NYC Fitness Tour: Best Fitness Studios in New York City

Hey gang!  Last weekend I traveled to NYC to catch up on the latest happenings in the fitness studio world.  I took 9 classes in 3 days (thank God for Class Pass) and had an absolute blast.  I saved all of my snaps from the weekend so you can watch my story below!  Be sure to follow me on Snapchat @gritbybrit

Also below is a quick recap of my experience at each studio (in order of my preference) :

  1. Tone House – (Boot Camp / High Intensity Interval Training) Hands down my FAVORITE class of my trip.  I legitimately took a time warp back to my college basketball days and endured the most challenging “preseason condition workout” ever.  It was exhilarating!  I did things I didn’t think my body could still do: shuttle runs, sprints, walking lunges carrying sandbags over my head, football drills, burps, etc.  BUT the best part is that we did EVERYTHING as a TEAM and the coaches and my “teammates” were so positive encouraging during this 60-minute total body workout.
  2. NW Method by Nicole Winhoffer (Dance Cardio / Total Body Toning) Only one word can describe how I felt during and after this class… LIBERATED!  There’s something about the sexy, hip opening moves that Nicole Winhoffer creates that allowed me to express my emotions.  The room was warm and the toning moves were very challenging, but we did everything to the bet of the music and I felt left I was just “letting go” the entire class. Ia so liked that her dance choreography was very easy to follow (even for me who had never been there before).  At the end we learned some Hip Hop choreography and performed it a in groups.  The atmosphere was very safe, and very sexy.  I just felt so free.
  3. Dance Body – (Dance Cardio / Total Body Toning).  This was the most cardio intense dance workout I’ve ever taken!  We did burpees, leaps, ballerina hops and more.  I was so sweaty and my heart rate was sky-high.  I loved it.  Unlike most Zumba or Cardio Hip Hop classes I’ve taken, Dance Body seemed to incorporate more Ballet which I was though was super interesting and unique.  Between dances, we’d drop down into a plank and do core work or gab our mats and do some booty work.  This is a new concept and they don’t have a studio yet, so we just had class in a Dance Studio that I assume they rent by the hour.  even without all of the fancy studio decor, the was an amazing experience that I highly recommend.  They also stream classes online and I’m thinking about buying the online program so I can stay connected now that I’m back in Dallas.
  4. 305 Fitness – (Dance Cardio / Leg Toning) One of my all time favorites!  I haven’t taken a 305 class in 2 years, and let me tell you, this class is like a fin wine…better with time.  My instructor, Latoya just had so much swagger – I had a total girl crush on her.  I just wanna be cool like her.  The new Midtown studio is absolutely flawless with neon sign, crazy cool graffiti art, live DJ, self station and bright colors everywhere I loved the flashing club lights during the class and how everyone stayed in sync like a music video.  At the end of class, we grabbed dumbbells and did some leg strengthening WERK.  Overall = amazing!
  5. Swerve Fitness – (Indoor Cycling) – Yay for team games!  This was my first time to take a class at Swerve and it was so positive and fun.  They put us in teams at the beginning of class and throughout the ride we were competing based on our watts and on how well we could “serve to the beat.” I like the camaraderie, the music was on point and the studio decor was super-sleek with cool lighting and excellent amenities.  If I lived in NYC, Swerve would def be on my list of regularly frequented studios.
  6. Peloton – (Indoor Cycling) – The coolest cycling studio ever.  Can I just say that the Peloton bike is the BOMB-DOT-COM.  Aside from the fact that my class was being live streamed to hundreds of viewers riding in their own homes, this is the smoothest bike I’ve ever ridden.  I got a killer workout and seeing all of the precise metrics in real-time made me push myself. If I get rich anytime soon, I’m definitely buying a Peloton bike for my house 🙂
  7. AKT In Motion – (Dance Cardio / Leg Toning) – So I took an AKT class about 3 years ago and I was NOT impressed.  Back then, they didn’t have a downtown studio so the class was held inside a small dance studio inside of a daycare (yes…a daycare).  The instructor looked like she was wearing her PJ’s, there were 3 people in the class and the dances where very corny. This time = different story!  I went to the original Upper East Side studio, which is super cute (especially the disco ball that hangs in the middle of the studio).  The instructor was super friendly, fit and energetic.  Again, the class was small (only 5 of us).  But the dancers were awesome – we learned 2 long sequences and by the end of class I had them down.  The room was heated, so I worked up a good sweat, and nd at the end we did lots of total body toning work. I really loved the ab work we did using a foam roller – very unique.  AKT has definitely been redeemed in my book.
  8. Uplift Studios – (Total Body Strength + Cardio) This was a total girl power sweat sesh!  I love that it’s a women’s only gym and that we lifted heavy weights – yeah!  We did a lot of partner exercises and athletics drills.  We also moved to the beat of the music at times, which I love.  The studio is very small and can only hold about 10 girls, so the class was intimate and safe. During our class, some other ladies were having personal training sessions outside of the studio. Overall, I got a good workout and I like that you can cater the exercises to your own fitness level.  There were a variety of beginners and super fit athletes in the class and together, we all enjoyed a fun sweat session!  #girlpower
  9. Model Fit – (Total Body Toning) I tried to have an open mind with this class, but I just wasn’t feeling it.  So the Model Fit method is based on very slow, controlled movements with light weights.  The room was warm to help us break a sweat (although I didn’t).  And some of the moves were pretty unique and very original.  I just didn’t feel like a got a good workout in the class.  We didn’t move to the beat of the music and the energy level was very low.  I think this class is better for a beginners who are just starting their fitness journey or maybe someone who wants to do something active but doesn’t want work too hard.
  10. Cyc Fitness – (Indoor Cycling) Unfortunately, I got stuck in Midtown traffic after my AKT class on the UES and I arrived to Cyc like 10 minutes late and couldn’t get in.  I was so bummed.  BUT, I’m headed to Austin this weekend for a wedding and I plan to take a class at the Cyc studio there to make up for.  Let’s see if Cyc can bump up on my list after this weekend 🙂

And that’s a wrap gang!  Are there any studios that didn’t make my list that you love?  If so, let me know so I can check ’em out next time!  xoxo, Brit

I loved that Nicole Winhoffer email us a group pic post class! ya for sweaty hair…don’t care!
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4 Week Shape Up Program – SIGN UP NOW

Hey y’all!  I hope your week is off to an awesome start!  SO…last month my  friend Megan, Founder of The Lyons’ Share Wellness, and I hosted a new service at my fitness studio called the September Shape Up!  Essentially, I was noticing that lots of the girls at my studio were super consistent with their workouts, however they weren’t getting the results they wanted…

Brit’s 2 Reasons For Lack of Results: 

  1. Lack of proper meal planning / meal prep
  2. Doing the wrong mix of workouts

SO, I designed a 4 week program to help them create weekly workout plans and weekly meals plans based on their specific goals and preferences.  Megan and I also provided recipes and workouts to put in their plans and track over the 4 week period.

We started the program with a kick off workshop and over 80 ladies signed up and showed up – WOW!

A packed house of ladies fully engaged in our meal prep seminar at the Shape Up Kick off meeting

I led a seminar teaching them how to create an effective workout plan and Megan taught them how to meal plan and meal prep.  We also walked through an inspirational goal setting exercise and assigned weekly accountability metrics to track their progress.

Me helping the ladies measure and understand their body fat %

The September Shape Up has been a HUGE success with SO MANYs losing body fat, feeling more energized and most importantly, getting stronger and healthier!

Because the program has had such a tremendous impact,Megan and I decided to video our meal planning and workout planning lessons from the kick off workshop and make the 4 Week Shape Up Plan available online just for you – YAY!  We have tons of recipes, home workouts, lessons and personal tips to help you shape up.

Just visit 4weekshapeup.com for details and to register!  This means that you (no matter where you live) can sign up for the program and start get results today!  Get excited to look and feel like a BOSS.  I’m so pumped for your success!

If you have any questions, post a comment below and I’ll answer ASAP!  Have an awesome week!

xoxo,Brit

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CRANK it up with Nick Oram: NYC’s Hottest Cycling Studio and Hottest Instructor

Nick Oram fitness

Just when I thought I’d discovered them all, I found another NYC Fitness GEM!  Ladies and gentlemen I HIGHLY recommend you check out CRANK Cycling Studio on the Upper East Side.  You guys know that I always keep it real and very seldom do I give raving reviews of fitness studios.  But CRANK has some serious GRIT.  So, I decided to put together a top 10 list of what I love about it!

crank cycling NYC

Here’s why I LOVE IT…

  1. Insane Intensity. The workout is a 45 minute studio cycling ride. As a spin instructor, I’m super critical of other spin instructors, but I have to say that the instructors at Crank are legit. All of them incorporate a solid amount of variety, intervals and resistance training into the workout to ensure the class is pushed.
  2. Reasonably priced. Only $23 per ride – woo hoo! Those are Texas prices right there y’all. Soul Cycle is $34 per 45 minute class (to give you a relative comparison). You guys know that I’m all about accessibility. We don’t have to be wealthy to be healthy.
  3. Cardio + Choreography. I think having rhythm is a prerequisite for all of the instructors (as it should be). I love that the class is set to music, we move to the beat of the music and the BASS had me bumpin’ the whole ride. This workout incorporates the most dance and movement that I’ve ever experienced. We were out of the saddle for about 80% of the classes and bobbin’ to the left, to right, to the front to the back – heyyy!
  4. Cool Vibe and Decor. The studio is completely dark and lit only by small red lights. Red and black are the official studio colors. I love red because it’s strong and intense. During the class, we ride very close to each other generating lots of HEAT! By the end of the class, all of the mirrors are completely covered with sweaty fog (sounds gross, but it’s really awesome!)
  5. Excellent Equipment. The bikes are comfortable and ride well. Each one has a magnetic charge in the wheel that helps ease each pedal stroke and ensure a smooth ride. I can tell the bikes they are well maintained. There is nothing worse than cycling on a rickety old bike. Not to mention, poor equipment increases injury risk.
  6. Straight to the point, No fluff – Unlike some high-end fitness studios, all of the students in the class seemed like athletes. They came to work out. Not to see and be seen.
  7. Chill Culture. On that same note, the students I interacted with were also very cool and welcoming. No snobs allowed.
  8. New and Different. CRANK hit NYC only a few months ago, so it’s a nice fitness routine change-up. With so many fitness boutiques in Manhattan, it can be hard to keep up. But rest assured, Crank is new and it’s legit.
  9. Super Sweet Staff. The staffed is incredibly knowledgeable about both fitness and about cycling. The manager spent some time telling me why he chose the specific bikes in the studio and about how Crank got started and continues to the grow.
  10. HOT instructors (Exhibit A: My Ultimate Fitness Crush – Nick Oram). If you recall, we became obsessed with Nick when we discovered him at Soul Cycle a few months ago. He even topped out charts when we put out the “Official NYC Soul Cycle Instructor Ranking.” I’ve gotten to know Nick pretty well over the past few months and not only is he smokin’ hot and the fiercest fitness instructor in NYC, he’s also a very genuine accountability partner and sincerely cares about every person in his class (I’m taking regular text messages to check on his students – awe). So, while I wrote this blog post to spread my love for CRANK, I also want spread my love for NICK!  You can follow Nick on Twitter @OramNick or check out his website http://nick-oram.com/

Nick Oram Cycle

And now that I’ve told you all about Crank Cycling Studio and about my awesome instructor, Nick Oram, it’s time for you to hear from the man himself.  I asked Nick a few key questions, and here’s what he had to say…

Nick Oram

Why did you become a fitness instructor?

I loved spinning in college and it was through the love of it that I became an instructor.

What’s your favorite “get hype” line to yell to your class?

My favorite thing is to say is “Are you READY!!?” I get a big rise out of my class when I say that.

What you do recommend as the right mix of weekly cardio and resistance training/toning workouts?

I believe in keeping the body guessing, alternating days and doing intense intervals with your training

What song always get you going?

Can’t Hold US (Kaskade Remix) – Macklemore & Ryan Lewis

What do you tell yourself to stay motivated when your completely exhausted?

Mediocrity is never OK. Alway’s excellence!

What advice would you give to someone who is just starting to work out?

Be patient Be present and Be open to CHANGE

What does GRIT mean to you?

Grrrrrrr 😉

Nick Oram

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#CARDIOPARTY with me in NYC!

Hey guys!  I hope this post finds you joyous and well.

I’m starting to teach independent Turbo Kickboxing classes in NYC – Flat Iron next weekend.  Going forward I’ll have class EVERY SINGLE Sunday, rain sleet or snow 🙂

Come join me and invite all of your friends!  Obviously I put together the BEST playlist for us to jam to.  It will be tons of fun and very, very sweaty 😉

For details and to purchase classes go to www.turbonyc.com

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