The
program
First isn’t a gym or class but rather is an
online concierge to help you look classes at over 40 boutique exercise studios
in both New York and L.A. (and it will be expanding to other major U.S.
cities). Create an account for three, and purchase a flexible membership for
admittance to the best yoga, Pilates, spinning, and boot-camp studios – all
accessible with one click on FITiST’s streamlined sign-up system.
Fitist.com
Editor’s
take
Bored by (and often skipping) the
elliptical at my gym, I challenge myself to the FITiST Slim Plan, consisting of
a mix of 18 class credits, from yoga to Krav Maga, that expire in just a month.
The site couldn’t be easier to navigate, and scheduling is a cinch – no need to
register at individual studios. Though the plan isn’t cheap, averaging about
$27 per class, it’s actually a deal; booked individually through each studio;
classes would be upward of $40 per session.
Results
The yoga classes are great, and I fall in
love with a butt-kicking barre-Pilates hybrid studio, SLT. My newfound
appreciation for group fitness even inspires me to try out the classes at my
gym. Unfortunately the spin classes that fit my schedule fill up in seconds,
and I only use one performance-class credit (turns out I’m more om than
hi-yah!). FITiST fulfilled its promise of easy access to awesome studios, but
next time I’ll consider flex classes instead of a predetermined plan.
Intensity
Crossfit
The
program
This hard-core workout focuses on strength
training through varying “Workouts of the Day”. Whether it’s flipping tires,
jumping rope, or swinging kettlebells, CrossFit is a military-style,
high-intensity, push-till-you-puke routine that’s developed a huge following
nationwide and even has competitions. About $200 per month gets you unlimited
access to classes with CrossFit trainers.
Crossfit.com
Editor’s
take
On my walk to work, I noticed hordes of
Brad Pitt-in-Fight Club-type hotties pouring out of a CrossFit gym. That’s all
the motivation I needed to sign up. It look me a solid four months to get comfortable
doing the Workout of the Day (I accidentally sledgehammered my knee doing a
move incorrectly), but as the weeks went on I got stronger and faster. Although
the classes are competitive, there also is a huge sense of community – and
plenty of eye candy.
Results
The workouts are extremely tough (I still
get nauseated), but empowering. Although I didn’t drop weight, CrossFit totally
changed my body in only a few months. I finally have great abs, a nice butt,
and defined arms – but don’t resemble a bodybuilder. I go twice a week for an
hour-long class and focus now on increasing the number of reps I do, not upping
the weight. There’s nothing glamorous about CrossFit, but it gets the job done
better than anything I’ve tried before.
Intensity
Trancy Anderson method
The
program
The Tracy Anderson body-teeny tiny but
strong – isn’t built on shortcuts. Hard-core followers commit to two hours a
day, six days a week. Sessions combine at least 60 minutes of conditioning
exercises and signature Tracy Anderson choreography, designed to avoid
repetitive motion. New moves are introduced every 10 days to keep muscles
engaged.
Tracyandersonmethod.com
Editor’s
take
At the Los Angeles studio, my measurements
are taken and I discuss fitness goals with a trainer. I’m looking to streamline
my lower body, a challenge no prior regimen has met. In addition to cardio
classes, I’m prescribed high reps of mat work and lengthening exercises on a
Pilates-like reformer to target my hips, butt, and thighs. During cardio classes,
I alternate between jumping around and checking the clock, but as my waist
starts to shrink, my altention span quickly grows.
Results
By weeks four, the Tracy Anderson Method
feels less like a time suck and more like something to look forward to. (Nicole
Richie, a fellow TAM-er, now nods hello when she sees me.) At week two, I
noticed a flatter stomach. And now I can finally change the watercooler jug
without breaking a sweat. My day job keeps me from logging as many studio hours
as I’d like, but even so, I swear my lower body looks tighter and more toned.
Intensity
True Pilates New York
The
program
There are many riffs on Pilates (Yogalates,
Fusion Pilates, etc.), but the most authentic experience can be found at
studios like True Pilates New York that teach the original method devised by
Joseph Pilates in the 1930s and ‘40s. The emphasis is on exercises performed on
apparatuses, such as the Reformer or Electric Chair, which provide resistance
via pulleys and springs to deliver simultaneous strengthening and stretching.
Truepilatesny.com
Editor’s
take
Joseph Pilates once pledged that “in 10
sessions, you’ll feel the difference. In 20, you’ll see the difference. And in
30, you’ll have a whole new body”. I put it to the test with 30 one-hour private
classes at True Pilates (Mr. Pilates’ original studio) over 10 weeks. After
spending the first few sessions flummoxed by such instructions as “Get out of
your shoulders”, I was soon using muscles I didn’t know I had. Pilates is about
small, precise movements, so as a clumsy, slapdash person, I loved how it
forced me to be patient and focus.
Results
In the same way that learning Latin helps
with understanding other languages, Pilates gave my body a working vocabulary
that has been useful in other areas of my life. I didn’t lose any weight, and
no, I don’t have a brand-new body, but I do have a better one – my posture and
coordination have improved, I feed more nimble and energized, and that niggling
lower-back pain I used to get from hunching over my computer is blessedly gone.
Intensity
