The Seven C's of Cardio Kickboxing at Thrive

Category:  Cardio

Target Zone:  Total Body Location:  Rittenhouse

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Cardio. Let me start by saying Cardio Kickboxing at Thrive Pilates is awesome and I cannot wait to go back again! I love any workout that lets me punch things—it’s the best therapy (for your brain and bod). This class is a high impact workout that mixes fun and challenging interval exercises with tightening and toning. I was shocked by how hard it actually was though! I brought a bottle of water with me to class, set it down on the floor, and didn’t touch it again until the class was over. We were moving fast through the drills, and there was only one break, with encouraged individual breaks throughout class. Normally, this would make me crazy, but my adrenaline was pumping so hard I barely even thought about stopping for a rest (although I was pretty glad to stop kicking when the class ended). 

Core. The last ten minutes of the class has 3-4 intense exercises that fire up the core…YES! You need to partner up with someone you don’t know—brings you back to middle school days when the teacher made you team up with someone you weren’t friends with, but a little less severe because we’re all “adults” now. Love ending a heart-pumping class with a little core! 

 Connection. The instructor, Gina, makes a point to connect with everyone in the class and will spend the first few minutes going through names and trying to make a relationship with every single person. You’re stuck in the back and don’t feel like you will get the same attention as the front row? Not the case. Gina actually remembers names (don’t know how she does it) and will motivate each person out throughout class. 

Crowded. This class is packed! No personal space combined with high kicks and punches seemed like a recipe for disaster. My sidekick was inches away from hitting the CD player, which would have been beyond awks, but everyone in the class is pretty conscious of space. You may feel claustrophobic at times, but this class is definitely worth it! 

Counting. There’s A LOT of counting, but don’t worry you only need to be able to count down from 8. First thing Gina says is “I know you think counting makes you uncool, but I already think you’re uncool so everyone has to count!” I’ll admit I’m definitely not a counter during class, but I was into it and counting loudly. Everyone does it and it actually helps with the flow of class! 

 Correcting. Yes the class get’s very packed, but that doesn’t mean you won’t get the attention you deserve. Gina takes the time to correct everyone’s form throughout class and makes sure everyone stays on the same page. The one personal correction I got from her, to raise my hands higher in front of my face, immensely helped because it improved my balance and focus for the rest of class. 

Cool. No, not in temperature (it get’s pretty sweaty in there). The instructor is really cool. Her music, enthusiasm, and expertise kept the class motivated and excited for the entire hour. No wonder she has a cult following of people that love her class.

Teacher Review: Anne Marie from Unite Fitness

Category:  Cardio, Strength

Target Zone:  Total Body Location:  Midtown Village

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On the teacher.

I love her.  This was my first class with Anne Marie at Unite Fitness and I cannot wait for the next. Super friendly and personable, I immediately liked her. Then within the first minute of class she was talking about the Grammy's and Justin Beiber... Liked her even more. Fast forward to the end of class, when I was drenched in sweat after 30 minutes of totally killer cardio, and 30 minutes of circuit training and I was in love. 

Personable. It's pretty simple... When teachers remember your name, you feel special. And when you feel special, you want to work harder because you don't want to disappoint your teacher. Right? Well Anne Marie remembers everyones name, and if she doesn't, she'll make sure to come up and ask you to remind her. Its a super effective strategy because throughout the whole class she will be using everyones first name to encourage and motivate. 

Challenging. So I will admit that I generally shy away from using heavier dumbbells in classes, having been forever scarred by my college lifting experience for lacrosse (can you say, freshman 30... of muscle?!). Building muscle, toning and sculpting is good. Getting bulked up is not on my agenda. Well Anne Marie was totally onto me. After about 30 seconds of the circuit training she came over and dropped off some heavier weights “just in case” I wanted to up my game. —I tried them and she was totally right. I loved that she took the initiative and wasn't afraid to give me the extra push I needed. Not only did I switch to the heavier weights, but knowing that she was watching that closely made me work that much harder for the rest of class to make her proud! 

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On the class.

Express Cross Training. Her 6 am Cross-Training Express class is a great way to kick off the week. It’s a half hour of insane cardio and a half hour of challenging strength training to get you in, out and on your way.

Innovative. During the cardio segment, we did a 3-minute steep incline walk for three minutes with our hands straight over our head. First thing I thought was.. Ok great, a little active rest. Well that was definitely not the case. Those 3-minutes were harder than my 100% sprint, and totally different than anything I would ever think to do myself. My heart was pounding out of my chest and my muscles had no clue what was going on-- which doesn't happen too often! 

Music. Great music for both segments of the class, mixing current music with a few remixes. She puts on whatever she feels like, but also plays to the crowd. At one point, she said how about we listen to some Selena Gomez? Someone in the crowd jokingly screamed out ‘Why???’ Clearly he wasn’t on board, so she was flexible and moved on from the teeny bop pop music genre to something else. 

All in All

I cannot say enough good things about Anne Marie-- she’s upbeat, encouraging, and teaches a killer class. I just wish she taught on Saturdays! However,  I will definitely be making an extra effort to get to her classes during the week. 

Lithe is for Lovers

Category:  Cardio, Strength

Target Zone:  Total Body Location:  Olde City, Rittenhouse, Main Line

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What’s this all about? Lithe Method is an innovative, fun, and highly effective hour-long workout that burns mega calories through a mix of cardio, “cheer” inspired aerobics, and strength training exercises. Yeehaw! Using resistance bands (see below), a variety of props and your own body weight to tone and sculpt muscles quickly, while at the same time improving your cardiovascular stamina and endurance. Ok, so cheer inspired aerobics… What the heck is that you might ask? You kind of have to see for yourself, but my best attempt to describe it would be like jumping on your bed, dancing to your favorite song while no one is watching.. for a prolonged period of time. Important to note- dancing ability/cheer experience/any kind of rhythmic sense is 100% NOT necessary to get a great workout. All in all these classes are kind of like an awesome hybrid of all your more fundamental methods like pilates, barre, yoga, weights, and cardio—but with the Lithe spin on it, this workout takes them all to another level. And by another level, I mean you will pretty much walk out of class feeling like your butt should be completely tightened and toned- which makes it a win in my book. To be fair, just like any method you probably won’t wake up the next day looking like a new person, unfortunately, but if you stick with it and make Lithe a regular part of your regimen (as in go to class at least a couple of times a week, 3 or 4 would be ideal), you won’t have to wait long to see results. Bottom line? Time and money seriously well spent.

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Location. Convenience is key, but with Lithe the old “its too far away” excuse won’t fly because Lithe is everywhere. With studios in Rittenhouse (255 S. 17th St- 2nd floor), Olde City (219 Cuthbert St- 4th Floor), and on the Main Line (393 W. Lancaster Ave), you have no excuse not to pick the location nearest you and sign up!

Pampered. Who doesn’t to love be pampered? At Lithe you will be, starting with the Lithe employee who greets you as you walk in the door. This is especially helpful before the first class as you might be a little confused (like I was) when you see “The Medical Tower” on the side of the building. You are in the right place!  Once you are inside, the locker room is bright, airy, clean and they have plenty of space to de-layer and store your things. Essential when coming in from this freezing weather! Other fun extras: nice waiting area, incredible smelling essential oils, clean equipment, and delicious juices. Needless to say, I was swept off my feet.  

First class. Before taking any of the regular classes, a pre-requisite Lithe 101 must be completed. So if you’re anything like me, you’re first thought is probably: how annoying! But it’s actually not so bad—they teach you the basics and it’s less “scary” because everyone else is new too. Also don’t be fooled into thinking this will be an easy walk-through of a class, you will most definitely be getting a workout, so plan on a major sweat!

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Variety. The absolute best thing about Lithe is the assortment of classes they offer. Instructors are always switching up routines to make sure each class is special and unique. Don’t be overwhelmed by the number of different classes on the schedule-- Skinny Jeans, Pom, Armistice, High Waisted, Wings, Barlesque, and the list goes on. Try them all! You will not be bored and will wake up feeling soreness in muscles you didn't even know you had.

Do I need my pom-poms? Not physically no. As I said above, while the workout does incorporate some “cheerleading” aspects, it’s more about the total body cardio movements than the RA-RA-fight-team-fight atmosphere. That being said, be ready to do some high knees with your arms straight in the air (sans pom-poms and uniform). Trust me… If being the “cheer” type was a pre-req at Lithe, I would not be a part of the clientele!

Go Philly! Lithe founder Lauren Boggi opened her first studio in Philadelphia in 2005. Now with three studios that are bursting at the seams with devotees, she is spreading the Lithe brand to NYC and who knows, maybe beyond! I love that by going to Lithe I’m supporting a local Philadelphia start-up that is getting nationwide cred – go Lauren go!

Unite Fitness: Twelfth Street Treasure

Category:  Cardio, Strength, Yoga

Target Zone:  Legs, Arms, Core Location:  Midtown Village

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We LOVE Unite Fitness. It's intense and results driven, designed to improve your endurance, strength, and flexibility... all in just an hour and fifteen minutes. Each class is a special cocktail of cardio, strength, and stretching - testing your stamina, keeping you motivated, and strategically working to improve your overall fitness at a rapid speed. Intrigued? You should be. Whether you're a competitive athlete, or someone who dabbled on a high school JV team, if you want to take your fitness to the next level, Unite will help you do it. 

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Break it down.  30 mins of cardio, 30 mins of strength training, and 15 of yoga/stretching. That's the standard "Cross-Training" class (not to be confused with CrossFit!!), however there are different series (A,B, C, D and Express) where you will have slightly different allocations of time. My personal favorite: Cross-Training D. 45 minutes of heart pumping out of your chest cardio. Go to this Saturday morning class and you will feel totally OK enjoying the rest of your weekend knowing that you worked for that R&R.. and bottle of wine on Saturday night :)
     Part One: Cardio. In the "cardio room" you will find a fleet of treadmills, spin bikes and rowers. The choice is yours as to what machine you want to use, so choose wisely. In some classes the cardio segment will involve stations on each (or maybe even the seven flights of stairs in the hallway). In this portion of the class the teachers set the parameters and structure for your workout; giving you a target pace (as a % of your max speed), incline and time for each interval, but it's up to you to set your own speed. So PUSH it. But really, with the teacher pacing around and checking your speed, a guy next to you grimacing in all out exertion, and music pumping all around you... You won't be slacking off. 
    Part Two: Strength. Don't be fooled into thinking that once the cardio is over its an easy ride to the finish-line. It's not. This segment is essentially a circuit training class, incorporating weights, bands, TRX, and other functional resistance exercises to tighten and tone, strengthen and build muscle. In conjunction with the cardiovascular benefits of the cardio segment, this element of strength training will help keep your metabolism ramped up and burning for long after you leave the gym.
    Part Three: Stretch. After your cardio and strength circuits, its time to slow it down. Focusing on flexibility is essential to preventing injury, and lengthening the muscles that you have just worked out during class. On top of these physical benefits, your mind will be ready for a break too! A quick meditation at the end of class allows you to lay back, close your eyes, and just allow your body to feel the benefits of the major workout that you just rocked.

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On the people. The trainers at Unite are legit. Seriously. These aren't just instructors who have gone through a Unite teacher course, every single one of their trainers are certified personal trainers... These guys (and girls) know their stuff but they aren't just kick-butt trainers, they are also SO friendly, helpful and welcoming. I walked in for the first time and they already knew my name--did I have "new girl" written all over my forehead? Probably... But whatever, the teacher immediately came and introduced himself, set me up on a treadmill, explained everything that we were going to be doing, and made sure I was totally good to go. And it didn't stop there. All through class he was checking in to make sure I was good, and afterwards took a solid 10 minutes to walk me through all of the different package options and benefits that come with becoming a Unite member. Love the personal service.

Packages/Pricing.  First class is FREE. Just go onto the website and sign up. You will get an email from an instructor asking what class you want to take and then all you have to do is show up! After your first class, if you think this is something you want to stick with, it definitely makes sense to buy some sort of package. Yearly and monthly memberships are a good option if you think you will make it to at least 3 classes a week (which is ideal to see results quickly, but also can be tough to accomplish). You can also buy 10 class packages or just stick with the Drop-In option. 

Specific class and teacher reviews to come soon! Enjoy!