LOCAL STUDIO REVIEW

When we conceptualized the blog, one of the many uses discussed was sharing reviews of new, different fitness classes. In this blog, I will dip a toe into that water. There is one BRF who inspires me as she has written email reviews of different workouts and does such a great job of sharing the details I want to know.  Not going to out her because she may not want to review on the blog but try to channel her and her style. One other set up point, my intent here is to share with my BRFs as it might be interesting and prompt a future shared review.  For ease-of-use, our blog site public and that makes me hesitant to share thoughts, as I would not want unintended consequences on a business in our community. With this in mind, I will not identify the studio. If my BRFs cannot figure it out & want to know, just ping me off blog.

VARIETY.  I do like variety in my workout and fitness quest. FLEXIBILITY. Another key factor in my fitness planning..rainy day => book myself indoors to gain strength, flexibility, cardio or just assuage guilt from the previous day’s calorie consumption. I blame my VARIETY AND FLEXIBITY needs, coupled with the JOY of a good financial DEAL, that causes me to acquire lots of class packages with varying expiration dates (30 days, six months, year). The looming expiration date for a 10 class package at this studio has me visiting a few different classes. This studio is not new to many of us but I think it has been awhile. During my rush to beat expiration, I have tried three different classes offered in the early week day morning hour: Cardio Strength, Athletic Yoga and TRX Strength & Mobility.  I will do detail on each class but let me give the studio overview details first.

CLASS SIGN UP – is on mind body online. Any studio that offers this gets bonus points to use the app and get it automatically on my calendar. I have not had to cancel a class so I’m afraid I cannot accurately tell you what that policy is.

PACKAGES – A single class is $ 20 but the 10 class package I bought a year ago puts the classes at about $16/ class. Studio offers a 3 class deal for newbies at $20. Also this studio is on Class Pass.

PARKING – If attending a class prior to 7am, generally you can park within inches of the door. There are several front door spaces that have a sign that says no parking there after 7am as those spaces designated for Physical Therapy practice next door. You will be able to get out before 7am if attending 5:45am or 6am class. If the class is popular though (which I only encountered with Cardio Strength), you might have to park around back. Driveway to the left of studio.

RECEPTION/CHECK IN – The studio owner or other receptionist will pretty much recognize you after your 2nd visit. Members seem to have a card/tab that they scan for check in. I just state my name and they click me on the computer.

STOWING YOUR STUFF & OTHER AMMENTIES – As part of the reception lobby, they have a row of cubbies, a bench/chairs and hooks. There is a clean restroom in the next alcove but it is interesting that the sink is outside the actual toilet room meaning that no one can really wash their hands until they exit the toilet room. There is also a water bubbler to fill your water bottle.

ATTIRE – Of course you all could figure out what to wear to a TRX, Yoga or other class but the interesting detail here is that the studio now allows you to wear athletic shoes in the studio. Not that you would want to wear this for yoga but I did wear shoes for TRX and CardioStrength. It is actually recommended for CardioStrength as I heard the instructor tell another newbie. I personally am thrilled with this development is that is probably my biggest issue here in the past.

STUDIO SIZE & EQUIPMENT-This is a smaller studio but they do a really good job of maximizing the space. They provide EVERYTHING including your yoga mat, straps, blocks. Just bring yourself and your water bottle.

Now I will get into a bit of information about each class.

ATHLETIC YOGA – It should be noted that I am a yoga novice and a reluctant yoga attendee. I am not zen, do not strive to be zen and the thought of meditating quietly sends me up a wall. When they say things like “Put your hands in the prayer position and set your intention” what runs through my mind is “I cannot wait to get to Starbucks” or in the case of this morning “My intention is to have no snow, I do not want to spend the night at the hospital”. This has been a long time favorite class of Zelda and she knows her yoga. Actually I saw they quoted her on their website so I share:

"I have tried yoga classes at several studios around Brookhaven and R's class is by far the best! The yoga classes focus on stretching and flexibility and are great for all levels. As a runner, I never get enough stretching and I love how I feel after this class. The vibe at the studio is very comforting and the instructors are amazing and very talented. I can't get enough!

Plus yoga is supposed to be a great thing for runners.  This is probably the very best yoga class for my personality type. It is challenging but goes along at a good pace to keep me from wigging out. I feel like I am working my muscles and stretching often at the same time. When you arrive at class, you pick up your mat, strap and block. Typically this class has about 15 attendees, the majority females but there are about 2-4 regular male attendees. Another big plus is this class starts at 5:45am. Earliest yoga class I know of on this side of Atlanta. The class, in the past, has been taught by R, studio owner.  A and J have subbed when R was unavailable. R, in my opinion, is a master instructor but does get a little ethereal for me at times. But the movements are good and hard. Actually the first class I ever attended of R’s had me sore for days.  I also like both A and J. A has a nice accent (I don’t know from where) and this accent just adds a little something exotic to the flavor of the session and another layer of mental challenge in discerning that when she says “Ty” she means “thigh”. Not at all poking fun at her, just saying it makes me focus even more.  Only one experience with J, she moves fast. Which although good for the anti-zen me, really hard for the me that barely knows yoga. (today I learned a dolphin and a camel..so proud). This class has a real following and same folks there each week. At the end of the class, the lights are lowered and you are told to assume the corpse position and do some visioning/ imagining of this and that. The instructor comes around and offers lavender scented wet warm washcloths to place over your eyes/on your forehead. This part drives me crazy and takes all within my being to sit still.

TRX STRENGTH & MOBILITY – This was a Thursday morning class. Nice TRX equipment and you get to wear shoes but it can be close quarters. Newthing here is a digital screen that the instructor uses to guide the work out. For those of you who have been to OT..just like the one in the weight section. Even the warm up is on the screen and here is a made up example of what it looks like:

Each set 1 min/3x	BASIC	EXPERT	PRO
CHEST PRESS	Feet Apart	Feet Together	One Leg up
SCORPION	Off Side Plank	One Leg In/Leg over body	One leg In, touch ground

Instructor would flip screen for each new set, explain each exercise and the three different approaches (Basic, Expert, Pro) and then you could choose your own difficulty level. On the third round, she would push us all up a level in difficulty. Each set contained three exercises and we probably went through 5 screens. The screen has a timer which is nice because she did not do the counting thing. And you know how some instructors counting can bug you. Their version of 10 seconds….Anyway, you could clearly see the countdown and the program has transition timer. Time flew by, I enjoyed it but I was not really sweaty… Remind myself it is called strength & mobility..not cardio & sweaty.

CARDIO STRENGTH- shoes recommended. Full house with 60% female/40% male attendees.  Each attendee had large inflated ball (what are those called?), set of weights. K, the male instructor, used that same digital screen in the same method to lead our work out. Exercises, number of sets, 3 rounds, transition timer. Exercise examples: Planks/pushups on the ball, Sits up with the ball, Bicep curls with weights. Basic and advanced approaches demonstrated for each exercise. Instructor corrected form.  Halfway through, instructor declared our strength portion complete and put us into groups of 4. Each group was assigned one of four stations. Spent time at each station and then rotated for 3 sets, mini bootcamp style: 1) Spider Pushups, 2) Plank to Squat, 3) Bose Ball Run, 4) mini high steps in ladder station.  My heart rate was up, was more sweaty and able to do every exercise but had more in the tank.  

IN SUMMARY, although I was kicking myself for having this package, I actually am enjoying the experience. Enough to buy another large package?..Probably not.  I have two more classes booked and (one yoga and one TRX Circuit-this one has cardio) before the expiration. Yoga is starting to grow on me so I hazard to say I will end up here occasionally for some yoga.  Certain sole sisters keep pushing the Class Pass so maybe that will be the vehicle.

BY THE WAY, my yoga intention failed because it is snowing and I am bunking in at the hospital. Maybe I don’t quite have that tree position down yet?