Tag: new workouts

4 Fitness Classes To Try In November

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn cycling, Fit Style, Fitness Classes, fitness trends, InspirationLeave a comment

As a health and fitness editor, I am routinely contacted by PR gurus and studio owners about trying out various new classes, workouts, gyms and training studios throughout New York City. While I love experimenting with and trying new workouts, far too often I show up at a studio only to realize that the “media” class is simply a shorter, condensed version of the actual workout. And other times I realize that I just hate the workout and would never try it again on my own.

In a world where drop-in class rates cost upwards of $30, I want to help you figure out what’s worth spending your hard-earned money on (and prevent wasting your money on a class you absolutely detest).

Here’s a review of all of the new gyms and workouts I tried out in October, so you can get the scoop before trying them out yourself.

The Training Lab

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Where: 28 West 37th Street, 2nd Floor | Chelsea Continue reading “4 Fitness Classes To Try In November” →

Extreme Bootcamp with Lacey Stone

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn Uncategorized1 Comment

I first got the opportunity to meet Lacey Stone at an EPIC Treadmill event at the Empire State Building a few months ago. To be honest, I had not heard of Lacey before, but the idea of working out in the Empire State Building with a celebrity fitness trainer was an opportunity I couldn’t miss.

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Lacey got a kick out of my shoes! I think this photo encapsulates her amazing energy. Photo credit to Well+GoodNYC.

At first I was a little intimidated. Lacey has worked with clients like Amanda Seyfriend, Amanda Peet and Nicole Kidman and could probably crush me in half with her pinky fingers. But from the minute she started talking, I instantly liked her. Not only is Lacey super fit, crazy enthusiastic and astronomically motivating, she’s also down to earth and fun. She wants you to have strong abs and a bikini-ready butt, but she also wants you to laugh while you’re achieving those assets.

So when I heard about another opportunity to try Extreme Bootcamp with Lacey at a Well+GoodNYC event celebrating the launch of her Appcession iPhone app: Extreme Bootcamp! With Lacy Stone, I jumped at the opportunity. (Plus, they offered champagne at the end of the workout…would you say no?).

After downloading the app onto our iPhones and iPads, Lacey demonstrated and put us through (a group of about 20 women and one brave man…or maybe he was just lucky) some of the moves directly from Appcession. The app has four levels (because her favorite sport is basketball, which has four quarters), and each level includes dynamic moves that are held for 30 to 45 seconds each. Each move can also be customized for the novice and expert fitness enthusiast, making it tailored to your personal level — plus it gives you the ability to work your way up and improve along the way.

Some of the moves we went through included squats, shuffles, burpees, planks with alternating kicks, reverse planks with kicks and standing crunches. We also had a pushup competition (sadly, I didn’t win… but I think it gave a pretty good fight!) and basically turned our workout into a sweaty dance party. Bootcamp was definitely tough, and good change up from my typical run-crunch-yoga regime I’ve been on (I’ve been trying hot yoga! But more about that later…). And the next day, my thighs were still feeling the burn, validating I got a good workout in.

Sometimes being sore is the best confirmation of a job well done, but it can also be a wake up call to how out of shape some areas of your body can be compared to others. Even though I run a lot, my thighs aren’t used to a healthy dose of squats, and that’s something I need to work on. Upper body strength is another thing I really need to work on. I don’t necessarily want to be jacked (though I’ve been told before that I’m “ripped, in a good way”) but I do want to be able to go through a series of downward dogs and mountain climbers and not be sore the next day.

But enough about me – this post is for you! If you want a low-cost, vibrant and motivating personal trainer you can keep in your pocket, I definitely recommend purchasing Extreme Bootcamp! With Lacey Stone from Appcession. It’s just $2.99 in the iTunes store and can be downloaded and used via your iPhone or iPad. No equipment is necessary, so you can workout with Lacey in the comfort of your own home, or bring her to the gym with you (I just recommend headphones, if you choose to do that). Although the workout is customizable by experience/fitness level, I think Lacey (even inside your smartphone) is motivating enough to make you perform to the best of your ability and not quit or skip out early.

If you end up downloading the app, comment and let me know how you like it! And if not, do you have any other fitness app recommendations? Let’s hear ’em!

Download the app from iTunes here.

Well+GoodNYC took some photos of the event, which you can find here. My phone wasn’t cooperating that evening so sadly I don’t have more of my own!

Dance Club or Fitness Studio? The Art of the Trampoline Workout

On By idratherbestrongthanskinnyIn Fitness Classes2 Comments

Through the many perks of my job, I was invited to try out a new fitness class that’s sure to gain some popularity among dance and Zumba enthusiasts.

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Jumping Lifestyles on Broadway off Canal Street in New York City is a new trampoline studio offering customized workouts using individual “jump stations” (aka, trampolines with pogo stick-like handlebars). Not only is the workout tool unique in itself, but the room is also equipped with black lights, flashing lights, spinning disco balls and a high-tech sound system to mimic the inner workings of a dance club. So not only are you getting “more bounce” literally from jumping up and down, you’re also getting amped up on the same feeling you have on a Friday night out with the girls (sans the Saturday hangover! …though it might be replaced with Saturday soreness).

Offering two different styles of classes, Jumping Lifestyles has both the JumpGym class and the JumpDance class. I had the pleasure of attending one of the JumpDance classes, led by the studio owner. I was a little skeptical at first, as I’ve been to zumba a couples times and pretty much just felt out of place (I don’t have the gene that enables you to shake your hips like Shakira, or anyone with any kind of dance talent). But when we started bouncing around, I tried to just let myself enjoy the fun of it and get the best workout possible.

The workout is definitely unique. It’s low impact because of the trampoline, so it’s easy on your joints. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy in general. We did a lot of stepping, running in place, kicking, and even shuffling around the circumference of the trampoline. More often than not, I needed to leverage the front handlebars to stay balanced and/or avoid falling off the trampoline (and amazingly, no one in my class fell or bounced off during our hour-long session). With the music pumping and lots of excited encouragement from our instructor, the whole experience felt like a glorified dance-zumba-kicking-bouncing party that made me sweat a whole lot more than I thought it would.

I’ve been told the JumpGym class is a little more vigorous cardio-wise, using free weights along with the jumping routine to build strength. I think runners like me would appreciate that class a little bit more and it probably would have been a little more my style, but I definitely relived my younger bounce house days and enjoyed myself!

Classes at Jumping Lifestyles take place on evenings and weekends (full schedule here). A single class is $28 (but just $15 for first timers!), and first-timers can also get packages like 3 classes for $55. If you live in the NYC area and need to switch up your routine, or just need to have fun, check it out!