Instructor review: Emily R at Flywheel Sports

Category:  Cardio

Target Zone:  Butt, Legs Location:  Rittenhouse, Main Line

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Chatty Cathy. This was one of my first observations about Emily and her Flywheel class. The woman randomly talks at a million miles per hour throughout class--not only entertaining, but endearing. Random tangents about her plans for that night, what a song reminds her of, or pretty much anything. Absolutely loved it...the level of chattiness brings more to the full experience and I found it cool that she can talk so comfortably during class. 
Shout Outs. There was some talk directed at certain people in the class. I love the connection that she makes with people in her class--made me jealous! Guess I need to sign up for more of her classes! 
Consistent. I've "flown" with Emily in both packed classes, and a private session, and she is consistent in both scenarios. The private session was only 12 people with several of those riders being newbies. Honestly, I thought it just wasn't going to be the same experience as she is with a full house. Not the case--she got up on the instructor stand and was screaming just as loud, if not louder...but that might have just been because I was front and center. 

The class. There were a bunch of pretty fast out of the saddle jogs, which I was really digging. Then we did a bunch of hills--mostly "40-40" hills, adding some forward and back choreography to really push to the max. A few 15-20, 100 rpm sprints, which felt good on the legs, terrible on the lungs. Arms were killer, a lot of the same moves repeated over and over again. BURN.  Music. She plays EVERY. single. kind. of music. LITERALLY. You will never get bored during a ride with Emily because she's playing everything from Miley to throwback 50 cent to country music. Excellent timing and loved the volume increase during a the tough pushes.  Check out her playlist this month here on philly.com. 

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.

www.mainlinetoday.com

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!

www.healthysimplesmart.com

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!

Teacher Review: Keli H from Flywheel

Category: Spinning

Target Zone: Legs Location: Rittenhouse Square 

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On the teacher?

Hello Monday Morning! After a Sunday Funday watching football playoffs, I managed to get myself out of bed and make it to Flywheel for the early morning class.. it HURT but I was so happy that I did! Keli is an enthusiastic, motivating instructor that gets you energized to start your day-- she only teaches 6am and 7am on Mondays, but it’s well worth the wake up call! All I kept thinking was wowzas I'll take 3 of whatever she's having. Don't be fooled by her peppy personality though, this girl is a seasoned pro. She'll have you dripping sweat before the warm up is over and eager for the rest of the ride. 

Do I know you? Keli made eye contact with everyone as they walked into class, which automatically created a connection, making me feel like it was my 10th class with her. She did the whole ride with us while instructing--MAJOR props. 

Motivating. But not annoying. Her upbeat demeanor is the driving force of the class. You're not going to get the screaming-in-your-face-cursing-every-other-word, but you will hear a keep-pushing-don't-stop-go-faster throughout the ride. 

Prepared. The countdowns were perfect, the music was selected with purpose, and the pushes were timed flawlessly to the choruses. 

http://philadelphia.flywheelsports.com/instructors/keli-hefele

On the class?

There was a puddle of sweat around my bike. AKA I was sweating profusely. Great mix of higher and lower resistance according to the music. Also enjoyed the nice mix of saddle, out of saddle, hills, jogging, run and sprints. So glad I grabbed two towels before class! 

Jams. Sprinted out of class to download some of her new songs before I forgot! Expect to hear a variety of newer and older songs, timed perfectly with the pace of the ride. 

Goals. The first thing she says is to set a goal. Okay, so my goal is 300. 42 minutes later we're on our last song and I'm only at 271, yikes! I've never pushed so hard for 3 minutes straight and ended up slightly passing my goal-- I was pumped! The gentle reminders throughout class about your goal 

The crowd. Ehhh a little low energy. The room was full of spinners who were not really showing her any love, but Keli was peppy as ever. She asked the class how we were doing a few times, and didn't seem phased or agitated by the lack of woohoos. Her persistence kept me going and actually made me want to try harder to make up for the rest of the crowd. 

Intensity. Keli won me over and the class was definitely fun, but it wasn't the most challenging. This may be a good ride to try out if you're new to Flywheel. 

All in All. 

From what I’ve seen, most of the Philly Flywheel instructors are amazing and Keli is no different. She has her own style/personality and I always leave looking forward to the next ride with her. If you’re an early riser, don't press snooze and get to Keli's class! 

Take Off With Flywheel

Category: Spinning

Target Zone: Legs Location: Rittenhouse Square 

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When I first learned that Flywheel, the NYC based indoor cycling big-hitter was coming to Philly, I was beyond excited. Having gone to a few classes in NYC, I knew I was a fan, but after my first class in Philly, I went quickly from a fan to an addict. 

Where is it? Center City studio is located at 1521 Locust Street. 
Main Line studio is located at 711 West Lancaster Ave, Suite 300. 

What is it?  Cycling on steroids. This class will have you huffing, puffing, completely drenched in sweat and probably cursing your teachers name under your breath... all in the first 10 minutes. Just trust us, it's worth it. 

First impressions?  Immaculate, inviting, and CLEAN. From the decor to the amenities to the actual bikes, you know as soon as you walk in the door that this place is legit. Even the front entryway and the bathrooms are beautiful. I kind of wanted to just hang out in the studio and not even work out! I'll get to the actual spinning later - if studios were rated purely on aesthetics, this one would get an A+.

Why Flywheel? The technology! At Flywheel each individual bike is equipped with the technology to allow you to track your own personal output/exertion/power level throughout class, and also track your progress over time. Feeling competitive? Choose to display your total power score on the Torqboard and let your inner athlete shine because lets be honest - no one likes to lose. Nothing will motivate you more than beating a personal best, or that girl 3 bikes down who for some reason is totally on your nerves. If competition isn't your thing or you're struggling to shake the cobwebs after a big Thursday night, don't worry, you can easily opt out of the Torqboard and still see your own personal power score without advertising it to the rest of the class. 

thequickanddirtydirty.com

The Perks 

Music.  A spin class without good music would be like a margarita with no tequila. Seriously incomplete! Well luckily at Flywheel the music is always amazing. You'll hear different genres depending on the teacher, with the beat always timed perfectly to the flow of the class. 

Free-bies. First class is FREE! Other freebies are yours at every visit; shoes, water, hair ties, even earplugs (if thats your thing).

Arms. Rarely when you walk into a spin class are you expecting any kind of upper body workout. Well get ready. At Flywheel there are actually weighted bars attached to each bike, turning your typical cycling class into an incredible full body workout. Doesn't get much better than that!

fitnessfrugalistic.com

What else do you need to know?

Is it worth buying a package?  How often are you going to go? If you're fully committed to being there 3 to 4 times a week then the answer is YES! Unlimited monthly packages are $180, $130 for students. Individual classes aren't cheap ($25) and my recommendation would be to buy the 10-class package for $225 with an expiration date one year from purchase.

Results? It’s a full body workout, torching calories and working muscles in your legs, core and arms. Aka.. Keep at it and you will absolutely see your body start to change. For maximum results, pair this high intensity cardio blast with something like a barre or yoga class that will focus on building long, lean muscles.

Need to cancel? Don't forget to do it by 5PM the day before, otherwise you'll still have to pay for the class or a $20 cancellation fee. Ugh!!

Hidden fees? The membership seems like a great deal (and it is) but you’re locked in for at least 3 months and need to send a written notice to cancel. Not a big deal if you’re hooked, but don't get stuck paying month after month without realizing!

Overall
Flywheel is definitely my favorite spin studio in Philly. A little on the pricier side but worth every penny when you leave feeling empowered and motivated. Isn't that the point when you're spending the money and taking valuable time out of your day? Flywheel won't disappoint and you'll leave counting down the hours until you can come back and do it all over again.