OrangeTheory Brooklyn

As you guys know, I always enjoy a good, sweaty workout especially one that challenges me and can help me improve. However, since getting pregnant, I have been hesitant to push myself in boot camp or HIIT (high-intensity interval training) classes. Even though I’m working out with a heart rate monitor, since this is my first pregnancy, I am being very cautious.

Luckily, when OrangeTheory reached out to me, asking if I would like to try their Brooklyn Heights or new Park Slope location, I was thrilled to hear that they have coaches at both locations who specialize in working with prenatal and postnatal moms by providing adjustments, closely monitoring their heart rates and meeting with them before class. In addition, their heart rate based training makes it easy to stay in touch with my body throughout the workout.

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Suddenly I realized that it may be possible for me to have a healthy, cautious pregnancy and still get that great endorphin rush.  I was smiling like a kid on Christmas when I trudged through the snowy Brooklyn streets towards the Brooklyn Heights OrangeTheory.  The coach for the class, Garner, welcomed me with a huge smile and quickly reviewed the workout with me as well as giving me a tour of the studio.

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Since I’m still accustomed to the cramped, smaller Manhattan studios this location felt like a mansion. The location is spotless, features a huge entrance area where students can relax before and after class, showers, bathrooms and a locker area. As you can see, the studio is also spacious, featuring more than fifteen treadmills and rowing machines as well as a dedicated, spacious strength training area.

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Since OrangeTheory is a heart rate-based interval training class, each student wears a chest or wrist heart rate monitor that tracks your stats throughout the workout so you can see your heart rate on the screens during class.  While you can’t use your own heart rate monitor, students can use one for free during their first class and then rent or buy them for future classes.  The goal, for most students, is to stay in the orange or uncomfortable zone for at least a portion of the class. Since I am pregnant, we discussed my previous and current fitness, deciding that my goal should be to spend most of the class in the green zone with a few minutes in the orange zone.

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While each OrangeTheory class is different, most classes include a cardio portion, which is split between rowing and running, in addition to a strength portion.  This specific class session started with 25 minutes of cardio, rotating between the rowing machine and treadmill for intervals followed by a balanced strength portion targeting arms, abs, and legs.

By the end of the class, I was a sweaty mess but still smiling. With Coach Garner’s help, I made sure not to push myself too hard but still left class sweating and woke up the next morning feeling my hamstrings from the hills and feeling muscles I hadn’t pushed in the past few weeks.  In fact, I loved my first class so much that I was back just a few days later and am now seriously considering a package.

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If you’re interested in trying OrangeTheory, your first class is free. If you live in Brooklyn, the Park Slope location is offering discounted packages and specials to celebrate their opening.

 

This post is sponsored by OrangeTheory Brooklyn but as you may have seen on Instastories and Snapchat, I’ve already been back again! I love OrangeTheory and all opinions in this post are my own. 

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IMAXShift Brooklyn

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This blog post could also be titled, the time I took a spin class in a movie theater or that time I left a class utterly confused and disappointed.

IMAXShift, which opened in May, is located near the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. The first new studio to open in this area, they will soon have lots of company since Shadow Box and Row House are opening next month. Due to the convenient location and our love of spin classes, Bo and I hoped that we would quickly fall in love with this unique workout. We signed up for their 7:00 AM ride via ClassPass, excited to have discovered another great Brooklyn workout option. With average reviews of 4.7 out of 5 stars, it had to be a good experience, right? Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Ride Beyond ImaxShift Brooklyn

ImaxShift Spin Studio

Since the studio highlights the IMAXShift difference multiple times throughout their website and studio, I thought I would use these aspects to provide my review as they are correct, these things do differentiate the experience and studio from other NYC spin studios.

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  • Screen: When I heard the name of the studio and read the description, I thought the screen was going to make me fall in love with the experience. I envisioned simulated rides through the Alps or Pyrenees – following Tour de France rides or other globally known bike courses. Another option I envisioned was riding to my favorite, inspiring movie scenes. Instead, the 40 x 24 foot screen played everything from Justin Bieber music videos to nature images which reminded me of the Disney ride Soaring. Evidently each trainer has the freedom to design their own visuals and soundtrack so that no two rides are the same.  The teacher pointed out multiple times that we weren’t staring at a mirror or competing against anyone. While I love the no judgement mentality, I also don’t understand the mirror comparison when it comes to spin classes. While the ever-popular Soul Cycle has a mirror in the front of it’s classes, the classes are so dimly lit and sweaty that I’ve never even noticed the mirror as it’s often too dark or fogged from the sweat. 
  • Sound: While the music is Imax theatre quality, the louder than necessary music caused the instructor to literally scream at us during the class. In addition, for the entire class the music was off timing with the music videos which drove me a bit insane.
  • Studio: This is by far the largest spin studio I have ever seen! Since it is in the IMAX theater it is literally the size of a large movie theater and houses more than 50 bikes, only 5 of which were occupied this morning. The studio was so large that it left me feeling alone, especially during this morning’s class.
  • Stats: The Schwinn bike’s console, which reminded me of bikes at Equionx, allow you to see your stats at all times including time, distance and RPMs. However this class is more about keeping the beat than tracking your distance. I felt that it fell in between the bike dancing of Soul Cycle and the focus on the torque style of Flywheel.
  • Scene: The studio is the largest studio I’ve visited in New York City with plenty of space to relax before or after class, get ready in the spotless locker rooms. It is very similar to Peloton in that they encourage you to lounge and enjoy the space though unlike Peloton, there is no food or coffee bar to enjoy.

Would I go again? Most likely. I would be willing to try another class as long as it is during a more popular time and with a different teacher.  When I spoke with the front desk staff, they said that Bree’s classes are their most popular as she was just named NYC’s Hottest Trainer.

Cost: IMAXShift classes cost $34 or you can use one of you can take up to 3 classes per month via ClassPass.  They do have a first time rider special which is 2 rides for $34.

Address: The studio is located in DUMBO in Brooklyn at 127 Plymouth Street, conveniently located near the F train.

What to wear: I recommend wearing bike shorts or crops paired with a sports bra and tank top since the studio was warm this morning. Since they include spin shoes and towels in the price of class, you just need to remember socks!

Your turn: What would you want to watch if you were taking a spin class in an IMAX theater? 

Some images via New York Post.

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CLASSPASS MONTH IN REVIEW: FEBRUARY AND MARCH

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It’s time for another installment of the ClassPass Month in Review.  There has been a lot of change with ClassPass recently, especially in New York City.  Instead of having a one size fits all membership, they now have three membership tiers in most cities.

  • Unlimited  – $200 per month – unlimited classes – Can visit a studio up to 3 times per month. Available in all cities.  (Click the link to save $30 on your first month)
  • Core – $135 per month – 10 total classes – Can visit a studio up to 3 times per month. Available in all cities except London.  (Click the link to save $25 on your first month)
  • Base $75 per month – 5 total classes – Can visit a studio up to 2 times per month. Available in NYC, Boston, Atlanta, Dallas and Toronto. (Click the link to save $20 on your first month)

You can read more about the plans offered in each individual city by following this link.

As an ambassador, I’ve received lots of questions from readers and friends alike.

Yes, I’m still a ClassPass ambassador.

Personally, I am going to try the CORE membership during the June billing cycle as I tend to spend more time sweating outdoors than in classes during the Summer months so I think 10 classes will be perfect. 

At the same time that all these changes were announced, I took my 100th class. It seemed only appropriate to take my 100th class at the same studio as my 1st class – Tangerine Hot Power Yoga.  My goal for the next 100 classes is to try at least two new studios per month and continue scheduling workouts with friends a few times per month as these are often my favorite workouts!

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But, before I recap my 100th class which I took in April, I have to bring you guys up to speed on my February and March workouts. As promised, each month I will provide a brief recap of our experience including the number of classes taken, average cost per class and a brief recap of the studios where we sweat that month. In addition, if you’re on CLASSPASS feel free to follow my fitness schedule here. I love meeting readers so if you see me in a class, please say hello! If you want to check out my previous monthly recaps, click herehere,  here , here and here.

Month 5: February 21st – March 20th

Number of classes taken: 11

Number of studios visited: 5

Number of classes missed or late cancelled: 0

Number of cities: 1 (NYC)

Average cost per workout based on NYC rate of $125 per month: $11.36

Last Month’s Classes

High 45 at Mile High Run Club (2)

I’ve professed my love of Mile High multiple times (full review here). Their High 45 class is a great class for runners of all abilities. As you can guess from the class name, the workout includes 45-minutes of running. The running includes a five minute warm-up and five minute cool down. In between that you’ll sweat through 35 minutes of tempo work. A typical class includes half hills and half speed with most intervals ranging from three to six minutes! My favorite teachers are Jes Woods and Deborah Woods!

The Distance at Mile High Run Club 

I’ve professed my love of Mile High multiple times (full review here) but only recently did I begin taking their distance classes. The distance class is 60 minutes of running, and is therefore designed specifically for the advanced runner or athlete who is looking for a challenge. The 60 minute class isn’t for the feign of heart as it includes 50 minutes of non-stop running including hills and speed work. During the three classes I covered an average of 5.5 miles per class, which included race simulations, sprints and hill work. I highly recommend class with Luke or Michael who each teach a handful of distance classes per week. If you are new to Mile High or running, the Dash 28 class with Andia Wilson is also a great option!

Row House Full Body 45 at Row House Chelsea 

Rowing is a wonderful, low-impact workout which can supplement any workout plan. While I’ve taken classes at CityRow, Row House is the first rowing workout in NYC that truly reminded me of the rowing practices Bo and I sweat through in high school. The Full Body 45 class is a 45-minute class which includes a 5 minutes of rowing drills to warm-up, 15 minutes of rowing intervals and sprints, 5-10 minutes of strength work, another 15 minutes of rowing intervals and sprints, followed by a short cooldown. The class is perfect for people of all abilities as each person controls the speed or intensity at which they row. Scott and Hector are our favorite instructors as they are both great motivators while also kicking our butts! For those who need to sweat and then dash to work, the Row House Chelsea location includes a small, but nice locker room featuring two showers, blow dryers and toiletries where you can get ready for work or date night.

 

 

45 Minute Metrics at Peloton

We love when our schedules allow us to squeeze in a ride at Peloton before work as their classes are always challenging and they feature one of the nicest locker rooms for post workout showers! This month’s 6 AM class did not disappoint as the music was an awesome mix of throwback tunes and the class was packed! The Peloton classes are all streamed live so Peloton bike owners can follow along at home. This creates a different dynamic as the instructor is at times motivating and coaching the class while other times she’s giving props to the riders at home. Regardless, we both agreed that we’d return to this studio because the bikes were the best we’ve ridden on – smooth, easy to read computers and easily adjusted. The studio greets clients with complimentary spin shoes, water and towels which make things easy!

Prana Power Yoga in Brooklyn 

While I really like hot yoga and any studio that is walking distance from our apartment gets extra points, I just don’t love Prana Power Yoga. I’ve taken six classes here and have yet to have a teacher that I adore. In fact, two of the teachers never provided adjustments or walk around the class.  For me, Prana is the studio that I go to when I decide last minute that I want to squeeze in a yoga class. I took this class on a whim, one morning when I woke up early and couldn’t go back to sleep. Since the studio is less than 10 minutes from our apartment, I was able to roll out of bed at 5:45 and get there in time for the 6 AM class. Unfortunately, it didn’t start my day in the best way and I think I’ve all but broken up with Prana at this point. There are too many options within a mile of our apartment to keep going back there. The studio is clean, and doesn’t have that “hot, steamy, sweaty smell” that you get at some hot or Bikram yoga studios. There aren’t showers but they have two bathrooms which are large enough to do a quick wet wipe bath and change. They offer five to six classes per day so regardless the hour, there is probably a class that meets your schedule.

Barre3 West Village (2)

Rachel convinced me to join her for her favorite workout twice this month. This 60-minute barre workout promises to give you the length of a dancer and the strength of an athlete. After two classes with the studio manager and teacher extraordinaire, Dino Malvone, I have to say that I am a convert. The class consists of a yoga inspired warm-up, barre section then floor section.  I leave each class sweating and shaking as they do a great job of challenging my muscles more than the average class due to the extended time spent on the lower body and the time that each pose is held – especially those killer squats!

Gym Time at David Barton

I love that ClassPass provides you access to gyms as this is a great option for showers after outdoor runs. Theodora and I ran along the West Side Highway before work and the Limelight David Barton location is within blocks of her apartment. Talk about convenient! This full-service gym is located in a restored church which means there are multiple levels of weights, cardio and studios amidst windy staircases and stained glass windows. Their locker room, the feature I used this month, is huge and provides ample space to shower and get ready even during peak hours. They even supply flat irons, blow dryers, towels, shampoo and conditioner!

Fly 45 at Flywheel 

Historically, I’ve had a love hate relationship with Flywheel. I love that the studio provides water, spin shoes, towels and healthy snacks with the cost of every class. But, I have had one too many sub-par teachers who don’t inspire or push me during class. Luckily, last month, Bo discovered two teachers (Josh Arden and Johnny De Triquet) who merged challenging classes with awesome, upbeat playlists. Now that we’ve discovered these teachers, we’ll more than likely use our 3 classes per month allowance since they have 5:30 or  6 AM classes daily.

Your turn: If you’re a NYC local, what are your favorite studios? Where should I sweat next? 

This post is not compensated nor requested of me via CLASSPASS. While it does contain affiliate links, as a CLASSPASS affiliate, I only receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase a CLASSPASS membership.

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