You guys this was so much fun (and for the most part FREE)! While Elsa was home on break, we decided to check out some different workout facilities and then decided to write a blog about all of the details of each one and then choose our favorite.
The best part of this experience was that there is something for EVERYONE! Truly! There is really no excuse for not working out. Sorry! And we only had enough time to go to 4 different facilities - we are hoping to check out rock climbing and cross fit next time. And the other amazing part was that almost every one of them had a FREE trial (one of them was for 14 days FREE) so no commitment and no money!
So here is the breakdown of each one (all of them are nationwide as well)...
This was definitely my favorite! Your first session is free and then you can come back a second time for $12. My favorite part of this class was that it was a mix of cardio and weight training. The time flew by and I worked my butt off - why? Because I could see my heart rate and what zone I was in. And according to their science, you could continue to burn calories for 36 more hours AFTER your workout! Check out their science HERE.
I love boot camps so this was an easy one to like. The instructors were great and I really liked the variety of exercises. And for this free trial you get 14 days!!! What an amazing offer and they have complimentary childcare as well. It definitely has a community feel and they have a lot of ways to track your progress. They even have a blog with lots of articles, recipes, and inspiration. Check it out HERE.
Back in the day I used to go to cycling classes all of the time - I even owned my own pair of cycling shoes. But for some reason I have not added it back into my workout routine. Mainly because I prefer cardio and weight training as I get older LOL. But if you like to bike, this place is definitely for you! The facility is awesome and the music was amazing. They had welcome signs on our lockers and we didn't even need cycling shoes as they provide them for you. This was a free class and you could add on a few more classes for a minimal amount.
I have never been much of a kickboxing lover. Not sure why? Maybe I'm too uncoordinated. I know a lot of people who love these kind of classes and this place was awesome for kickboxing. And the best part? You get your own set of gloves! It was $19.99 for three classes and a free pair of legit boxing gloves! The instructors were amazing and I have to say that it did feel good to punch something - a definite stress relief!
So, if you haven't found what you love yet to make sure you are moving in 2020, there are a lot of options for every age, every shape, every level and absolutely no judgment. So no more excuses friends...Go For It! I PROMISE you it is FUN!!!! And if you just want to change up your workout routine for awhile, you can do some great stuff for FREE!
PS - And if you need some motivation, check out our latest blog post on our favorite leggings!
~Jen
I would definitely say mama llam and I had a productive and successful winter break! Not to take away from the amazing time I got with my whole family, but whenever kate, dad or emily was gone, it was just mom and I! And lemme tell ya, we made the most of our time together!
Apart from all of the other wonderful events we did over break, mama llam and I decided to try a bunch of different workouts! Well, it was only 4 but trust me, it felt like a bunch!!
My favorite: kickboxing!!!!
My least favorite: cycling (never again... NEVER again)
Let me take you through all of the experiences!! But first I do want to say, every single one of the different workouts we tried were incredible workouts! Obviously they are focused around different activities and muscles in your body, but they all made us sweat, that’s for sure!
Alright so the hype is most definitely real with orange theory! Mama llam and I went through pretty physically challenging, but doable, exercises that worked our body well! There are floor exercises, so workouts with materials and weights, and then there is the running exercises, on a treadmill! We went to 2 classes: the first class instructor made us do a couple minutes on the floor and then a couple minutes on the treadmill, switching back and forth the whole time! The second time we went with a different instructor, he made us do a full half on the floor and a full half on the treadmill. I personally liked when we were switching off because I hate running and didn’t want to do it for that long anyway! The floor exercises were pretty simple and worked our bodies well. Along with the running, super simple and you were in control of how fast you were going and how much you wanted to push yourself! Orange theory was definitely an amazing workout that I would love to do every day! Highly HIGHLY recommend!!
MY FAVORITE WOW!! I really just got all of my feelings out on that punching bag, it was
A M A Z I N G!! Mama llam and I signed up for a 3 time package, but I was lucky enough to go 4 times and I loved every single time! You start off with a “warm up” for about 15 minutes! Now, I put warm up in quotes because we were doing WAY more than a warm up! We did burpees, push ups, abs, squats, lunges, literally every exercise in our warm up!!! It wasn’t my favorite part but it definitely got the body moving! Then, you do 5 rounds of different punches, “routines”, sets for every single round! It was so so cool! It takes a while to get the hang of it because it is a little odd repeatedly punching a bag for the first time, but once you do it’s SO FUN!! After you get all of your anger and feelings out on the bag for the 5 rounds, you go into a speed round! Basically the instructor picks any type of exercise and you do it nonstop for a minute; definitely way harder than it sounds! After that, the last 15 minutes is partner work, working on speed of punches! I enjoyed every single minute of those classes! If you can, try a kickboxing class!!!
Okay, this was amazing! These classes are 45 minutes long and work on strength and cardio! Every class I went to (4) was different! You work on arms, legs, cardio, everything!! Usually, you switch off activities with a partner the whole time, pushing each other to be successful! There are different stations and a different amount of rounds each time, but the class is a grind! The instructor pushes you, everyone encourages you and you’re just hustling your way through the class! My ultimate favorite part of these classes were the instructors! I had the same one for 3 classes and a different one for the other class! They were so wonderful and sweet and encouraging and made sure everyone was doing everything right to achieve their goals! The atmosphere is so positive and motivating! Some would say this is an average workout class, but trust me, it definitely hits different!
I literally don’t even want to talk about this oh my word! Ya know, I’ve always thought SoulCycle would be amazing and I would love it, well I was wrong! My mom and I didn’t go to SoulCycle but we went to something similar and I wanted to die! We got on our bikes and that’s all we did, BIKE!!! And of course I knew that was what I was getting myself into, but I didn’t know how boring it would be (for myself, this is my opinion!!) although we did different levels on the bikes, it was the same every time! Maybe it’s because I don’t like cardio I DONT KNOW! But it was definitely not my thing! I like to switch it up and be moving around and lemme tell ya, that was not it! We did grab a 4-6lb bar and do arm workouts with it, but that didn’t do it for me. So if you want a great cardio exercise and can “sit” in the same place for an hour, take a cycling class!
Trying out these different workout classes was seriously one of the highlights of my break! Since I don’t play soccer and basketball anymore I have to make my own workouts at the gym and it #sucksbooty!! I got so bored and I didn’t feel like I was seeing results! I definitely believe I need someone else to tell me what to do so I can stay motivated and keep grinding throughout classes!! Ugh, I miss the kickboxing classes already, but do not worry, I’ll definitely be back this summer!
~Elsa