Dare You To...

The following post is sponsored by FitFluential LLC on behalf of Les Mills.  As always, the opinions reflected below are entirely my own.

Senior year of college, I was a regular at the student gym's "BODY COMBAT" class.  This is where I fell in love with martial arts-style classes.  It was all about moving to the music, harnessing your inner strength, and kicking butt.   That class is still one of my favorites; I loved every minute and have missed it ever since.  Turns out, the folks that created the Body Combat classes have a slew of other group fitness programs that are offered at various locations throughout the country.  The company, Les Mills, has created 13 global group training programs, which now have millions of participants in over 15,000 gyms in 90 countries.

Their weights class, BODYPUMP®, debuted in New York Sports Clubs across NYC this week.They moved in with a bang; they are now offering an average of 130 classes every week at 36 NYSC locations... WOW.  Th…

From ages 2-15, I took dance classes weekly. It included hip hop, tap, and jazz, and I enjoyed it year after year.
Because I loved dancing growing up and my affinity for group exercise classes, you'd think I might enjoy dance workout classes, right? You'd have been wrong. I'm not saying I never do them, but they're really not my favorite, probably because the options were few.  Zumba never did it for me; it felt forced and on occasion boring--the same moves, no matter what the music. There are some dance exercise classes that are great, but, as always, it depends entirely on the instructor.
Guess what? I've found a FANTASTIC instructor.

Lindi Duesenberg founded Dance Motivation Fitness (DMF) in January 2013 (just 7 months ago!) and it seems to be off to a great start. Last week, her team reached out, inviting me to sample the new DMF workout at DANY Studio in New York City, and I am so glad I said yes.


From the website: "Powered by awesome music and inspir…

A few weeks ago, I was invited, as a FitFluential Ambassador, to attend a fitness class led by celebrity trainer Brett Hoebel.

Brett Hoebel, also known as "El Capitan," is the founder of Hoebel Fitnessand a trainer on NBC's The Biggest Loser season 11.  His online bio explains how his "mind-body" approach comes from his experiences in both Eastern and Western disciplines, combining his educational background (dual major in psychology and biology, plus biomedical science courses) with his martial arts training in capoeira and Muay Thai kickboxing.  With 15 years in the field, he's become an expert in group fitness, weight loss, and personal training.


We met at a New York City 24 Hour Fitness for the evening class.  As a small aside, I have to mention how impressed I was with the 24 Hour Fitness facility.  It was clean and spacious--two things I've learned not to expect from NYC gyms.  Definitely a place I wouldn't mind traveling to to work out!

Downst…

Since the June Yoga Challenge, I've been going on and on and on about yoga, so I thought it might be time to go over the basics and (maybe) then I'll shut up about it.  If you're new to fitness, yoga is a great way to start moving your body, and if you're a seasoned athlete, yoga is often just what your body needs to really stretch, reduce injury, and gain extra balance.

What is Yoga?

Yoga is an ancient Indian practice through which a person integrates the body, mind, and spirit in order to be in harmony with himself and his environment.  Exercise, breathing, and meditation are the structures through which one attains balance in life.


Namaste is the recognition of others. "I bow to you," is what it means.  It's about two individuals connecting, spiritually.  "The light in me honors the light in you."


Why Practice Yoga?

There are many health benefits to incorporating yogainto your life.  The most well-known might be increased flexibility.  With eve…

In honor of my Wednesday morning spinning class (eee can't wait! It's been a whole week!), today we're talking about...

Spinning: the infamous, high-intensity, indoor cycling class.  Saddle up in a dark room, blast the music, and get your heart pumping.

I shared my love for group exercise--including Spinning--before.
I also showed you how my heart rate soars during my Spin classes; such a great interval workout!
I've also shared how fantastic it felt to get back to spinning after a couple weeks under the weather.

So, basically, since September, I've completely fallen for Spinning.  It's about time I share the details with you, anddare you to get into a class ASAP! It builds muscles, works cardio, and serves as a great cross-training workout for runners, too.  Easier on the knees than running, so good thing to try when you've got an injury that prevents you from running. (Consult your doctor, of course.)  OR... just do it because it's a great workout a…

Check out what Janetha at Meals and Moves has in store for the month:


LOVE IT!  As the writer of a blog based on the idea of trying new things, this totally appealed to me.

For the first week, I decided I would step out of my comfort zone by trying a new exercise class: ZUMBA!

I've written before about my love for group fitness classes and tips for entering a new class for the first time (see that post here).  I dared you to, and now it was my turn to do so, as well.  I've watched the Zumba class wrap up (often going overtime, grr) in my gym while I wait to enter Pilates.  This week, I put myself on the other side of the glass window.  Time to get dancing.

In I went.  Took my spot, listened to the music, watched the instructor, and got my groove on.  I really enjoyed the warm up; it felt good to just dance like no one's watching.  (It did, however, take a lot of courage to just let loose and pretend no one could see me.)  But fun!  Great!  I enjoyed!

Then, I got a little bo…

Ah, Wednesday. This is my favorite workout day of the week, because I get to do not one, but TWO awesome gym classes in a row.  First, in Spinning, I get my heart rate up and my body warm (read: drenched in sweat), and thennn I hop one room over for Pilates, where I challenge my core, practice balance, and stretch my flexibility.  These two make an AMAZING combo.  Ah... so good. I walk away feeling like a new person, every time.

In honor of my great-workout-Wednesday, Today I dare you to try something new: Step into a group exercise class.

A newbie to fitness?  A pro-exerciser but want to spice up your workout routine with something new?  Taking a group exercise class is like having a personal trainer, except it’s slightly less personal (bad), other people are doing the moves all around you (pressure--good!) and it’s included in your gym membership (great!).  I've alluded to my gym class routine before, so now it's your turn to join in the fun.


It can be intimidating walking …