When women in St. Louis describe the first place they felt safe enough to breathe again, to smile again, to feel beautiful again, they often mention one name: Ashley Simmons. As the Founder and CEO of Get Sexy Movement Fitness Studio, Ashley has cultivated a sanctuary where women don’t just work out — they heal, laugh, release, reconnect, and remember who they are.
Ashley created Get Sexy Movement after experiencing profound loss and transformation in her own life. Rather than shutting down, she leaned into God, into purpose, and into community. The result is a studio that feels less like a gym and more like a sisterhood — a place where women can show up tired, stressed, heartbroken, rebuilding, glowing, growing, or somewhere in between, and still feel held.
Her studio is known for its addictive, soul-lifting energy and her motto, “Where Working Out Is the New Going Out.” But what happens beyond the workouts is what truly sets Ashley apart. She touches women emotionally, mentally, spiritually, socially, and physically — helping them feel whole again from the inside out.
Fancy: You founded Get Sexy Movement after experiencing profound loss and transformation. How did that personal journey lead you to create a space that feels more like a sanctuary than a traditional gym?
Ashley Simmons: I don’t think I ever set out to create a sanctuary for women — I was honestly just trying to survive. Life got harder than it had ever been for me. I realized there wasn’t a workout intense enough to outrun the pain. There wasn’t a drink strong enough to numb it. Weed couldn’t get me high enough to escape it — and even when something worked, it was only a temporary distraction.
And going to church on Sundays alone wasn’t enough. I needed more than pieces of healing — I needed wholeness.
That season forced me to focus on my total health. Not just my physical body, but my mental, emotional, and spiritual wellbeing. As I learned, prayed, moved differently, and allowed myself to feel instead of suppress, I naturally shared what I was learning with the women around me.
I wasn’t trying to build anything special. I was just being real. And as I shared, women began to soften, release, and heal alongside me. The sanctuary created itself — and I kept showing up because I could see how deeply it was changing lives, including my own.
Fancy: Your motto is “Where Working Out Is the New Going Out!” How do you balance high-energy fun with the deep emotional and mental release women experience at your studio?
Ashley Simmons: I don’t see them as separate. Movement like twerking brings joy, releases tension in the hips, reduces stress, and boosts confidence in playful, freeing ways. But offering something fun without grounding it in emotional and spiritual awareness wouldn’t sit right with me.
That’s why during Twerkercise we pause intentionally. We check in. We talk boundaries, worth, stress, and what’s going on beneath the surface.
The fun opens the door. The healing is what keeps women coming back.
Fancy: From Trauma Release Tuesday to Sunday Churchercise, your class themes are deeply intentional. Why was it important to integrate spiritual grounding and mental wellness directly into physical fitness?
Ashley Simmons: Because the body holds everything the mind tries to ignore. You can’t separate physical health from emotional or spiritual health.
I’ve watched women stretch and suddenly release tears they didn’t know they were holding. I’ve watched prayer bring peace into anxious bodies. When we move intentionally, we give ourselves permission to let go.
Spiritual and emotional grounding isn’t an add-on. It’s the foundation. When fitness is rooted in faith and emotional awareness, it becomes transformational — not transactional.
Fancy: Beyond the studio walls, you’ve expanded your mission with Sexy Sips and Sexy AF Supplements. How do these wellness products support the “inside-out” transformation you advocate for?
Ashley Simmons: Wellness doesn’t stop when class ends. I’ve been drawn to herbalism for years and always cared for my body naturally. After losing my brother, that commitment deepened. I wanted healthier ways to cope and regulate my nervous system.
That passion led to Sexy Sips — herbal wellness drinks that support mood, digestion, clarity, balance, and stress relief. They’re daily rituals that encourage women to slow down and nourish themselves.
Sexy AF Supplements support energy, gut health, mood, and vitality. Together they reinforce the message behind Get Sexy Movement: transformation starts on the inside.
Fancy: You’re often described as a nurturer and a vessel for healing. In a world that pressures women to be strong and hard, how do you help women rediscover their softness and their light?
Ashley Simmons: I help women soften by making things feel safe and simple — especially the things they’ve been told they’re “not good at.” I teach choreography in ways that build confidence fast. That moment when a woman realizes, “I can do this,” brings joy and softness back into her body.
And through team-building deep dives, prayer, self-care challenges, and honest conversations, women learn they don’t have to stay in survival mode. They’re allowed to be soft and strong at the same time.
Fancy: You’ve built a culture where women who walk in alone leave with sisters. What role does collective healing play in a woman’s wellness journey?
Ashley Simmons: Community healed me in ways I didn’t expect. After losing my brother, I felt alone. But as I healed, I realized God gives us what we need — even if it doesn’t look like what we imagined.
At Get Sexy Movement, women don’t just work out. They support, laugh, grow, and celebrate each other. Collective healing creates consistency and transformation. When women feel connected, wellness becomes sustainable.
Fancy: And finally… how do you describe your SwagHer? What makes Ashley, Ashley?
Ashley Simmons: My SwagHer is intention, warmth, and heart. What makes me me is that I care deeply about people — not just how they look, but how they feel and how they’re healing.
I lead with humility, faith, and consistency. I believe in progress over perfection, grace over pressure, and community over isolation. If my light shines, it’s only because I’m committed to using it to help other women remember theirs.
How to Support & Connect
If Ashley’s story resonates with you, you can follow and connect here:
Facebook: Ashley Angel Simmons
Instagram: @getsexymovement
TikTok: @msgetsexymovement
Website: www.getsexymovementfitness.com
In-Person Studio: 62 Grandview Plaza, Florissant, MO
Email: info@getsexymovementfitness.com
One Response
I’m so inspired by Ashley Simmons’ mission to create a space where women can heal and feel whole again. It’s clear that her studio is more than just a workout space – it’s a sanctuary for self-discovery. Have you ever felt like you’re not yourself until you’ve found a community that understands?