At 21 years old, Carly Sciandra has gone through more than most people do in a lifetime. She has had nine hip surgeries on her left hip due to an ongoing deformity. “Maintaining a healthy weight with my hip issues has always been a struggle, as well as finding the right exercise methods to achieve the results I desired,” said Carly. Yet while most people lose sight of their fitness goals after just one surgery, Carly has always figured out a way to stay fit and healthy through nine - even in the most discouraging times.

Carly remembers a specific moment after one of her operations in 2004 when she was just seven years old. “I was stuck in my wheelchair for 6 weeks while watching my siblings and neighborhood friends play outside, feeling like I was missing out.” Missing big gaps of the school year because of her surgeries meant missing time with friends. “In the worst cases, friends would distance themselves from me.”

Yet from an incredibly young age, Carly never let the fear of missing out rule her heart. Over the course of her preteen and teenage years, doctors wanted her to have a “well-rounded childhood” - they never told Carly she couldn’t do something; instead, they would “strongly recommend” against certain high-impact activities. This mindset allowed Carly to look for low-impact activities she could do, like swimming and biking. She started swimming at a very young age when her father would make her jump into the deep end first. She joined her first swim team at age 8 and swam all the way up until college. While she loved being on a team, it was the intrinsic drive to do well in her individual events that was her main source of motivation.

In college, Carly transitioned to weight lifting but felt like she was missing the cardiovascular piece to her fitness. She took her first class at REV and fell in love. “I remember my first class being with Esther. The combination of her cursing and the upbeat music really lit my fire.” Leaving every class dripping with sweat, feeling like she gave her all in every minute, REV has helped Carly feel like she can overcome any obstacle thrown at her in her life outside the studio. Passionate words from her favorite instructors like Barb allow her the space and time to put aside any stress, push through the physical exertion, and leave with a clearer mindset. “Barb’s classes are an emotional rollercoaster for me. Her words always resonate so deeply inside of me and push me to want to step outside of my comfort zone and find purpose in everything I do.”

Carly finds an escape in being as active as she can. She has good days and bad days. Though her hip is better than it was, it will never be perfect, and the only thing left would be a complete hip replacement; however, Carly continues to dive into the deep end no matter what life throws at her. “Life has a way of pushing me down with major setbacks every few years because of my hip, but I now know what makes me happy and a big part of my happiness is being a member of the REV tribe.”

REV has given Carly an even stronger passion for working out and becoming the best version of herself. This September, she will be racing in two triathlons. With a purpose and a goal, Carly was able to create her own training plan. She says the most important aspect of the training plan is to stay consistent and know that every little bit will help on race day.

Carly is an inspiration for the entire REV community. Every step she takes, every pedal stroke, she does with a purpose to become better for herself. From the time she began swimming at 8 years old, to competing in her first olympic triathlon this September, the obstacles life has thrown at her have never blocked her path - they have become her path. One quote she has always lived by is as follows: if one advances confidently in the direction of his dreams, and endeavors to live the life which he has imagined, he will meet with a success unexpected in common hours. So when life seems hard, remember these words from our very own member of the REV tribe  - “go confidently in the direction of your dreams and live the life you have imagined. Do not let obstacles in your route detour you from finding your true passion and do not settle for anything less.” Dive in. It’s that simple.