This financier-turned-fitness guru has created an efficient and effective workout for everyone from stagnant investment bankers to professional football players
After working for Goldman Sachs and Oaktree Capital Management for many years, Hilary Hoffman She discovered that sitting at a desk for 80% of her day was taking a toll on her health. It was then that she noticed a gap in the fitness market.
“I realized there was an opportunity to develop an approach to exercise that was based on efficiency, predictability, and purpose,” Hoffman told Athletech News. She then developed SOTO Method A fitness model designed to maximize time and provide tangible physical and mental strength in 2021. “I desperately needed a fitness program that took into account my reality and delivered real results.”
The SOTO method believes in making the most of every second.
“By using seconds as the measurement for the SOTO program, I created a method that emphasizes accountability for showing up every day, whether you have five minutes or 45 minutes to be active,” Hoffman explains. Taking inspiration from her high school running coach, Hoffman relies on isometric movements to build SOTO. The workout begins with 60 seconds of isometric movement to activate each muscle group, followed by 10 dynamic movements designed to push the body to muscular failure. SOTO stands for sixty seconds on, ten seconds off.
‘Predictable roadmap
The SOTO method combines aerobic exercise and body toning.
“Based on the assumption that the client’s time in class may be their only activity of the day, SOTO combines aerobic exercise with body toning to provide a full-body workout to improve strength, endurance and overall fitness,” Hoffman said.
One of the company’s biggest milestones came this fall when it opened its first permanent studio in New York City, following the successful opening of its temporary studio in TriBeCa.
“Notably, this achievement is also the biggest risk our company has taken to date,” said Hoffman. “Our first pop-up storefront in Tribeca is a true testament to luck, preparation, and the opportunity to reach new customers and engage face-to-face with our deeply rooted community. With no experience operating a studio, were we 100% ready to open a pop-up storefront? No. However, growth depends on smartly mitigating and taking risks, and after evaluating our upside potential and making good financial decisions that provide downside protection, we felt well-positioned to make this choice.”
Predictable lessons are also a key pillar of success in the Soto Zen method.
“Soto’s predictable roadmap manages client expectations from the second of the first plank at the start of the class,” Hoffman noted. “Knowing from the outset how the entire class will flow, and the precise way we will cue and fatigue every muscle in the body, allows everyone to maximize their performance. The class structure is designed so that clients don’t have to worry about what’s coming next, but instead focus on unleashing the power of the present moment.”
Focus on priorities
Hoffman believes that fitness is a healthy lifestyle that should not consume a person’s life.
“My priority has always been family and friends, followed by my career goals, and then having the discipline to recover when my energy is low,” she notes. “I prioritize sleep, hydration, and diet — both for energy and fun. Some of the must-have products that maintain my wellness priorities include earplugs from CVS, Slip eye masks for sleep, LMNT for electrolytes, Weleda Skin Food for hydration, and NYC’s incredible takeout scene (both healthy and indulgent).”
Hoffman’s experience in finance has greatly influenced her perspective on the fitness space.
“I incorporated some of the techniques I learned in finance into Soto’s exercise philosophy that helped me maximize my daily performance,” Hoffman said, adding that she learned to schedule all the things she least wanted to do at the beginning of the day.
“Willpower is like a muscle, and like any muscle, it fatigues every time you make a decision. Use your willpower to its full potential for tasks that require the most effort when you have it full.”
She applies the same philosophy to her fitness classes. “I schedule the hardest part of each class at the beginning: the cardio. I finish that early, while I still have time to train, and the rest will fall into place.” Transparency in the schedule also reduces the frustration of unexpected setbacks and builds mental resilience.
“As we continue to scale, we will always make sure we don’t lose sight of the core pillars the brand was built on – performance, predictability and purpose,” Hoffman concluded. “We know that everyone has a unique definition of ‘results’ and Soto will always be an approach where effort and results are directly correlated. Ultimately, we want to help customers unlock their maximum strength potential through our intentional, full-body workout roadmap that improves muscular power, endurance and overall heart health.”
