TEAM PLAYER
Former softball star Charlise Springer trains Houstonians at SWEAT 1000
Charlise Springer knows her angles. In front of a camera, the tall brunette with a wide smile and boundless energy moves quickly but intentionally — gliding through poses that best show off her toned, athletic physique. After all, she’s earned it.
“This is my best side,” she tells the photographer, tucking a loose strand of hair behind her ear. “If you shoot me like this, you can really see my muscles.”
It’s not a vanity thing. Her enviable biceps and quads are badges of honor, developed over decades of sports, exercise and straight-up discipline.
And now, as SWEAT 1000’s newest instructor, working out and motivating others to look and feel their best is part of her job.
“Fitness has become more popular over the past five years,” says Charlise, who is married to the Astros’ George Springer. “Seeing how prevalent it is has influenced me to take every opportunity I have to educate others along the way.”
She learned big life lessons as a threesport child athlete. Growing up, she started with T-ball at age 5, which led to softball in high school. Charlise joined the volleyball and basketball teams, too, though when the University of Albany came calling with a scholarship, it was her swing they were after.
The first-base player racked up 33
home runs for Albany, was named America East Conference Player of the Year and suited up with the Puerto Rican national team for the World Cup of Softball in 2012.
“Sports and being a student athlete held me accountable and taught me how to handle pressure,” says Charlise, who graduated with a communications degree. “I learned about leadership and taking charge. Now, in this lifestyle with my husband, I’m able to juggle multiple things at once.”
She married the Astros outfielder in January 2018. The newlyweds delayed their Fiji honeymoon until the off-season, and that’s where they were when the team’s sideline reporter, Julia Morales, invited Charlise to try SWEAT 1000, a high-intensity fitness concept from South Africa that had recently opened its first U.S. location in the Heights.
The two women circled a date in November. And when Charlise walked into the studio for the first time, co-owner and lead instructor Ana Strouse recognized her right away.
“Her first class was one of my classes,” Ana says. “She’s this beautiful girl — super young, super athletic, super fit. I felt her passion for fitness immediately.”
The connection was mutual. Charlise thrived in the fastpaced, action-packed environment and quickly became a regular. “I really believed in what they have to offer,” she says.
Her enthusiasm gave Ana an idea. Why not make Charlise an official member of the SWEAT 1000 family?
“My pitch was something like, ‘You’re such an athlete, and I don’t know if this is going to interest you, but would you teach some of our classes and be part of our team?’ ” Ana recalls with a laugh. “I was not expecting her to say yes.”
But Charlise proved an easy sell.
“I was elated to be a trainer there and work for a company that I’m passionate about. They’re flexible with the baseball schedule, and I get to help others discover their self-worth.”
SWEAT, which stands for Specialized Weight Endurance Athletic Training, is just her speed. Each one-hour, full-body session burns up to 1,000 calories (hence the name) through an intense combination of interval, functional, athletic and agility exercises, plus core stability work.
High-end equipment from top manufacturers, including Hampton and TKO Strength & Performance, line the 1,800-square-foot studio. FreeMotion treadmills were selected specifically for their 30-degree incline feature, and that level of detail is exactly what attracts world-class fitness enthusiasts, like Charlise, to the concept.
SWEAT 1000’s original locations in Cape Town and Johannesburg count Olympians, championship fighters, professional rugby and cricket players, and Sports Illustrated models as fans.
When Ana’s husband and business partner, Jordan Strouse, took a job overseas in 2015, the Cape Town outpost became her home away from home.
“It was pretty new for me because I was never into the group class thing,” Ana says. Each session can accommodate up to 40 people. “But I found a lot of joy doing it, and community. It always felt like a family.”
She grew up playing basketball as a hobby, though later gravitated to lifting weights. Ana had been creating her own solo workouts since age 21. SWEAT 1000 offered a surprising alternative.
“I liked being next to my husband. Before, I would go to my section, pick up weights and meet him afterward,” she says. “SWEAT 1000 gives an opportunity to spend time with the person you want to spend time with. You can book a class with your partner or best friends and spend that hour together.”
And for professionals, she continues, that’s hard to do sometimes.
That’s the reasoning behind Power 45, a class Charlise leads every Friday at noon for clients to pop in on their lunch breaks. It’s 15 minutes shorter than a traditional session, which allows time for a shower before heading back to the office.
There’s a Fuel Bar in the Houston Heights studio as well; regulars often preorder their protein shake of choice, then graband-go on their way out the door.
In this neighborhood, convenience and accessibility are big draws.
“We have a strong base of community-minded people. There are a lot of young professionals who live within five minutes of where we are,” Ana says. The home she shares with Jordan is just four blocks away from the 18th Street storefront.
And despite the trendy surroundings — hot spots, including La Lucha and Superica, are right next door — residents of all ages and fitness levels are welcome.
“One of my clients is 55,” Ana adds. “We’re not going to hustle you if you want to walk instead of run, or pick up the lightest weight. It’s you against you.”
To enforce the “personal best” M.O., each treadmill is labeled with encouraging words like “power,” “rise,” “courage” and “strong” to remind class-goers to push for the practice they want. Instructors use the cues to maintain an inspiring vibe.
That’s where Charlise thrives. Teaching people the importance of a healthy lifestyle is her top priority. After two months of training, she’s now front and center, sharing the lessons she learned as a star athlete with Houstonians — and yes, the occasional ’Stros fan.
She understands that the fitness world can be an intimidating. Especially if physical activity hasn’t always been part of your life.
“There are always modifications — for beginners, average Joes or even professional athletes, like my husband,” Charlise says. “Getting out of your comfort zone ultimately creates growth. And we’re happy to be that stepping stone.”
Charlise Springer, trainer with SWEAT 1000 “I get to help others discover their self-worth.”