It has been a month of living the sweaty life with ClassPass and I am loving every minute of it! Being able to experience and enjoy new fitness studios has really upped my workout motivation. Usually I try to exercise 4-5 times a week, but with ClassPass I have been working out 6 days a week!  I was so eager to try as many workouts and fitness studios I possibly could in just one month. Side note: I calculated the cost of all the classes I took and I would of have spent around $250 instead of $79. When I first started using ClassPass (talked about in this past post), I threw myself right into Crossfit and TRX training, both of which I have never done before. I wanted to continue with experimenting different methods of fitness training to see which would be the most beneficial to my body. Here is what I have done thus far.

Woman vs. Machine

The machine wins.

The Butcher Shop’s pilates megaformer (called Lagree Fitness) class is no joke. I looked up what Lagree Fitness means….. “an aggressive approach to full body conditioning”. Yeah, duly noted. I have taken plenty of Pilates mat classes before, so I went in a little too assertive. Within the first 5 minutes of class I had the “holy moly I am going to be sore tomorrow” thought, along with “my core suuuucccckksss” whimper, and the standard “if I leave, who is with me!” look around the room I give during every workout–and no one ever reciprocates. You use the machine as a resistance and counter-resistance conditioning to pinpoint contraction in order to exhaust the muscles. Each movement is to be done as slow as possible to achieve this. As a full-body conditioning, you are strengthening, toning, and elongating the muscles. It can also improve endurance, body composition, flexibility, and postural alignment. The class is 55 minutes long, and the method, I feel, is really effective. The machine consist of many different moving parts and it takes a class or two to fully understand what the heck is going on, what end should I be on, what is my foot placement, and which bands to use. Once you get the hang of it, it can be pretty enjoyable.  It’s like riding a magic carpet ride Flintstone style, and the result is a killer toned body. I can’t wait to do it again!

Can We Work On Savasana?

A question that has yet to fully be explored (and usually ignored) by your yoga teacher, and the only thought going on in my mind during class. If you are looking to namaste in every position hoping to get zen, this place is not for you. V Power Yoga is a physical, more athletic practice– I do like a good push-up while flowing through sun salutation. Movements are practiced through repeated sequences working on strength, balance, flexibility and stamina.  Done in a slightly heated room, I always leave feeling energized and detoxed. 

It’s Getting Hot In Here, So Hot

Hot Box was not as physical as I assumed it would be.  I see how the method of using heat to fatigue your muscles while performing movements can improve your strength. There were movements I could barely do during the class, but without the heat, there would be no problem in fully doing them. Each movement was simple–push-ups, core-strengthing, barbell curls, squats, etc.  A portion is done on the floor using Pilates movements and core conditioning, while the next portion is weight training. I left the class exhausted and a little too dehydrated. Although I feel there are other methods that are more beneficial and can give you better results than working out in a sauna,  I do encourage trying it at least once. I also suggest taking a hot yoga class first before trying Hot Box, this way you are comfortable exercising in a heated room. 

To sign up for ClassPass and skip the waiting list, click here.

I am excited to announce ClassPass has arrived in Columbus, Ohio!  If you love to try new workouts or if you made a New Years resolution to start living a healthier lifestyle (I know I did!), you will love using ClassPass. Pay each month a $79-$99 fee and enjoy all different types of workouts at different fitness studios around the city. You can go to unlimited number of classes but only to one studio 3 times per month. It is a great way to not get stuck in a rut with only one form of exercise routine and get more out of a diverse mix of workouts than a regular gym membership. The best part is you can enjoy ClassPass in different cities nationwide like New York, Los Angeles, Dallas, San Francisco, Chicago and much more! So if you are a traveler, you never have to put a pause on your workout routine. Thank goodness!

When ClassPass approached me to try out their services I immediately jumped at the chance to explore new fitness programs.  I wanted to learn new skills, and I wanted to throw myself into programs that I have never done before and probably wouldn’t have tried. I decided to try Crossfit and TRX. 

Crossfit 

 I like to call this, the day I learned how to decipher Bob Harper’s Insta pics and became his spirit animal.

To my surprise I enjoyed the class more than I thought I would! Going into it I was a little nervous because I knew it was more of a “manly workout” than I was used to, and I have heard lots of stories about people getting serious injuries from doing it. My verdict: It is definitely not a walk in the park, but it was not as impossible as I originally thought.  It helped that I lift weights normally, so I was use to putting intense pressure on my muscles.  Well I accidentally made the mistake and signed up for a regular WOD (workout of the day) class instead of a beginners program…. oops! One of the girls in my class placed 3rd in her division at the Crossfit Games this past summer… so you can imagine how similar in strength we were–like twins. Anyway, everyone was very nice and helpful in teaching me the proper techniques. I saw the sense of “community” everyone talks about that surrounds Crossfit. I learned how to do a snatch, the proper form of lifting, and how to climb ropes. Although I was not lifting as massive of weights as the rest of the class, I was doing more than I thought I would be able to do. Will I go back? Sure. Will I become a Crossfit junkie? No. Although I can see how people love it–it is really empowering– Crossfit isn’t the type of workout that will benefit my body. I will, however, be cheering on my new friends as they head to the Crossfit Games this coming summer, while I sit comfortable on my couch 😉

TRX

It’s like the time your gym teacher takes you outside to the playground to “play”, when in reality he makes you do chin ups while timing you.

First, for those of you who do not know what TRX is, it is total-body suspension training. Working all muscles groups at once, this workout helps enhance your balance, strength, flexibility and core strengthening. The class I took was a 40 minute spinning, 20 minute TRX class. I was a little familiar with TRX before doing the class through personal training sessions, but had never taken a class focused primarily on it. I did enjoy having the cardio portion first, fatiguing the muscles before doing the the strength training. However, I have signed up for a full power hour class because I want to focus on the strength training portion more than the cardio. As a total-body workout, I felt it mostly in my core, which is nice since some exercise routines the core section can be rushed through or not really touched upon. A few more TRX classes and I will have that 6 pack in no time…..

For my next adventure I am looking into doing Hot Box. I am not exactly sure what type of a workout it is, but I do know it is a form of strength training done in a 90 degree room. I am not completely convinced I am going to make it out alive… Anyway, I have also been trying new yoga studios because part of my 2015 goals is to get certified in teaching yoga. Hopefully once I become namaste, I will be able teach at least once or twice a week somewhere. 

ClassPass has been a great contribution to my 2015 healthy lifestyle goals. It has kept me motivated during the bitter cold by having something new to look forward to trying and learning. Click here to learn more about ClassPass and to sign up!