Meet YMCA Staff: Amy

YMCA spin instructor Amy Howie loves having fun and, to her, that’s what the Y’s all about!

“Every time I’m at the Y, it’s a good time. I know that sounds cheesy, but we just have so much fun,” said Amy. “I always leave the Y in a good mood.”

Amy spent most of her life in Denver before deciding she needed a change. About seven years ago, she, her husband, and their two daughters sold their belongings and moved to Missoula. As the family settled into their new home, they started thinking about where they wanted to work out.

“We checked out a few gyms,” Amy said. “When we got to the Y, it felt comfortable. It felt like home.”

A former spin instructor in Denver, Amy was interested in getting back into teaching.

“I walked into the Y and was like, ‘This would be an amazing place to teach spin,’” she said. She picked up a few shifts and hasn’t stopped teaching since. Amy’s class playlist is a mix of hits from the ‘70s, ‘80s, and ‘90s, but those who attend her spin sessions can usually count on hearing music from one artist in particular.

“I love anything Pitbull,” she said with a laugh. “He makes me feel like I’m on the beach.”

“I’m only teaching one class on Mondays because I’m so busy with my day job, but I will not give up that one 45-minute spin class,” Amy added.

When not at the YMCA, Amy runs Montana Fire Pits with her husband. The e-commerce business sells gas firepits for the backyard. The firepits are built here in Missoula, which is convenient as the demand for them has only grown since COVID.

“It’s the new hot tub,” she joked. “Everyone wants a firepit.”

A self-described “exercise junkie,” Amy can be found hiking and mountain biking among Montana’s many forested areas, as well as working out at the YMCA in between spin classes.

“The Y community makes my time at the YMCA so special,” said Amy with a smile. “It’s a great way to meet people and to find your people. I feel comfortable here. I’m here for good.”