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. 

Thigh High at Lithe Method

Category:  Strength

Target Zone:  Legs, Butt Location:  Rittenhouse

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I wasn't sure what to expect for Thigh High class at Lithe Method, but I signed up anyway under the impression that I've liked every class I've ever been to at the Rittenhouse studio. I walked in and looked around at all of the veterans in the class, who had a Svelte stick, aka a 4-foot wooden bar, at their spot, so naturally I followed their lead and grabbed one. The music began, everyone stacked their hands towards the top of the Svelte stick, and it was 60 minutes of grueling leg exercises. The beginning of the class started off with a brief warm-up, but I quickly started to understand why the class is called Thigh High. For one of the series, we stood in stiletto, squatted all of the way down to the ground, and back up verrrrry slowly...for 3 sets. That's when the legs really started to burn (and shake) and the sweat started to fall to the ground. I loved the challenging lower body exercises, but was disappointed by the after thought of upper body at the end of class.  I know Thigh High is very focused on the lower half, but I would've liked at least five minutes towards the end to focus on the upper body. Overall, I left the class happy with a good sweat, feeling tight and toned!

Philly Power Yoga and Thrive Pilates

Category:  Yoga

Target Zone:  Legs, Arms, Core Location:  Rittenhouse

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The space. At 20th and Walnut, you can't miss the big sign that reads Philly Power Yoga and Thrive Pilates. Enter the front door, press the buzzer, and head up the steps into the studio--PPY on the first floor and Thrive on the second floor. There's plenty of space to drop your belongings before class, but there aren't any lockers. There are two tiny changing areas for a quick change, but no private area to shower or change for work. Bottom line: It's definitely not the fanciest studio, but it gets the job done. 

Flexible Scheduling. They have several classes throughout the day, especially on the weekends, so it's easy to find something that will fit your schedule. It's not one of those places that you where you need to sign up for classes weeks before. Who knows their schedule two Thursdays from now anyway?? You can easily sign up the day before (and usually day of), making it easy on your schedule. Need to cancel? Make sure you do it 3 hours before the scheduled class or you'll lose a class from the package purchased. 
Easy on my Pockets. The first class is free and there are several amazing, affordable packages that are definitely worth purchasing. Unlimited PPY and Thrive classes for just $165 a month-- not only do you get a variety of classes, but it's also one of the best deals in the city! Also keep your eyes and ears peeled for Gilt City and similar discounts for even better deals! I recently bought a 5 for $50 package that expired within a month. As the days were winding down, I realized I still had 3 classes left and only two days until the expiration. I reached out to extend the package for a few extra days, and they gave me another month within in minutes! 

The not so great stuff. The good definitely outweighs the bad, but I do have to say the classes can get packed. The mats are practically touching in some classes, and while I normally don't mind this, it can get a little tight. I've accidentally smacked arms doing some of the more intricate moves during yoga, and nearly kicked the girl next to me during Cardio Kickboxing in the Thrive studio. The other thing that drives me crazy is the constant buzzing you can hear throughout class, specifically towards the end of the class as the next group is filing in. The studio is not sound proof and it can be distracting to hear buzzing as you're trying to Ommmm. 
Yoga Lovers, Listen Up. Philly Power Yoga offers a retreat in Costa Rica for a week filled with yoga, surfing, and connecting! The week also includes organic meals to complete the total retreat experience. For all of the yogi lovers, check out more details on their website. 

Dhyana Yoga : In the Treetops of Our Urban Jungle

Category:  Yoga

Target Zone:  Core, Arms, Legs Location:  Rittenhouse

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Wandering down Walnut Street, past the Apple Store and Urban Outfitters, among honking taxis, and boisterous highschool groupies hanging out on the street, it’s hard to believe that you are standing in front of a yoga studio. 1611 Walnut Street, Dhyana’s Rittenhouse location is situated in the middle of it all, but luckily, all you have to do to escape is go up. Through a secretive door to the left of American Apparel is an elevator which takes you up to the 4^thfloor, and far away from the raucous scene outside.

Hands down my absolute favorite thing about Dhyana was the fact that I didn’t have to sign up ahead of time. I just showed up, bought a very reasonable package ($30 for 3 weeks unlimited as a first-timer), and went into class. I feel like in today’s world that is practically unheard of. The growing population of healthy/ fitness crazed people (women in particular) has made getting into your favorite classes like survival of the fittest… literally. Even if I remember to sign up on the right day, if I don’t get to it until 9am I often still find myself on the wait-list. Insane! Anyway, all the more reason that being able to show up for a 630 class on a Monday night was refreshingly amazing.

The studio itself is big and open, with brightly painted walls, and mirrors lining one side of the room. It’s an older building and I loved the big open space. So since I generally have anxiety about not being able to find a space for myself in these classes, I was there a few minutes early, psyched and ready to go... but after waiting for 15 minutes for our teacher who was late, my feelings for Dhyana started to turn sour, and quickly. Now I know that things happen and though I tried to stay very zen and patient about it, I’m sorry but 15 minutes is a long time to sit and wait… especially during your precious minutes of allocated “exercise time”.

Once the teacher did get there, he made a joke about it and went on with class, which I guess is really all you can do. But honestly I’m not sure that I ever really got over my earlier frustration. Probably my fault for not being able to let it go, but my experience was definitely not what it could have been. The class itself flowed well, however (per my review about Amrita and my general disliking for classes heavy on inversions) it felt like there was a lot of time spent upside down, or for me a lot of time spent watching other people go upside down. Ultimately, it wasn’t the sweat or experience that I had hoped for.

All in all, I think it was an unfortunate coincidence that my first time at Dhyana wasn’t their best showing and I am definitely going to go back and give it another try. The location, the studio, the people were all great AND knowing that I don’t even have to sign up ahead of time makes the possibility of a last minute drop-in all the more likely. 

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.

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!

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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!