, and Asteya before starting the MD–PhD program at Mayo Clinic Arizona. During my training I took a brief pause from teaching, but I eventually found my way to HiPower House.

I needed a workout that would get every drop of energy out in 50 minutes so I could study the rest of the day—and Lagree was exactly that. The intensity, the mind–body connection, and the endurance-based mindset hooked me instantly.

As an instructor, my goal is to create classes that are challenging, adaptable, and empowering for every fitness level. I want each student to walk out feeling stronger, challenged, and supported. Most importantly, I want all of my students to have FUN, because exercise is supposed to be exactly that!

And because I’m a huge music person… expect the newest tech-house tracks, every class!

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