Stocksy
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When it comes to working out, lets say Imnotvery experienced.
The whole cult-workout craze has been lost on me.
I have yet to adorn myself in a skintight leotard and take a barre class.
Stocksy
I dont have enough coordination for Zumba.
But thats not to say exercise isnt important to me.
Ive made a habit of frequenting my localyoga studiomy flow of choice is ashtanga.
I like to relax and feel good all the way through my practice.
Needless to say, with everything else, I scare easily.
To get my heart racing, break a sweat, and hopefully not die trying.
Keep reading for my experience at each class to decide whether or not it could be right for you.
Luckily, she was wildly informative and really understanding of my hangups.
She told me to just do what made me feel comfortable and to not worry or think too much.
Its not just a workout for your mind and body, but also your spirit!
The room was warm, and I knew I was definitely in for a sweat session.
I heat up the room because it helps with so many different things.
Getting to that point takes time, and everyone moves at their own pace.
This is a no-judgment zone, peoplejust the way I like it.
The first portion of the 60-minute class targets rotational muscles around the shoulders to ease any neck pain.
The second works your hip muscles, low abs, and butt.
The toning and high repetition is what sets the NW Method apart, Winhoffer explains.
I like incorporating different styles of dance in my routines, so youre never bored.
My choreography is always fun and expressive because I like making people feel like pop stars for the day.
Classes start with toning and sculpting work, and then transition into dance choreography and dance cardio.
Its hard, but its really fun too.
(And believe me, I never thought Id say that.)
When youre sculpting, youre tearing small muscle fibers, Winhoffer says.
And if we just stopped, stuff would lock up.
Thats when you get cramping.
But when you move afterward, you get blood pumping through the muscle.
Its a whole circulation thing and an energetic one.
Plus, you leave on a high.
After all was said and done, I couldnt believe how great I felt.
But it was uplifting to forget about what you look like and just jump and dance around.
That immediately freaked me out.
It was anawesomefull-body workout.
Much to my dismay, it wasnt just about arms and punching things (though that did happen).
I chatted with Brey Pena, one of the founders of Dogpound, about what to expect.
It begins with 15 minutes of jump rope and stretching.
Then, youll do one to three laps around the gym.
But then comes the punching.
Its a lot to take in, but it feels badass while youre doing it.
Then on to the dreaded abs portion.
I held it together while I worked my core, but seriously, ow.
Everyone wassoenergetic the entire way through, which was helpful and empowering.
The Workout: Karen Lord Pilates Movement Jumpboard
The KLPM Jumpboard class is an in-studio super-workout.
Honestly, Karen Lords enthusiasm is infectious.
Jumpboard is 55 minutes of intermittent reformer flow andjumping.
I pondered what this was going to mean for my tired body.
Listening is really important to stay safe and get the most out of a class.
The end of the class is no walk in the park.
As Lord warned me, At KLPM, youll always plank at the end.
Its a great way for you to measure your own growth, strength, and stamina.
We use weights and jumping simultaneously to get the arms feeling really alive (and looking really good).
It gets your heart pumpingand hopefully smilingbecause the point is its actually really fun.
I was definitely feeling the burn the next day.
Plus, its extremely fun.
The Workout: SoulCycle
Okay, so I really was terrified of spinning.
But I signed up for this, and youre supposed to face your fears eventually, right?
She explained, A SoulCycle class is an interval-based cardiovascular workout.
All classes are an aerobic workout that include varying intensities of aerobic output and anaerobic intervals.
They all include a proper warm-up and cool-down to safely balance the hard work performed in class.
And she wasnt kiddingit felt like every muscle in my body was being used during this class.
My quads, glutes, hamstrings, hip flexors, and calves were on fire.
But perhaps in a good way?
The muscles of the arm are involved in stability and supporting the body throughout class.
And I really liked that.
I found out, though, the flow is quite different than my usual practice.
Founders Krissy Jones and Chloe Kernaghan explain: The yoga we teach is a medley of lineages.
All styles of yoga have something important to offer, and we steal from them all!
Cross-pollinating yogic material allows us to create something wholly new yet refined with rich substance and history.
I was totally in.
I went to a class, and now Im officially addicted.
There are a range of levels, from beginner to advanced, so theres definitely something for everyone.
It was difficult, but it felt so good all the way through.
In the end, I wouldnt have changed this experience for anything.
I felt strong, inspired, andsotired.
But I faced my fears and realized these classes are popular for a reason.
They have a community surrounding them because theyre each helpful and important in their own ways.
So maybe now Im part of the cult craze.
But hey, if treating my body well is wrong, I dont want to be right.
Now I have to go take a nap and ice my limbs.
Lorenzo S, Halliwill JR, Sawka MN, Minson CT. Heat acclimation improves exercise performance.
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