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