MEET LORENA

FROM THE MAT TO THE MIC

If you take the morning classes at The Full Routine’s Newport Beach studio, you have probably run into Lorena - one of our amazing clients and members! She’s sweet, strong, and has an amazing TFR story that we are proud to share.

How did you discover TFR? What was your first class like?

One word: Garrett. I was going to Grit Cycle and would see him doing these crazy workouts. Finally, I asked him what he was doing, and he mentioned he was going to start teaching at TFR. I said, “Say no more.”

When I first walked in, my immediate thought during the warm-up was, “Wait, is this aerobics?” “How am I going to breathe in here?” Then as the class progressed, my internal commentary went from “Oh, I like this” to “Wait, I LOVE this” to “When can I come back?” I was surprised I finished the class. I walked out sweaty, proud, and already wanting more. Love at first sweat. Since then, I’ve gotten stronger, built endurance, and found a routine I actually look forward to. Mentally, that hour gives me somewhere to put all the noise in my head. I can walk in overwhelmed and leave feeling like I can handle the rest of my day.

Tell us more about Lorena outside of TFR!

I was born and raised in Puerto Rico. I’m a stand-up comedian and Sahara’s mom. I started doing stand-up two weeks before I found out I was pregnant. Excellent timing. I remember thinking, “WTF, am I supposed to keep doing this? I’m not Ali Wong. Can I just strut onto a stage pregnant?”

Then I thought, “I’m not showing my daughter I’m a quitter before she even gets here.” So I kept going and performed until three days before my due date. Being onstage is the biggest rush.

There’s a lot behind the jokes, though. In my twenties, I was diagnosed with melanoma and started experiencing panic attacks. Even after recovering, I struggled with severe anxiety and depression. Over the years, I learned how to manage it and ask for help. My grandparents raised me in Puerto Rico. They were very traditional and religious, and they couldn’t wait to meet my daughter. My grandmother suddenly passed away a week before I gave birth, and my grandfather passed away three months later. I was becoming a mother while losing the people who had raised me. What followed was severe postpartum depression. There were moments when I didn’t know how I was going to get through another minute. I sought every kind of help I could and, at one point, thought I might need to be hospitalized. I was exhausting my options. I practically considered calling the Pope.

Eventually, I started writing and performing again. Making people laugh and watching them connect with my story gave me moments of joy when I desperately needed them. Comedy became a huge part of my healing, alongside the help I received. And seeing my beautiful daughter’s face every day kept me going. I also love surfing with my husband, who’s a really good surfer. We used to go together a lot, until a guy ran me over on a big-wave day in Newport Beach. Now I’m very available for small waves. Between motherhood, comedy, and my commitment to TFR, surfing has some serious competition on my calendar.

Tell us about your TFR routine today.

I normally take morning classes, which is a plot twist because I was never a morning person. Motherhood turned me into a morning-workout girlie. Getting those endorphins in early makes a real difference in how I feel and show up throughout the day. Dre and Ashley are my go-tos at 6:45 a.m., and Nikole and Stacy are my go-tos at 5:30 a.m.

Since my daughter started school, which I’m still emotionally adjusting to, I’ve also discovered the 10:30 a.m. classes. That’s how I finally took Cassie’s class, and OMG. That woman became my shaman. I don’t understand what took me so long. Taking class with the legend herself is such a cathartic experience. I go through several emotions and leave a better person.

I’ve also started taking Carley’s 10:30 a.m. class. She’s my whimsical fairy girlie, making me work considerably harder than the word “fairy” would suggest. I’m usually there five or six days a week. The temptation is seven, but I make myself take at least one day off. When I miss a class, I feel personally affected. I’ve never been this attached to a workout.

On my days off, I love surfing or swimming in my pool.

What is your favorite part of your time at TFR?

The people, the music, the routine, and the community. I love that I can show up exactly as I am that day, whether I’m feeling amazing or barely holding it together, and still feel like I belong. When you’re a mom and juggling a million things, so much of your day revolves around what someone else needs. At TFR, I get an hour to reconnect with myself. The instructors bring so much personality and energy, and being surrounded by people showing up for themselves makes me want to keep showing up, too. Also, a good song can get considerably more out of me than someone simply telling me to do another rep.

I also met one of my great friends at TFR - Jojo. Meeting her motivated me even more to keep showing up. Her vibes, her energy, her entire being! The support she’s given me both in and out of the gym has meant so much to me. She’s become my partner in crime and, honestly, like family.

Is there an instructor or TFR memory that stands out to you?

Honestly, I have an emotional attachment to the entire roster:

Garrett started all of this. Dre is my Pisces sister. Ashley is my ballerina. Nikole is my baddie with honorary Latina status. Carley is my whimsical fairy girlie. Hallie is my athletic cheer queen. Gillian is my hype woman. Destiny is my cousin by association. Julie is my reggaeton queen. Stacy is an absolute MILF. McKenna is the ultimate babe who makes everything look easy while hyping me up enough to believe I can do it, too.

And, of course, Cassie: the woman, the myth, the legend. She embodies TFR. She walks the walk, and the way she inspires people goes far beyond owning a studio. I’ve been to plenty of studios, and what she’s created feels special. Her class is like a retreat compressed into a workout. I leave wondering whether I exercised or drank some special tea and worked through several personal issues. Either way, I’m coming back.

How has TFR challenged or changed you outside of the studio?

It’s changed how I organize my life. I willingly wake up before the sun for this. I have semi-abs. I barely drink now because I want to wake up feeling good and ready for class. I’ve also realized I would rather eat my calories than drink them. I have priorities, and some of them require a fork.

More than anything, TFR has helped me build trust in myself. Every time I show up and get through something challenging, I carry a little of that confidence into the rest of my day.

What are you most proud of since starting your TFR journey?

My dedication. I’ve built a habit that I love and genuinely want to keep. I’ve lost 35 pounds during this chapter of my life, and I’m proud of the strength and consistency I’ve built along the way. Finding a workout I look forward to has been a huge part of that. I want to be there, even when the class is hard.

I’m now the person who goes on vacation and thinks, “Okay, but what about my classes at The Full Routine?” Beautiful destination. Deep concern about my workout schedule.

After everything I’ve been through, having something that brings me joy and helps me feel more like myself means a lot. I’m proud that I keep making that time for myself.

To watch Lorena’s journey and learn when she’s next on the mic in the OC and LA area, follow her on IG at @lorenafrompuertorico.

To support her at her next show in Huntington Beach, you can get tickets here.