Not Sure Which Workout to Try? We Test 6 of the Hottest Classes
If you’re like us and walking to the couch is starting to win over walking on the treadmill, here are a few fitness classes that are fun and inspiring to help you stay on track.
We tried Equinox’s conditioning class, THE MUSE, to test just how graceful we are.
The Promise:
Train like a dancer with dance-inspired cardio using light round-weights to boost your burn.
The Reality:
Feels easy at first. We were more concerned with getting our pliés down until we started sweating from the non-stop movement and our thighs were burning from the barre style moves.
The Verdict:
If you’re more cardio focused, this is a nice change of pace that hits all your muscles and helps build core strength. Plus, you can track your progress by how straight your high kicks get!
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We tried the most Instagrammed workout of the year to see what all the fuss was about.
The Promise:
To have fun and sweat! Set to hard-hitting music to inspire your own hard hits, Rumble is boxing-inspired (no experience necessary), full-body, strength training and conditioning for everyone.
The Reality:
Must. Keep. PUNCHING. The combination of HITT, METCON, and boxing-inspired cardio really got our hearts racing, legs burning (think jab, squat, uppercut, squat, repeat), and the sweat pouring. Move between the training bag and floor work in 10 rounds that will have you begging for the class to end but sad when it does.
The Verdict:
A total body workout that had us sore for days and is the perfect class to do with some friends. The energy is great and the best part is the room is so dark you can get away with “throwing” in the punches towards the end if needed.
Credit: Trapp Photos
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We’re here for the “afterburn”.
The Promise:
Using heart-rate monitoring, Orange Theory’s one-hour metabolic workout boosts your Excess Post-Exercise Oxygen Consumption (EPOC) – or the “afterburn” – so you’re continuing to burn calories up to 36 hours after class.
The Reality:
The high-intensity workout moves you through intervals on the treadmill, full bodyweight training and the rowing-machine. Using the heart-monitors, your work is tracked on the big screen as you move through different color-coded zones, with the goal of staying in the Orange Zone to achieve peak EPOC. The instructors are there to help you achieve this and offer alternatives and customizations based on your specific needs and goals.
The Verdict:
This is a hard workout that feels more serious and results driven than some of the other classes we’ve tried. If you are looking for one class to do 3-5 times a week this is a great cardio and strength training workout with enough variety to keep things interesting. If you’re looking for a fun class to mix in every once in a while, the structure of the program may not be for you. One great take-away we learned from the class, the row machine is the ultimate total-body workout! Will definitely be incorporating it into our normal gym routine.
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Testing the Victoria’s Secret model workout… from the safe distance of our living room.
The Promise:
Through small movements and using the unique p.ball to activate muscles, the pre-hab fitness class aims at creating long, lean muscles for a naturally toned and strong physique.
The Reality:
A totally different type of workout that activates muscles we didn’t even know we had! Through small adjustments in hip and foot positions, we could feel our bodies transforming without the pain that some of the other high-impact classes bring.
The Verdict:
A great workout to offset and/or complement your cardio days, you can easily do this every day for healthy results. Plus, they now offer a streaming option so you can do as much or as little as you want, from home!
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Can this competition-style class challenge our Soul Cycle addiction?
The Promise:
Using in-studio gaming and data visualization, THE PURSUIT drives performance through team-building challenges and a healthy dose of competition for a new, immersive studio cycling experience.
The Reality:
There are no weights, no dance moves, and no tap-backs, but this racing-style class really gets the heart pumping. The three-game structure breaks the class into rounds where you work together towards a goal, compete in teams, and battle against yourself. Even if you’re not competitive, by the end of the class you are challenging yourself to beat that beast on bike 23 who always gets first place!
The Verdict:
Being used to Soul Cycle and FlyWheel, we were a bit skeptical that our Equinox class would stack up, but this definitely brought the energy and sweat. The competition structure really fuels the workout and drives you to bring all that you can. The best cardio workout we’ve done.
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“Yoga for people who put on gangsta rap and handle it” – Vogue
The Promise:
A different kind of yoga that focuses on strength, deep breathing, and heating the muscles to clear the mind and leave you energized.
The Reality:
The 60 minute, infrared heated Vinyasa class set to the latest music in a candle-lit room with no mirrors definitely feels different than the ohm and flute driven classes we’re used to. The style is fast and athletic, which is perfect with the music.
The Verdict:
Ideal for athletic yogis who are here more for the workout than the practice. The instructors are great, the music is fun, and the heated, candle-lit room is a welcome escape in the day. Sign us up!
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