No Newbies in the Front Row! - Janet Fitzgerald at Soul Cycle

I've known it to happen but it had never happened to me. Until this particular class. Where I was reprimanded for being out of sync in my spin class. Let me back-track.

Janet Fitzgerald is one of Soul Cycle's most popular instructors and has a devoted following on both coasts. Her classes are booked solid so when I stumbled upon a lone front row bike in one of her classes I jumped on the chance. In hindsight I should have done my homework where I would have learned that Janet does not like first-timers to her class to sit in the front row. Regardless, I was too pumped to think twice about it.

When I got to the Tribeca studio and started bike set-up Janet came up to me and warmly introduced herself. She then introduced me to my fellow riders to my right and left. Nice gesture! After that she asked if I was going to be okay up front with the rhythm. "Sure thing, I have been spinning for years!" I replied, thinking how sweet she was for coming up and introducing herself.  Later, I realized that I was probably the only one in the front row whom she did not recognize, and so my 'newbie to Janet's class' status was plastered all over my face!

Janet Fitzgerald Source

I'm all about rhythm and I respect that if synchrony is not your forte then you shouldn't be sitting up front. In this class the pace was very fast, faster than what I was used. So yes, I was soon out of sync. Everyone's right foot had to hit the pedal at the exact moment. No exceptions. A few minutes into class and I was called out for being out of sync. My left foot was pedaling when my right foot should have. Crap. I managed to sync up but it happened again. And I was called out again. Oh dear. In my defense, I was syncing up with the person sitting next to me, not realizing he was going on his own beat. But alas, being the newbie, the focus was on me.

Nevertheless, the class was fun. Really tough. Janet is disciplined and so it makes you want to focus all your energy on the ride. The music was cool, and different from the more recent Soul classes I have taken - there was some Alanis, some heavy metal, not a lot of remixed dance tunes. There was a good amount of the upper body choreography that is typical of a Soul class. And as I mentioned above, the pace, for the majority of the class was very fast.

After class Janet told me that I needed a little bit more practice to ride up in the front. She said it with a big smile and twinkle in her eye, and it made me chuckle. A part of me was thinking, "It's JUST exercise!" But the other part of me got it. Janet's front row is the equivalent of an advanced Soul Cycle class. You have to work your way to it. It's her class and those are her rules and I respect that. Janet, I'll be back, and next time I promise I'll be in sync!

Question: Do you ever notice if the front-row riders are out of sync in a spin class? Does it affect your energy levels when the people around you in an exercise class are taking it easy?

Body By Simone: A Review

Boutique fitness studio, Body By Simone opened up late last year but I only recently read about it on a Well + Good NYC article. Intrigued, I did some research and learned that its creator, Simone de la Rue, is a former dancer from Australia who has been building up quite the fitness presence among celebrities as well as the ladies-that-lunch. She's been called the "new Tracy Anderson" because of her focus on dance-based fitness and the utilization of light hand weights, and celeb-cachet (similar to Ms Anderson).

Body By Simone is located close to the west side highway, in west Chelsea - not incredibly convenient to get to but once you see that the creator of the method looks like this it's inspiration enough to trek cross-town!

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The studio is surprisingly large, considering the limited number of classes on the group fitness schedule. There is a main studio, a loft-like space lined by mirrors, and two smaller studios, one containing a number of trampolines. After observing for a few minutes it suddenly made sense why the space was so large. It is to accommodate the private clients, of which there are many. In fact, the studio caters mainly to its private clientele and I saw private classes taking place before, during and after my group class.

There is a beautiful locker room, very boudoir-red, with lockers (bring your own lock though) and showers. There are also large posters of a very fit-looking Simone and other equally fit instructors plastered all around the studio.

Dance Cardio is the studio's signature class and is the one I signed up for. My instructor was Alison, a petite blonde who is also a professional dancer. There were four other women in the class, two of whom were brand new so I was glad not to be the only newbie.

The class was 45 minutes of dance cardio, and 15-minutes of floor work targeting the arms, and abs.

The dance cardio portion consisted of many different sequences that were repeated throughout in different variations. There was a lot of jumping, skipping, foot tapping. At the same time we were doing pulling, punching and jabbing motions with the arms. We skipped with high knees, did jumping jacks, and essentially kept moving for the 45 minutes. With the exception of two short cool-downs that were embedded within the dance cardio portion of the class.

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The class is very high impact, fast-paced and choreography-based. So if you have bad knees, hip injuries or do not enjoy synchronized choreography, this may not be the class for you.  For everyone else, this class will be great fun. I was drenched. I will emphasize that this class is pure cardio, a similar feeling as going for a run. I also want to emphasize that the dance sequences were repeated many times so even if you don't get it the first couple of times, you will eventually get the hang of them.

For the last 15 minutes we grabbed a mat and set of 3lb hand weights and did a short arm series followed by an abdominal curl section. I was not a fan of this section. It felt too short and left me wanting a bit more.

Overall, this class was great fun. The only issue I had was that I couldn't hear the instructor at all due to a lack of a microphone. I had my eyes glued onto her so that I could follow along, since I could not hear any of her verbal cues. This led to some frustration. I brought this upto Alison after class and she explained that the lack of a microphone is a conscious decision. The routines follow the same sequence and are repeated again and again, and most clients soon become familiar after which they follow along without any issue.

Worth checking out? Absolultely! Classes are $35 but the first class is complimentary. The schedule is currently limited but the studio expects to add more classes soon.

Review of Chaise 23: Home of the Reinvention Method

Chaise 23 is the latest addition to a new crop of fitness studios, which also include the likes of SLT and Pilates Proworks NY, that are modernizing classic Pilates by updating traditional Pilates apparatus, and creating a signature class around said apparatus. Lauren Piskin, the mind behind Chaise 23 ("chaise" is "chair" in French), has created a workout based around a modified Wunda chair, called the Reinvention Chair. The chair in question has a resistance pedal which adjusts to four different resistances, and is positioned directly underneath a set of "bungees" which are essentially resistance-laden overhead pulleys.

The studio's signature class is the Reinvention Chair, a high intensity cardio workout performed exclusively on the chair. Other classes include Cardio Chair, Butt-Blaster Cardio Chair, Chair Challenge and TRX. Being a bit of a cardio junkie I decided to try Cardio Chair, which was described as "combing high intensity cardio bursts with the defining characteristics of the Reinvention Chair"

Before class, my instructor and former ballerina, Sarah Taylor, gave me a run-down of the class, demonstrating some of the moves we would be doing and describing how to correctly hold the bungees. This was super helpful as it familiarized me with how to maneuver the chair and led to seamless in-class transitions.

The class was non-stop. We pulled onto the bungees for most of the class while doing lunges, wide plies, running in place and jumping jacks. A typical sequence for an exercise would involve doing some slower repetitions, followed by some fast pulsing action and then holding the position for 10 seconds. I'm a big fan of composite exercises that target multiple muscle groups at once, and this was class full of those. The class was spent partly on the floor (the cardio bursts) and partly on the chair. The chair was certainly humbling. We did one legged lunges with one foot on the chair and the other foot pushing against the pedal. Then there was the pike where he held onto the chair with our hands, both feet placed on the pedal, and hoisted our hips up into the air. Pure core strength involved here. We ended the class lying on the chair on our backs and did target abdominal work including leg lifts, teasers, and the one hundred.

The one-legged lunge. Source

I was dripping with sweat within 10 minutes of the class. Despite it being a mid-day (11am) class during the week, all spots were taken. After class I learned that they were all regulars, which is always a testament to a great class. I loved that it was a small class. Classes with equipment need to be in order for the instructor to watch over and correct form. And this class was no exception. Sarah was amazing. She gave clear instructions, radiated such positive energy and moved around gently adjusting the clients. I must talk about the music in this class, which felt like Sarah had specifically tailored to my musical taste. 80s and 90s hits galore! Think "Love Shack", " U Can't Touch This", "Walking on Sunshine." Talk about fun! When "Come on Eileen" came on it took all my strength not to break out into a dance.

Overall, I loved this class! The Cardio Chair class with its high energy cardio and solid strength training, is up there as one of my favorite of the new classes I have tried this year. And Chaise 23 will be added to my list of new favorite studios. I highly recommend checking out this studio. I, for one, cannot wait to go back!

Disclaimer: I received a complimentary class from the team at Chaise 23 but was not obligated to provide a review. I was not compensated for this post. The opinions expressed herein are my own.

Surfset Fitness: Riptide with Chanelle Lagace

I had so much fun at my first Surfset Fitness class that I came back home and immediately signed up for another one. This time I chose to take class with Chanelle Lagace. Chanelle is one of Physique 57's star instructors. Her classes are one of those where if you don't sign up fast enough you must endure agonizingly long wait-lists. She is always upping the ante in her workouts and so I was curious to see what tricks she had up her sleeve for a class on a surfboard.

Chanelle is the creator of Formula 57, a more advanced version of Physique 57's signature barre class with a dedicated 30-minute abdominal section, and one of my picks for the best of NYC fitness for 2011. This Surfset Fitness class was a medley of the toughest moves from Formula 57 mixed in with some even tougher new exercises.

Chanelle on the RipSurfer X

Before class started Chanelle instructed us to pick up a set of light weights. I chose a set of 3lbs weights, my standard for a Formula 57 class. You don't need anything heavier because once Chanelle is done your arms will feel like lead. We then hopped onto the surfboard and began the sequence. The RipSurfer X board is a mighty unstable beast and I had to summon every ounce of core strength to ensure that I stayed on the board for the entirety of the class. This was difficult considering we were doing pulsing lunges (many, many of these), wide-plie pulses while alternating our heels up and down, and jump squats. Yes, all on the board. There was even a balance series where we balanced on one leg while tracing a half-circle in the air with the opposite leg. We then repeated this while pulsing the standing leg. Talk about sore legs!

Once we were done with legs, I sighed a huge breath of relief. This was premature. As we then did a killer upper body section. Full form push-ups, mountain climbers, a never-ending arm series with the light weights (which really didn't feel so light!), and paddling with the weighted pulleys attached to the surfboard. Can we say sore arms?

Sufficiently spent, we then moved onto the ab section. This was similar to an ab series in Formula 57 with us doing classic Pilates moves like the Full Teaser and the One Hundred, except here we were doing these while balancing on the board on our tailbones. Sore abs. The trifecta was complete!

At the end of it I collapsed into a heap. Despite not being able to move, it had been a wickedly fun experience! The surfboard had ruled me once again. Although it was obvious that Chanelle was the reason this class had been so much fun. The lady obviously knows fitness, and knows how to push the fitness envelope. Surfset Fitness'  pop-up event at Chelsea Market is over but you can still catch Chanelle at Physique 57. In addition she's doing a 90-day Health Challenge. Details of the challenge can be found on her website.

Surfset Fitness: Bootcamp Surf Under The Brooklyn Bridge

Surfset Fitness is a wildly fun new way to workout. It uses the RipSurfer X, a surfboard attached atop three inflated discs. All this month Surfset Fitness has been running a pop-up studio at Chelsea Market with classes taught by popular NYC fitness instructors chosen by the team at Rate Your Burn. The roster of instructors has ranged the who's who of the NYC celebrity fitness scene, including Flywheel Sport's Holly Rilinger, Joey Gonzalez from Barry's Bootcamp and Physique 57's Chanelle Lagace. Choosing between all these phenomenal instructors was no easy feat. Ultimately I decided on Ariane Hundt and her cleverly titled "Bootcamp Surf Under the Brooklyn Bridge" class. Ariane runs the popular Brooklyn Bridge Bootcamp, a rigorous bootcamp that takes you from Manhattan, over the Brooklyn Bridge into Brooklyn and back. She came out with a DVD last year which I love, and even reviewed for Well + Good NYC, and so I really wanted to see how she would tweak her signature class by incorporating a surfboard into it.

We warmed up with jumping hacks, squats and high knees and then quickly moved onto doing step-ups on the surf board. Now, the RipSurfer X is an unstable surface so the sensation was quite different from a typical step-up, with a lot more core strength being activated. Honestly,it was much harder than I had anticipated and I literally spent the first 10 minutes maneuvering around so as to best distribute my weight over the board to prevent myself from falling off! Once I figured it out though it was incredibly fun! Ariane had us do push-ups, mountain climbers and squats on the board. We then did triceps dips while holding onto the board. For arm work we grabbed onto two pulleys that were attached to the foot of the board and used their resistance to do biceps curls, chest and shoulder presses. At one point we lay on the board on our fronts, grabbed the pulleys and "paddled." An effective way to raise one's heart rate! We ended the class with one of my favorite moves from her DVD-donkey kicks. Again, much harder when done on the RipSurfer X.

Ariane Hundt. Source

"This is going to be non-stop," Ariane had warned prior to class and she was right. I loved Ariane's style of teaching. She was enthusiastic with boundless amounts of energy, and would be motivational precisely at those moments when she sensed the class was tiring out . It was over before I knew it and I had had a blast!

Front-Row Center: Soul Cycle with Charlee Atkins

Front-row center. The most clamored-after spot in a spin studio. When I first started spinning years ago at my local Crunch, I wasted many an hour as I would jet over to the gym right after work, elbowing slow-moving pedestrians out of the way, in order to sign up for my favorite bike an hour prior to class. I would then spend the next hour leafing through a magazine while speed-walking on the treadmill, patiently waiting for my class to start.  It was a colossal waste of time.

Much time has passed and I am now much less rigid about where I sit in the spin studio. However, over the past week, I have ventured away from my comfortable spot in the back and made my way to the front. Not just front, but front-row center and I can tell you, that I kind of like it again! It is, without a doubt, the best spot. You have a clear view of the instructor. Knowing that the energy of the front-row riders disseminates through the class keeps you on track. And pedaling in front of the mirror and seeing how bad-ass you look can only make you want to push yourself harder!

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This afternoon I made my way down to Union square to take a front-row center class with Charlee Atkins at Soul Cycle. Charlee is one of Soul's newer instructors but the word on the spin circuit is that she's a fierce contender for soon-to-be rock-star status. After taking this class I can see why. The girl is a petite dynamo who worked the packed room like it was nobody's business. While on the bike she was spinning as hard as she was demanding her followers to do so. When off the bike she fluidly moved around, at times dancing wildly, and at other times coming straight up to riders to individually motivate them. The collective energy in the room propelled us all on and it was no doubt that it all diffused from Charlee.

The music was great. Lots of remixes. She played some Kanye. She played the Prodigy's "Firestarter" (probably one of my all-time  favorite songs to spin to). At one point she made us sprint to Crazy Town's "Butterfly" on a double beat which gets challenging, to say the least. "It's only temporary," she championed us on, "It's always temporary." Pedaling away in Charlee's line of vision pushed me to stick to the beat. Soul Cycle is all about the beat and I certainly did not want to to disappoint her! Before I knew it class was over and I have yet another amazing instructor to somehow fit into my workout schedule.

Dance Party on the Upper East Side: Soul Cycle with Danny Kopel

Ah, Soul Cycle. I have such a love/hate relationship with you. I hate that a class series expires in one month. I hate having to pay for cycling shoes every time. And most of all, I hate the ridiculously competitive Monday noon sign-up process. Why do I keep coming back then? Because I love the amazingly talented instructors. I had been hearing great things about Danny Kopel, who has amassed quite a following in the past few months. Everyone seems to be clamoring to get into his weekend dance party classes at the Union square location. This weekend he was subbing for a regular instructor up in my 'hood on the Upper east side and I was shocked that I was able to nab a front row-center bike!

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 The Upper east side Soul studio is undergoing a much-needed expansion. Currently there is very little room to stand around and wait. The cramped feeling intensifies once the earlier class lets out and the later class waits around for the bikes to be cleaned. Sweaty shoulders brush past you. Shoes and jackets are being put on in the entrance. Luckily this will soon change (renovation starts this weekend) so the check-in/waiting process will be much smoother than I experienced.

UES Studio; Source

Now, Danny. What a ridiculously fun ride and what an absolute show-man. He walked in and commanded the attention of the entire room immediately with a flick of his bleached blond hair. We started the class by warming up off the bike, in second position. That caught me by surprise but I loved it. "Get in rhythm with your neighbor," he  hollered. "It's sexier that way!" I'm all about the riding to a beat and this was one fun synchronized class. Danny would get on and off his bike throughout the class, and a few times he gracefully jumped up and landed perfectly perched onto the handlebars in a swan-dive! I could not stop smiling!  The class itself was non-stop, and was a lot more challenging than the other classes I have taken at Soul Cycle. He had us sprinting, doing intervals and threw in plenty of those bike push-ups and oblique crunches. Personally I am not a fan of the bike push-ups and I don't believe I am going to get chiseled abs with those oblique crunches but in this class it did not matter. I was just having too much fun, and those moves are actually more fun if the beat is just right. I was at a dance party! Twenty minutes in and we were drenched. On seeing that Danny opened his water bottled and lightly sprayed the front row.

The music was amazing. I don't know what most of it was and a lot of it was remixed but the music was synchronized to perfection. At the end we even stretched to a beat! Also Danny kept up the dance party atmosphere by flickering the lights on and off. It worked.

 In sum, this class was wildly fun! Danny is one of the most charismatic group class instructors I have taken class with, AND he's such a sweetheart in person! Rate your Burn recently listed him as one of the most charismatic NYC spin instructors so it's not just me. I've already booked my bike with Danny for Monday while he's still subbing on the upper east side. 83rd street Soul Cycle Studio, please take note: We want more Danny!

Pilates ProWorks Opens in NYC!

Pilates ProWorks is a popular San Francisco-based Pilates studio that recently opened its first New York city location. Its signature class, Pilates Pro, is taught on an updated, more versatile Pilates reformer called the FitFormer (think more pulleys and springs) and is designed to integrate both cardio and resistance training into a single one-hour session. I had tried a similar class at SLT (see my review here) and so I was excited to check this class out to see how it would differ.

The Studio: The space is bright, airy and has a cool down-town vibe. Its central location off Union square makes it easily accessible. There are two studios - one for Pilates and the other for barre classes. A wall of lockers with attached keys (always a nice touch) is present down the hall form the two main studios.

The Class: I took the Pilates Pro class a  few days after the studio's opening and so the class size was small. It suited me fine because that meant more personalized attention. My instructor and also the NYC studio's Head of Pilates, Jenn Seracuse, gave us a quick but thorough overview of the FitFormer. We then jumped straight in. The exercises were similar to the ones I had done at SLT, including lunges performed with with one leg on a moving platform (it may sound easy in principle but the core strength required for this is beyond what I expected!) and the plank-to-pike (holding onto the handlebars in a plank and rising upto a pike position-again, much harder to do with the added instability of the moving platform).

There were some differences to the class I took at SLT.  Firstly there was more actual cardio. The sets on the FitFormer were broken up by a set of jumping jacks and another set of jumping over the FitFormer's elevated platform. Also, there was some use of props including a Pilates magic circle, which we used for simultaneous inner thigh work while doing triceps dips, as well as light hand weights which we used concurrently while working our lower body. I am a big fan of compound exercises and loved how every exercise was working different parts of the body at the same time.

The Instructor: Instructors are always key to a great class and Jenn was no exception. She gave expert direction and this resulted in my seamlessly transitioning from one exercise to the next while dexterously manipulating the FitFormer accordingly. I recalled my frustration at my last encounter with this machine when  I couldn't even lift the handlebars correctly, and so I was struck by how easy Jenn made it appear. She was very hands-on with adjustments which is so important in classes with apparatus and their potential for injury.

Overall: I really enjoyed this class. It was fast-paced with fun and energetic music. The instructors (I also met Ella-who is heading up the studio's barre program) are friendly and enthusiastic. The studio has such a warm and inviting way about it. Currently the class schedule offers are Pilates Pro and Barre Pro but TRX is on the horizon also. Totally worth checking out. I know I'll be back to try the barre class! Thanks so much to Jenn for inviting me!

Disclaimer: I was invited to try a class free of charge but was not obligated to provide a review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Madonna Vs Gaga ride at Flywheel Sports

One of the most fun spin classes I ever took was last year at Flywheel's inaugural Michael Jackson Vs Prince ride. Tonight's Madonna Vs Lady Gaga themed ride now joins that class in those hallowed ranks of "my most fun fitness experiences"!

When I heard the class was being taught by Alison Cohen and Ryan Makely, I knew I had to sign up. I have written about Alison before-she teaches a killer class and is such a sweetheart. I took Ryan's class for the first time last week and was instantly charmed by his positive energy, the enthusiasm he puts into his class, and our shared love for music from the 80s. He told me he was going to be Gaga to Alison's Madonna so I had a feeling they were going to dress the part. They did not disappoint!

The class was packed. There's something about the energy in these themed classes. You know that people are there because they love the music and so the collective energy really drives everyone in the room.  Alison set the mood by playing "Like A Virgin" as we filed into the room and began clipping ourselves in. A colorful disco ball rotated on the instructors podium. All my Madonna favorites (circa 80s and 90s) were played. "Like A Prayer" - check. "Holiday" -  check. "Material Girl" - check. I learned that "La Isla Bonita" is a surprisingly good "climb" song! Ryan played a great selection of the best-of-Lady Gaga.

What I loved was that even though it was a fun themed class, Alison and Ryan kept us challenged. The resistance was always high (the torq hovered in the late 20s for the majority of the ride and both instructors gently encouraged us to go higher into the 30s) and there were plenty of sprints and jumps to keep us on our toes. For the first time ever, I hit and then surpassed a total power of 300! Note: for the sake of comparison, my "power" at Flywheel usually hovers around 210. For me that's a testament to the power of music, and of course, two excellent instructors.

I know a lot of readers are Madonna fans. What's your favorite Madonna song? Are you Team Madonna or Team Gaga?

Review of Stoked 360 with Kira Stokes

A few weeks ago I got a pass to check out the Reebok Sports Club/NY.  Reebok has a group class roster that includes fitness superstars like Kira Stokes, Ilaria Montagnani and Kristin McGee. Not too shabby. I chose to go on a day when Kira Stokes was teaching her signature total body conditioning class, Stoked 360.

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The Gym: Gorgeous! Six floors of state-of-the-art equipment. Two Basketball courts. A pool. A running track. Cycling studio.

The Scene: The class was held in one of the 2 group exercise studios and it was packed! I chatted with some regulars as we waited outside and it's clear that Kira has a following. There were lots of regulars and it was obvious that these ladies (and a few gentlemen) came every week. In fact, there were way too many people and I constantly had to watch out for neighbors to ensure that I would not crash into them.

The Class: Required a lot of props including two sets of weights, a jump rope, a stepper, and a medicine ball. This is a total body workout and is described as "combining elements of traditional and functional conditioning, with high intensity cardiovascular intervals and body weight exercises." Compound movements are the theme here. Exercises included forward lunges with overhead presses, pushups with alternating dumb-bell rows, pushups with burpees, to name a few. Each set contained 3 exercises and sets were repeated before moving onto a new set of exersies. In between sets we had to jump rope, do jumping jacks or jog in place as Kira would demonstrate the next set of exercises. The class is high-intensity and very fast-paced. As soon as you get the hang of one set of exercises Kira has moved you onto the next set.

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The Instructor: Kira pays a colossal amount of attention to form.  A couple of times she stopped the flow of the class to demonstrate what the class' overall (incorrect) form looked like and how it should be corrected. I did see her give a few individual form corrections but that is hard to do in a class as large and fast-paced as this. If you are hoping for a warm and fuzzy instructor then this is not the class for you. She's the type of instructor who wants to make sure you worked as hard as you possibly could. I was hoping to talk to her after class but she walked away from me while I was mid-sentence...to go talk to one of her regulars! Rude? Or just flaky? I will never know, but either way, not the ideal last impression I would have wanted to be left with.


Overall: Great class. 75-minutes of high-intensity cardio and strength training in a fast-paced setting. Gym classes always pack in too many people, as did this one, and it would be interesting to try a class with fewer clients just to experience the brunt of Kira's intensity. 

My First Intensati Experience

I have been hearing rave reviews about Intensati over the past few years. Created by Patricia Moreno, it is described as a high energy workout which fuses aerobics, martial arts, dance, yoga and strength conditioning, all performed in combination with spoken affirmations. Truth be told, the spoken affirmation aspect never appealed to me and I always shied away from trying it out. Last month, however, personal trainer and Intensati leader Jolynn Baca invited me to come and try out a new class she has created called Intensati for Mommies.

Patricia Moreno; Source

This class stems from Jolynn's passion for creating a community for moms, dads, and Intensati lovers in general. While this class has "Mommies" in its title it is open to all. In fact, at the class I attended there was even a new daddy in attendance. She has collaborated with Lucky Lil Darlings who provide childcare while the parents workout. Classes take place weekly and at the end of every month are followed by a 30-minute talk by invited guests. Acupuncturist Alyssa Proujansky, L.Ac. was present at the class I attended and she spoke about the benefits of acupuncture for increased fertility, ease of delivery and recovery. A representative from Blue Print Cleanse was also in attendance and distributed juice samples after the class.

But coming back to the actual workout. The main question I always had was whether this was a good workout or not. The verdict? Absolutely! The exercises were very aerobic. There was a lot of jumping, squatting, side shuffling, and punching, so my heart rate was elevated throughout. Spoken affirmations like "I will release the old and I will embrace the new" and "When I radiate I attract" punctuated each exercise. At first I felt odd reciting them but as I got into the swing of the class my up-tightness started to wear off a little and I started to enjoy myself. We practiced each move with its associated affirmation and then pieced the whole sequence together at the end. 


Overall, it was a lot of fun. Jolynn is a petite bundle of energy and it was precisely that energy that charged the rest of the class. As I watched her I couldn't help but think how important an instructor is for a class such as this. The goal is to integrate body and mind and create your most empowered self. You certainly cannot be shy and teach Intensati. Music choice was great. There was a good amount of instrumental music which flowed well with the exercises.

Ripley Grier Studio

Classes currently take place at the Ripley Grier Studio on the Upper west side but check out Jolynn's blog for the most up-to-date schedule. 


Dislaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I received a complimentary class and a gift bag from Jolynn Baca and samples from Blueprint Cleanse but was not obligated to provide a review

The Weekend Warrior Flywheel Sports Experience

Happy New Year all! Hope everyone had did something fun to ring in the new year! This year, like every year, I sat curled up on my couch, watched the ball drop, kissed my husband while whispering "Happy New Year" (the baby was finally asleep, hence the whispering this year), and then promptly fell asleep. I'm boring and I'll be the first to admit it.

I did start off 2012 with a bang though. The 60-minute Weekend Warrior spin class with Alison Cohen at Flywheel Sports was how I started my day today. Do you think you are a strong spinner? Well, take this class and then we'll chat! I certainly thought I was strong going in. I went in thinking that it was going to be like a regular spin class, just 15 minutes longer, and so I also dragged in my newbie spinner husband, eager to utilize that additional quarter hour to burn off those extra holiday calories.

Each bike at Flywheel has an attached torqboard that riders can use to control their resistance and speed. Alison was relentless. When she had us wind our resistance upto 30 (note: a regular class usually hovers around 20 or below) and asked us to sprint to 100 rotations per minute (close to impossible for me!) within the first few minutes I thought she was crazy and it dawned on me that I had clearly misunderstood what this class was going to be about. The name of the class couldn't be clearer. This was a spin class for warriors! For the next hour I panted and puffed my way through those endless climbs and near-impossible sprints. Once it was over though, as is always the case, I felt great. Alison was sweet beyond words and I shall be back. The best part? Alison had mini-prizes for the riders that "won" the torqboard challenge (who racked up the highest numbers) but then also gave out Luna Bars to the rest of us mere mortals! A classy touch! Was fun finally meeting fellow blogger Maggie also!


Question: Did you workout today? What was your first workout of 2012?

Pure Barre-NYC Review

The ever-expanding NYC barre scene has a new addition: Pure Barre. Although it has been around since 2001, when Carrie Rezabek Dorr first opened her studio in Michigan, since 2009 it has become a franchise and there are now locations nation-wide in over 20 states. I do admit a mild obsession with barre workouts and so was excited to give this one a try.

Pure Barre is located conveniently off Columbus circle on the third floor of a high-rise. Upon walking in, I was surprised at how small the space was but it was immediately warm and inviting. Two curtained stalls in front of the reception desk constitute the changing rooms. There are cubby-holes for belongings in one corner  of the reception area, along with fitness apparel (and Pure-Barre's grippy socks) for sale in another corner. There is one studio whose mauve hues had quite a soothing effect on me.

The studio

My instructor was Leslie Coakley, who is also one of the two owners. I got to the studio super-early and so I chatted with her prior to class. She had been teaching the method for four years in Nashville, before the move to New York. She gave me a quick run-through of what props I would need: a set of 2lbs weights, a set of 3lbs weights, a small medicine ball and a stretching band.

The props

It was the day before Thanksgiving so the class was small (I was one of 3 clients).

Overall, the class reminded me a lot of Core Fusion albeit with some new moves that I had not done before. For starters we plunged straight into a rather intense burst of ab work right after the warm-up. I'm not complaining. I thought it was great- it just caught me unaware. We held a plank and did something rather unusual....pelvic tucks while holding a plank. At first it was terribly awkward but as the class went on and we did pelvic tucks in various other barre-class moves I started to get the hang of it!

After the initial ab burst we did a set of arms using just the light hand weights. I usually prefer going much heavier than 3lbs but the arm section here was quite humbling. Small movements in a continuous state of contraction =  major burn! After this shock to my abs and arms I was pumped for the rest of the class. Unfortunately the thigh section which came next left me wanting more. We did three exercises at the barre; all involved slow movements with sustained contraction. So while I was definitely feeling a burn I wanted more reps. The thigh section usually leaves me spent after barre classes but that did not happen here. Not to worry. The seat section totally made up for it! We did do a set of thigh dancing with pelvic tucks while holding onto the barre. Again, a little hard initially but the learning curve was steep.

Abs were classic Lotte Berk, similar to the format at The Bar Method and Core Fusion. I am not a fan of the round back and flat back version of these abs as I always feel it in less in my abs and more in my hips. Leslie was great at correcting form, especially when she saw my lack of agility in this part of the class. "It's more mind-body than anything. It takes a few classes to master," she added encouragingly.

All in all, I liked it. The pace of the class is slower than what I normally prefer but the small movements and sustained contractions led to a super burn  and I left feeling sufficiently challenged.

The Good:
1. The class: I love how there are so many barre classes and yet all of them have their own unique elements. Pure Barre definitely has added its own variations including the pilates-inspired abs section at the beginning of the class, the pelvic tucks interspersed among other class exercises for added core work and a surprisingly tough arm workout!

2. The instructor: Leslie seemed a little shy in person but once she started teaching she commanded the room. She emphasized correct form and adjusted us all throughout the class. According to one of the "regulars" I spoke to, Leslie's class is the toughest. I could tell she had put a lot of thought into the choreography.

3. The space: Despite the small space, the studio has a cool vibe about it which I liked a lot.


The Not-so-good:
1. The class: I felt like the thigh section could have been tougher. Maybe I'm just a thigh warrior but I wanted more repetitions.

2. Not enough cardio: This class is more about toning and less about cardio. I barely broke a sweat.

3: Music: The music was not memorable. Music is key to my workouts and I love it when classes are choreographed to the beat of a song. Making the music a part of the actual class choreography will  give this great class a lot more oomph!


Overall:
Pure Barre is classic Lotte Berk, with lots of slow and sustained movements. I definitely liked it, especially  the upper body and core work. It's a great addition to the NYC barre scene and I have no doubt it will find a loyal fan base very soon. There is currently a newcomer's special: $150 for one month unlimited.

Inner Warrior Class with Nadia Zaki + Zobha - Juice Generation Event at Equinox

As I am sitting here writing this I am sipping on the "Essential Green" juice from Cooler Cleanse, a concoction of cucumber, celery, spinach, parsley, and kale, among other healthy greens. It was one of the many goodies I amassed at a fabulous event at Equinox this morning. The event was primarily to preview trendy athletic-wear company Zobha's new Performance Tech line, and to celebrate the opening of the new Juice Generation bar at the 63rd street Equinox (which officially opens this Saturday). But first there was going to a private Inner Warrior class taught by Nadia Zaki.

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Inner Warrior is a blend of yoga and martial arts. Before class Nadia explained that this class contained elements taken from both hapkido, the Korean martial art form, and capoeira, the Brazilian martial art form. The first half of the class was a traditional vinyasa sequence with a good number of  balance poses. The latter half of the class was when things became more dynamic. Nadia taught us a short martial art sequence, by progressively adding on martial art moves once we had semi-mastered the previous moves. A lot of athleticism was required in this part of the class which Nadia demonstrated with such dancer-like grace. The sequence involved a mixture of punching moves, high kicks, squats and gliding movements with our feet. We ended the class by repeating the complete sequence ten times. It was a lot of fun but most of the class was done without any music. Nadia did play music for parts of the class and the energy level would shift significantly at those moments so I do wish more music had been played.

After class I chatted with some bloggers as we picked up our Zobha gift bags packed with beauty products, gift cards and of course an item of Performance tech Zobha clothing.

The Performance tech line is designed for high impact and strenuous activities and provides a compressive fit. I tried on my Performance tech compression capri pants as soon as I got home and immediately fell in love with them. They are extremely comfortable and very flattering.

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As we headed out we were handed an insulated cooler bag which we could fill with an assortment of Cooler Cleanse juices. I chose the Essential Green, Watermelon and Lime and the Almond nut milk.  There was also a delicious raw/vegan yogurt parfait made from coconut meat topped with hemp granola.

I am glad Juice Generation is opening up so close to where I live. I anticipate many coconut meat-hemp granola parfaits in my future!

Dislaimer: I was not compensated for this post. I received a gift bag from Zobha and samples from Cooler Cleanse but was not obligated to provide a review

Hot Power Yoga at Pure Yoga and Detox Retox Yoga Beach Retreat

I am not usually a fan of working out in a heated room but when I was invited to take one of Kay Kay Clivio's classes, the hot power yoga class was the only one that fit with my schedule.

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Kay Kay is one of the senior instructors at Pure Yoga, and for good reason. She counts Bikram, John Friend, Baron Baptiste and Ana Forrest, all big names in the yoga community, among her teachers. Her classes are known to be highly popular, which I evidenced at the Hot Power Yoga Hour class I attended on Friday afternoon.  As I opened the door of the hot studio I was met with a blast of hot air.

People began lining up their mats. I decided to wait outside until it was time for class, and enjoy this gorgeous view instead!

Within the next few minutes the room became full. Kay Kay introduced herself to everyone taking her class for the first time (always a nice touch when teachers do this), and we began.

The 60 minute class was full of power yoga sequences, plenty of balance poses and a good measure of shoulder and hand stands. Kay Kay gave the most eloquent instructions. I could not see her all the time (as she was walking around the class)  but I knew exactly what to do. It was the first time I heard a teacher tell the class that in the baby cobra pose you should be touching the ground with only eight points of your body. Apparently I had been doing baby cobra incorrectly all these years! She also gave me some great postural adjustments, especially with "the bridge" where she told me to lift my back higher and pull my shoulder blades closer together, opening my chest much more fully. So this is what a bridge should feel like!

I really enjoyed the class and to my surprise, the heat did not bother me at all.

The Good:
1. The instructor: Kay Kay gave great direction. The instructions were clear enough even for somebody taking yoga for the first time.

2. The class: I loved the flow of the class and how variations were provided to allow all fitness levels to participate. I am still not entirely convinced of the link between a heated room and increased muscle flexibility, but I will say that there was something detoxifying about it.


The Not-so-good:
1. Mats too close to one another: This is not a criticism specifically of this class but of yoga classes in general. Classes try to pack in as many people as possible and as a result you are brushing elbows with your neighbor who is sweating bucket-loads in a hot yoga class.

Overall:
This is a fast-paced and very fun class set to great music. Pure Yoga really has some incredible instructors, and Kay Kay was no exception. I have a taken class with three Pure instructors so far and after each class I always promise myself that I shall incorporate more yoga into my life.

Detox Retox Yoga Beach Retreat:
For those yogis in need of a rejuvenating and detoxifying weekend you can experience Kay Kay's technique in a much more immersive setting as she, along with acclaimed yogi Tanya B, is holding a Detox Retox Yoga beach retreat at Eau Spa at the Ritz Carlton in Palm Beach, FL from Nov 4-6. Participants will be able to take six classes over the three days, ranging from the more vigorous Core Flow yoga to the more restorative Yin yoga. Price is $1100 per individual per room. Check out the schedule below. For reservations call: (561) 540-4811.

Disclaimer: This is not a sponsored post. I was invited to take a complimentary class with Kay Kay Clivio at Pure Yoga and was under no obligation to provide a review and was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

SLT: A New Fitness Studio

SLT stands for Strength Length Tone and it is a brand new workout that its owner, Amanda Freeman, (co-founder of Vital Juice, the popular healthy living daily email) brought over from California, where it goes by Pilates Plus or SPX Fitness. Last week Amanda invited me to try a class and I was excited to learn more about the method.

Located in a one room studio on 57th Street, in midtown Manhattan, this 50 minute class revolves around the Megaformer, which is the evolution of the Pilates reformer. It is designed using a number of springs and pulleys that can be adjusted to vary the resistance. The Megaformer has a stationary platform and a moving platform and most of the exercises in this class used the instability of the moving platform to provide a killer workout.

The class size is small. When I went there were four other ladies present, although up to ten clients can be accommodated  Before the class began our instructor, Kristeen, gave us a brief introduction to the Megaformer and how to manipulate the springs during the class. This was important because we varied the springs (and resistance) frequently during the class. We started off doing lunges with one leg on the ground and the opposite leg bent on top of the moving platform, using the strength of the standing leg to glide the moving platform back and forth. Trust me that this is much harder than it sounds!

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Other exercises included standing on top of the Megaformer with one leg on the moving platform and the other leg on the stationary platform and doing squats. The instability of doing squats on the moving platform made my inner thighs feel like they were on fire.  We did donkey kicks with pulleys looped around our feet for added resistance. We also utilized the pulleys for arm work, doing lat pull-downs and triceps extensions. While there was no specific abdominal section, core strength was emphasized throughout the class. The "mermaid crunch" was a particularly brutal exercise where we held onto the handlebars while keeping our body in a side-plank and then proceeded to glide the moving platform back and forth. Holy obliques!

Mermaid crunch- source

The Good:
1. The class: This class is very different from anything I have taken before. The movements are slow but the resistance work allows for great strength training. The class had elements of cardio, Pilates and strength training and it was challenging from start to finish.

2. The instructor: When working with equipment it's imperative that the instructor keep an eye on the clients. Kristeen was constantly making hands-on corrections (which all of us newbies needed).


The Not-so-Good:
1. Requires a learning curve: The Megaformer is not intuitive and there were times I was frustrated when I could not adjust the handlebars or found myself positioned incorrectly. This is to be expected given it was my first time. I am sure this would improve on subsequent classes.

2. The class layout: The set up of the Megaformers is not newcomer-friendly. We are supposed to follow the instructor but her Megaformer was in the same row as mine, two over. Which meant I couldn't really see her which added to my frustration. Maybe having the instructor's Megaformer positioned at the head of the class so that all clients can see the instructor may be more helpful, especially for beginner-level classes.


Overall:
This is a really challenging class and once I got the hang of the Megaformer I really enjoyed it. I loved that this class incorporated both cardio and strength training. My legs and upper back were sore for the next two days. Exercises are switched up in every class. My class was more lower-body intensive. I do wish that we had done more arm work but the intense thigh and seat work totally made up for it! First-time clients can try a class for $20.

Thanks very much to Amanda Freeman for inviting me to try this class!

Disclaimer: I was invited to try a class free of charge but was not obligated to provide a review. I was not compensated for this post. All opinions expressed herein are my own.

Review of SpringTONE Class at Real Pilates

Over the past few months I have been hearing some buzz surrounding a brand new style of a Pilates class. The class is called SpringTONE and its creator is Alycea Ungaro. Alycea is a sort of a rock-star in the world of Pilates  She has trained celebrities like Madonna and Uma Thurman, has written lots of best-selling books on Pilates and is the owner of Real Pilates, the popular Pilates studio located in Manhattan's Tribeca neighbourhood.

The SpringTONE class is described on Real Pilates' website as:

"Our all new, high intensity spring driven class. Work out in timed circuits that cycle through your body and train your muscles with our uniquely effective springs. Upper body and lower body circuits will raise your heart rate and your body heat – all while sculpting you a brand new shape. No one else uses springs quite the way we do!"

When I got to the studio I was greeted by a friendly receptionist who asked me to fill out some forms and then directed me to the lower level studio where my class was going to take place. The studio has two levels. On the top level I saw many clients working with trainers on reformers and various other Pilates apparatus.

The lower level studio has ten stations set up with Pilates Towers and corresponding mats (a maximum of 10 clients can take SpringTONE at a time). The Pilates Tower is, in essence, a metal tower that has loops located on its sides at different heights where coiled springs can be attached. The Towers in this class HAD two arm springs, two leg springs and one waist-level wooden bar that was attached to the Tower with springs.

We started class with a warm up, bringing our knees first to our chest and then out to our elbows. We then grabbed a set of light hands weights and did a series of squats while doing overhead raises with the weights. The squats were done slowly and held for a few seconds so the burn started almost immediately during the warm-up. 

We then started the SpringTONE section of class, and it was non-stop for the remainder of the 45 minute class. We did exercises like the Pilates 100 except we would be pumping our arms while holding onto the arm springs which surprisingly had a lot of resistance. Alycea told us how to increase resistance (move further away from the Tower, tautening the springs) or decrease resistance (move closer to the Tower, allowing the springs to become looser).  We then inserted the loops of the leg springs onto our feet and again, while lying on the mat, our feet in the Pilates stance, we slowly pushed our legs in and out, in a frog pose, against the resistance of the springs, holding in between repetitions. We kept our legs straight and made circles with our heels and then pulsed the weight of our legs down against the springs. There was no distinct separation of an arm and leg series. The exercises were all done in short circuits. We did chair squats while holding onto the arm springs, hip lifts with our feet pulling down against the leg springs, stomach curls while holding and pulling down on the waist-level bar which also added resistance from its attached springs. We packed a lot of different exercises in the 45-minute class, all utilizing the intense resistance of the Tower's springs.

After class I asked Alycea how this class differed from a typical Pilates Tower class. She told me that typically those classes are partly done on a mat and partly using the Tower. This particular class which she developed utilizes springs exclusively and can pack in many more exercises where the springs can be creatively used as compared to a regular Tower mat class.

Alycea Ungaro

The Good:

1. The class:  This class updates traditional Pilates by giving you a workout that is heavy on the resistance-training. I really enjoyed using the springs. I started doing mat Pilates almost 10 years ago and stopped once I felt like I plateaued. The elements in this class will make it harder to plateau, especially since you can vary the resistance by adjusting your own position.

2. The instructor: Alycea is great. She is funny, down-to-earth and is really passionate about both Pilates and her signature SpringTONE class. The mid-morning class I attended was full, a testament to her popularity. 

The Not-So-Good:
1. The class: With the exception of the warm-up there is no real cardio element in this class. You will be working hard but it is almost purely resistance training.

2. The class length: The class is 45-minutes long. By the time I got the hang of the springs the class was over! I would have liked the class to be at least an hour long.

Overall:

Resistance training is what this class is about. You will be working in mini circuits alternating between exercises targeting the arms, legs and core, all the while using the coiled springs as your method of resistance. While I did enjoy the use of the springs and did feel challenged, I am more of a cardio junkie and like the feel of my heart racing when I exercise. Having said that I would love to go back and take another class at some point. 

Also, if you have not entered my Tonique Method DVD giveaway, this is your last chance! I will announce the 5 winners on Tuesday.