EP #19 From Marine Corps Veteran to Fitness Entrepreneur

From military service to fitness leadership, Christina Hudson's journey embodies discipline, community, and transformation. As owner of F45 Training Stafford, this 23-year Marine Corps veteran brings a revolutionary approach to fitness that extends far beyond physical results.

The F45 difference lies in its 45-minute team-based sessions combining functional movements, circuit training, and interval work in an energetic, supportive environment. Christina dismantles the common misconception that you need to "get fit first" before joining, emphasizing how every workout is scalable for both beginners and experienced athletes. "You show up and we do the rest," she explains, highlighting the studio's commitment to meeting members exactly where they are.

What truly sets F45 Stafford apart is the community Christina has cultivated. Unlike impersonal big-box gyms, this studio knows every member by name, fostering connections that transcend typical fitness experiences. Members frequently arrive hesitant but leave empowered, discovering strength they didn't know they possessed. "It's not about the perfect body or beach body," Christina shares, "it's about confidence, strength, connection, and showing up for yourself."

Christina's own entrepreneurial journey reflects the transformational power she sees in her members. Opening during challenging times taught her to trust the process, lean on her team, and stay anchored in her purpose. These lessons now fuel her mission to create a space where everyone feels seen, supported, and stronger with each visit.

Ready to experience the F45 difference? Visit the studio at 35 Walpole Street in Stafford, connect on Instagram @F45_training_staffordva, or email [e-mail] to try their two-week VIP trial. Your transformation journey awaits!

Christina Hudson

F45 Training of Stafford

540.202.2544

f45training.com/studio/staffordva

Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
This is the Fredericksburg Neighbors Podcast
, the place where localbusinesses and neighbors come
together.
Here's your host, Dori Stewart.

Speaker 2 (00:12):
Welcome to another episode of the Fredericksburg
Neighbors Podcast, where weshare the stories of our
favorite local brands.
Today we have a fantasticneighbor to introduce you to.
Christina Hudson is the ownerof F45 Training of Stafford.
Christina, welcome to thepodcast.

Speaker 3 (00:31):
Thank you, Dori.
I appreciate the opportunity tobe a part of this.

Speaker 2 (00:35):
Awesome.
Well, I am excited for this.
Let's start off by sharing withthe listeners a little bit
about your business.

Speaker 3 (00:43):
Absolutely so, with the exception of Saturdays,
which are always our only60-minute hybrid session.
F45 Training is a 45-minuteteam based group fitness studio
that delivers functional fitness, circuit training and interval
training, all packed into adynamic and a supportive
environment.
Our mission is to help peopletransform their lives, both

(01:05):
physically and mentally, throughpre-programmed workouts and
expert coaching, accountabilityand back to community.
So every session is filled withenergy and innovation and team
training that really driveslife-changing results, and we
like to think of F45 as muchmore than just a workout, but
more of a lifestyle.

Speaker 2 (01:24):
I love that.
I love the team approach.
That's very unique.
I love that Absolutely.

Speaker 3 (01:30):
Yeah.

Speaker 2 (01:30):
Awesome it does.
So tell me about yourbackground.
How did you get into this?

Speaker 3 (01:37):
Yeah, so I guess my journey really started.
It did not start with justfitness.
It was, for me, for me, allabout impact.
And so I'm a 23-year MarineCorps veteran and I've always
been committed to discipline, ofcourse, and resilience and
service.
Health and wellness and buildingpeople up has also been a

(01:58):
constant thread throughout mylife and really born beyond the
uniform and much further beyond,and I spent nearly eight years
as a member of a NorthernVirginia F45 studio.
I was able to intern with themthrough the DoD Skill Bridge
program and spend some timebehind the scenes as a coach as
well, and that's where firsthandI experienced really the

(02:21):
powerful nature of training andcommunity and just building that
and what that looks like.
So I, of course, after thatopportunity, given me a deeper
insight into the business andthe culture of it all.
That's when I came out of thetransition of military retired
and then decided to bring thatenergy and that community to
Stafford.

(02:41):
So very exciting, you know,with this F45, it's a global
fitness community and with itspre-programmed world-class kind
of programming it really sellsthe culture about positive and
inclusiveness and reallyempowering people.
So that's what I love the mostabout it, and opening the studio

(03:02):
in Stafford was just really aleap of faith, you know, off the
ground, and we just reallywanted to create a space where
people felt seen and supportedand stronger every single time
they walked through the door.

Speaker 2 (03:14):
That's amazing.
I'm really excited for you andI love that you were a customer
of another location for eightyears and that's a testament to
your passion for the brand.
And, of course, you're going toopen one if you've, you know,
loved it for eight years and I'msure that that's going to rub

(03:37):
off on the staffer community aswell.
So I love, I love yourbackground.
That's awesome.

Speaker 3 (03:41):
You know so yeah, yeah.

Speaker 2 (03:44):
So okay, when it comes to F45 training, do you
find that there's any myths ormisconceptions, whether it's
about the brand or about theindustry in general?

Speaker 3 (03:56):
I do.
I actually find that one veryhuge misconception is that you
need to wait to get fit firstbefore coming into the studio.
Right, and maybe that's youknow where you may be in a big
box gym or a boutique fitnessstudio, wherever it is.
I think in the industry itself,that waiting, that

(04:18):
contemplating stage and thatcould be further from the truth
right, our sessions specificallyare for everybody is for
everyone, and whether you'rejust starting out on your
fitness journey or you are aseasoned athlete, every workout
is scalable and that's what Ilove the most about F45.
You don't need to be in shape tostart.

(04:38):
You could have took off fiveyears or six years because you
had to raise children or maybetraveled a lot, and maybe it was
your job.
And at F45, it's really aboutjust showing up.
You show up and we do the rest.
Another myth is that groupfitness is impersonal sometimes.
So, because we are kind of aboutique group fitness, you know

(05:00):
where we are and what culturewe build in our studio it's
about.
You know that team training,life changing and we know the
names of those who come throughour door who are in our studio.
Our coaches continue that samekind of culture throughout, but
at 45 we're all a team and noone's just another number or
another face that's walkingthrough the door.

Speaker 2 (05:21):
I love that.
I'm glad you said that becauseI know I'm sure a lot of people
can relate to what you just said.
And sometimes it's anintimidation thing.
You know, know I'm not readyand I'm not fit enough, but you
know you got to go to get fit,so I'm really glad that that you
shared that.
So I love that.
So I know that you have been acrazy person with your opening

(05:45):
so you probably haven't beenable to take a lot of time off,
but when you're not working,what are you doing for fun?

Speaker 3 (05:52):
Yeah, I mean, it really goes back to, just like
you know, faith and family andtrying to put those first and
everything.
I'm very conscious about that,even in the chaos of doors
opening and getting ready forour studio launch.
But when I'm not at the studiowhere I spend most of my time, I
do enjoy exploring the outdoors.
I'm very spontaneous.
I like to, you know, get thekids, get the family together

(06:16):
and just spend time with family.
Connecting with other localbusiness owners has been a great
kind of adoption to like thefamily as well.
Developing a lot of ourcommunity partners has been
extraordinary.
Through a lot of the differentevents and the outreach events
that we're a part of, we'velearned to really spend time and
invest in back into ourcommunity and a lot of creative.

(06:39):
So I'm really big on continuousgrowth.
So, whether it's, you know,reading or just exploring
greater opportunities, we'realways, you know, looking for an
opportunity to kind of grow.
So outside of that again, it'sreally just spending time with
friends and families and tryingto just enjoy life or where it

(07:00):
is and where we are.
And, yeah, sometimes I do enjoya cheat meal every now and then
as well, but balance is key.

Speaker 2 (07:07):
So that's amazing.
I love that so much.
So let me ask you, kind ofswitching gears a little bit is
there a challenge or a strugglethat you have gone through in
life that you feel like maybemakes you now even stronger
because of it?

Speaker 3 (07:26):
That is a very great question.
I mean, I think starting my ownbusiness has been that moment
for me.
I don't know.
I guess over time, when you'rekind of in, you know, the midst
of things, serving doing whatyou love and you enjoy to do,

(07:52):
serving my time in the servicehas definitely it became like a
second nature, became a part ofwho I am and so you know you
kind of learn through resiliencyto, you know, move through
these things and how to movethrough these things.
But I would say starting abusiness has been, especially in
the fitness industry.
It has a lot of uncertain times.
It came with its fair share ofchallenges, I would say fully

(08:13):
and really, really.
It was about navigatingconstruction delays or staffing
and, just, you know, startingfrom zero members or pre-sale
memberships to, you know, over ahundred.
Right, it was that journey andA lot of those moments have
forced me to grow as a leaderand to sharpen my own mindset
and I really learned to trustthe process and lean on my team,

(08:34):
which is huge, and really stayanchored in the why, why I
started.
So it only made me moreresilient every single challenge
that I've experienced and I'mreally, really proud to be part
of a community that we'rebuilding here in Stafford.

Speaker 2 (08:49):
That's amazing.
Yeah, opening a brand newbusiness is not for the weak,
but you are much stronger for itand it'll carry you through the
next few years, I'm sure.
So tell me what is somethingthat you wish the listeners knew

(09:09):
about your business?

Speaker 3 (09:11):
What is something that you wish the listeners knew
about your business?
Yeah, so I really wish thatmore people just knew how
transformational F45 can be,because it's not just about the
physical.
It's about emotionally andsocially being part of something
and growing and developingstrength in those areas too.
It's not about the perfect bodyor the beach body, it's about

(09:35):
the confidence.
It's about strength andconnection and just showing up
for yourself.
So we've had a lot of memberswalk in hesitant and, you know,
walk out empowered.
While we've been giving studiotours and sponsoring some of
those and that's kind of what wewant to continue to build is
that you know way where you're,you know a little bit hesitant,

(09:57):
maybe you're a little bitintimidated.
Come into the studio, kind ofsee what it is about and then
walk out feeling empowered Like,yeah, I can do this, let's keep
going.

Speaker 2 (10:06):
That's amazing.
I love that.
You have put a lot of thoughtinto it's not just fitness, it's
community, it's mindset, it'sall of it.
So I love your mission so much.
That's awesome.
So where can the listeners findout more information about F45

(10:27):
Fitness and connect with you?

Speaker 3 (10:29):
Absolutely so.
We would love to have everyonestop by the studio here in
Stafford is where we're locatedat.
We actually have our two-weekVIP trial going on now, but at
any time that anyone may be inthe area, they can stop by.
They can find us at 35 WalpoleStreet, suite 109 in Staff area.

(10:51):
They can stop by.
They can find us at 35 WalpoleStreet, suite 109 in Stafford,
virginia, and that isconveniently located off of I-95
, exit 140.
They can also visit us on ourInstagram.
It's @F45_training_staffordvaand become a part of the
community.
We like to keep everyoneinformed of kind of the proper

(11:12):
techniques maybe a Trainer TipTuesday or just having fun, just
kind of scrolling through someof the funnies that we do with
our coaches.
But yeah, I mean there'sseveral other ways to find us.
Our email is available as wellat staffordva@ f45training.
com.
We're always happy to welcomeany questions or just for

(11:32):
someone to try us out for it.
It's very important for us thateveryone tries before they kind
of continue on and buy.

Speaker 2 (11:40):
I love that.
I love that.
Well, we at FredericksburgNeighbors have loved partnering
with you and I thank you so much, Christina, for being a guest
on the podcast today.

Speaker 3 (11:52):
Thank you.
I appreciate the opportunityand, yeah, you all have really
supported me by far, so thankyou for the opportunity.

Speaker 2 (12:01):
You're welcome.

Speaker 1 (12:03):
Thank you for listening to the Fredericksburg
Neighbors Podcast.
To nominate your favorite localbusinesses to be featured on
the show, go tofxbgneighborspodcast.
com or call 540-534-4618.