(NASHVILLE, Tenn) — Erin Mahoney is a Nashville-based boxing, pilates and group fitness instructor as well as nutrition coach who is ready to share her love for wellness with you.
Before she was leading classes, coaching clients, and balancing multiple roles in Nashville’s fitness scene, Erin was stuck in a less than ideal work environment that left her anxious, exhausted, and unsure of who she was becoming.
“I was so young and so naive,” she says. “I didn’t realize that what was happening at work wasn’t normal. There was manipulation, harassment, and constant anxiety. I stayed way longer than I should have because I needed a paycheck.”
After graduating college, Erin landed what she thought was her dream job in digital marketing. At just 22 years old, she was ambitious, eager, and ready to build a career. But what should have been an exciting new chapter quickly turned negative.
The environment took a toll on her mental health. “I remember coming home crying every night,” she says quietly. “It was one of the lowest points in my life.”
The job drained her mentally and emotionally, until one day, something across the street caught her eye: a boxing gym.
For months, she’d walked past it, curious but intimidated. “One day I just thought, why not?” Erin recalls. “I grabbed a couple of girls from work and said, ‘Let’s just try it.’ We walked in, took one class, and I was hooked. The salesman was good, he had me buying gloves before I even left,” she laughs.
From that first class, everything began to shift. Boxing quickly became Erin’s outlet and a way to release the stress that had built up from her job and a way to reconnect with herself.
“It wasn’t just a workout,” she explains. “It was the first time I felt in control again. Every punch felt like I was taking back my power.”
Within weeks, Erin was training three times a week, building confidence, discipline, and self-worth one round at a time. That new strength gave her the courage to walk away from the toxic job that had been draining her for so long.
Looking back, she says, “It’s wild to think I might never have stepped into that gym if I hadn’t been going through all of that. What I thought was breaking me was really pushing me toward something better.”
A few years later, Erin made a bold move, both literally and figuratively. Craving a change, she packed up and relocated from Boston to Nashville in 2020. “I just wanted a fresh start,” she says. “New city, new energy, new adventure.”
She joined Title Boxing Club Nashville, the same franchise she had trained with back home. But this time, something different happened.
“One of the trainers reached out and asked if I’d ever thought about becoming a trainer myself,” Erin recalls. “I couldn’t believe it. It was something I had secretly dreamed about, but I didn’t think I was ready. That message completely changed my path.”
With mentorship from that same trainer, who would later become one of her closest friends, Erin started shadowing classes, learning the ropes, and slowly stepping into the role of coach. All while working a full-time desk job.
“For almost two years, I was teaching classes at 6 a.m., going to my office job from 9 to 5, and then teaching again at night,” she says. “I was exhausted but fulfilled in a way I’d never felt before.”
Eventually, the side hustle became the dream job. Erin earned her personal training certification, transitioned to full-time fitness, and eventually became general manager at Title Nash. It was her first time managing a team, but she embraced it head-on.
“I learned so much about leadership,” she says. “The people above me really took me under their wing. This industry is tough; it’s hard to make a full-time living in fitness, but those experiences shaped me into who I am today.”
For Erin, boxing wasn’t just about physical transformation. It was mental, emotional, and deeply personal.
“Boxing is a sport that keeps you humble,” she says. “You’re always learning. You never truly master it, and that’s what keeps me coming back. Every class, I’m working on something: footwork, breathing, defense, timing.”
And beyond the technique, boxing gives her something no desk job ever could.
“When you’re on the bag, everything else disappears,” Erin says. “You’re not thinking about your problems, your to-do list, or what’s next. You’re focused on the punch in front of you. It’s the most freeing feeling in the world.”
She’s seen that same transformation in her clients, especially women who walk into the gym nervous or unsure of themselves. “Watching them find their confidence, the same way I did, is the best part of what I do,” she says. “You can literally see them start to carry themselves differently.”
Today, Erin is thriving in Nashville’s ever-evolving fitness community. She now juggles three fitness roles:
Title Nash – Boxing coach and trainer
Tremble Nashville – Reformer Pilates instructor
Carbon Nations – Group fitness and strength training coach
She also offers nutrition coaching, focusing on sustainable eating habits that fuel energy and performance, not restriction.
“My form of currency is energy,” Erin says. “I have to be ‘on’ from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., so I take nutrition seriously. I love cooking, experimenting with healthy recipes, and figuring out how to get in enough protein while still enjoying my food.”
When she’s not in the gym, she’s often exploring the city, hiking Nashville’s trails, discovering local coffee shops, or checking out new wellness spots around town. “All the girly things!” She says.
Despite her packed schedule, Erin says helping others is what keeps her going. “There’s no better feeling than watching someone achieve something they didn’t think they could,” she says. “Fitness has changed my life, and if I can help even one person find that same light, it’s all worth it.”
That mission also shapes how she trains, blending encouragement with accountability. “I tell my clients ‘This isn’t about perfection, it’s about progress and it’s about showing up for yourself, even when you don’t feel like it.’”
To connect, follow Erin on Instagram where she posts class updates, motivational tips, and behind-the-scenes glimpses of her fitness journey.
“Boxing saved me,” Erin says simply. “It made me stronger, inside and out. If my story can inspire someone else to take that first step — to walk into that gym they’ve been scared to try, then I’ve done my job.”
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