Day 27: 30 Day ClassPass Challenge

I Heart Fitness Xo 

11440 Ventura Blvd, ste, 107, Los Angeles, CA 91604 

Reformer Side

Spring Board side

I was very curious about what I Heart Fitness XO was all about. It is a very broad name for a fitness place, no? It could very literally mean anything! But then I found out...Half Reformer, Half Barre class you say? Has there ever been a more perfect pairing? 

Side note- it's not actually a lot of barre. When you are on the floor, you are using the springboard for most of your moves. The springboard adds a crazy amount of resistance. It's much more difficult than using handweights.

Carly was my instructor today and she looks like if Malibu Barbie had long perfectly flowing red hair. And of course, it's her natural color. So jeal. She's super sweet and a very understanding instructor. I have taken class for Carly a couple of times and the one vice I have with Carly's class is that she doesn't typically use the reformer machine as much as the other instructors. Today was no exception. We spent a good 40 minutes on the floor. Because I really love reformers pilates, I wish that we used them more- but others may like the floor better so that is just a personal preference. 

My friend, Alexis, whom I was a video vixen with (holla Dierks Bentley!) took class with me today. She posts lots of photos on instragram of her perfect bod so if this class works for her than it should work for almost everyone.

I need to note that I took the "Basic" level class today. They also have an "Open" class which is the more advanced class. I always try to take the open class, but needed to get into an earlier spot today. Therefore I must judge today's class based on the fact that it was supposed to be easier. I can't let myself forget that! 

Typically, you begin class with a deep leg stretch on the reformer. It felt pretty swell. Carly then instructed us to move to the springboards. We did a lot of yoga moves today! Lot's of downdogs and "yogi abs". We also used the springboard for most of our arm work. It doesn't take long for you to start feeling your triceps burning. Carly said that triceps are the only muscle you can work till exhaustion and they will still function. So, we worked them till exhaustion, of course.

Xo loves mountain climbers. Expect to insert mountain climbers throughout the entire class to keep the heart rate up. Holding planks are also a favorite!

We then moved to the reformer and did more arms! We stood on the back of the reformer and worked triceps and back yet again by using the arm handles. Carly let us know that we could use the hand weights if it got to be too much. They usually give different options for you here. But I am here to work, so let's do this! As I write this review, my upper back between my shoulder blades is QUITE sore. 

I love the variety that i heart fitness offers. No class will ever be the same. The instructors teaching styles also vary quite a lot. Some other barre classes can get monotonous so it's refreshing to know that you will never get the same workout twice. I like that you get a little bit of everything here- barre, reformer, and spring broad and it's sure to whip you into shape. 

Day 13: 30 Day ClassPass Challenge

CARDIO BARRE  (advanced)

12350 Riverside Dr, Los Angeles, CA 91607 

Cardio Barre, you were my first love affair with all things barre. This was the very first class I ever tried when I moved to Los Angeles. I was immediatly hooked. I was so enchanted that even after that first Groupon was used up, I bought class packages. That's really a measure of how much I actually liked it. Them classes ain't cheap, yo! 

I have taken classes at both the Studio City and Hollywood locations and both are excellent. They have many of the same instructors. I love Adair, my instructor today. I actually always use my 3 x's a month on her classes soley. She's always peppy, but she's tough. I find I sweat more in her classes. She doesn't give a lot of breaks, and today she gave none. But I love a good challenge. She also has the best music selection. I am not sure who does Cardio Barre's mixes but they are sooooo catchy. They are always up to date on current mixes too. I would love to get a copy because then I might actually have the motivation to go "for a run" at some point. The only thing that could get me to go for a casual run is bad ass music. 

Outside of the Studio City location 

A very important thing that sets Cardio Barre apart from other barre classes is in the name itself. There is cardio. A lot of it! Sometimes in other barre classes, I barely break a sweat. I typically leave cardio barre with a wet shirt and a soaked hairline. But you also get the toning aspects of it. To me, it's the best of both worlds.  

I also love that they use so many dance terms! I come from a dance background, and I really do feel like I get somewhat of ballet barre workout. Whereas other barre classes sprinkle the actual dance terms in, in cardio barre, it's best to have a dance background of some degree. They will be calling out Arabesque, Attitude, Frappe, Tendu, Coupe- just to name a few. No worries though, if you don't have your ballet dictionary handy you can follow the crowd. My first class at Cardio Barre, years ago, was an advanced class and I was able to keep up just fine after years away from dance.  

Warm up on Releve

One thing that is crazy impressive to me, I always recognize the same faces. Even after years and years of attending, the same women are still there taking class every day. It's difficult to hold an Angelinos fitness attention span for a long period of time, so the fact that these women keep coming back year after year are a testiment that it must work. I was talking to the woman across from me at the barre, and obviously speaking about my love of ClassPass - and she was intrigued. I always see this woman here. But the other woman who was beside me was like "I ONLY TAKE CARDIO BARRE. PERIOD. EVER." It has it's fans. Clearly.

Battement

The lone man  

The room is carpetted which is a little weird. Most barre studios have wood. Also unlike other barre classes, you do not need grippy socks. You do however, need to bring your own towel for the floor exercises. I know what you are thinking- the carpet doesn't smell wonky. Thankfully.  

Bring a towel for the floor

You spend a majority of the class on your feet doing dancery things and sweating but the last 10 minutes will be spent on the floor doing your ab's and some butt tonight. Thanks girl in the blue getup in front of me for a great demonstration! 

There are some fans of cardio barre that get a little annoyed with their policies. For one, they only offer deals to new clients only. This is why I hadn't taken in years, it got too expensive. While other studios will sometimes offer deals at Christmas time, or every 6 months, this place never does it. Kind of blows. Be kind to your loyal customers Cardio Barre! Also, the routine hasn't changed much in 3 years. I could have taken this very same workout years ago. It's difficult, but there are very minor adjustments to the general class.

Despite all this, I still love Cardio Barre, and will continue to come here. The workout flies by and it makes me feel a little creative too. Check it out to get back to your dancer roots! 

Day 1: 30 day ClassPass Challenge

The ClassPass app is incredible. I am super addicted to it. I scroll through it like it's a Facebook feed of only the people I care about. You can type in the area you want to search with distance perimeters, types of classes, and times. You scroll until you find a class that really gets your goat.   Some of the more popular classes (such as reformer classes where there a limited amount of spots) fill up more quickly so you have to become a bit of planner with smaller classes.  However, if you want to take a Cardio Barre class for example, I have literally signed up while I was at the studio already and poof I am in the class.  

View fullsize

So easy and pretty. 

I typically like to take classes in Studio City because that is where I live but I'm always zipping around town for auditons.  If I have an audition and I am feeling ambitious, I take work-out gear along and search for a class around that area.  I love having the ability to take class when or wherever I happen to be at that very moment, any time of the day.  It could be an indecisive's person worst nightmare though, because there are literally so many options.  

I had an audition today at noon and I had to wash my hair before.  Therefore, I knew that I needed to take a class early in the day because it will be a cold day in hell before I wash my hair twice a day. I looked at the handy app and decided 8 am would be a time where I could still actually drag myself out of bed and just enough time to bathe afterwards.

I chose to take CorePower Yoga Sculpt.  I tried a new studio that I had not visited before.  I went to the Studio City location, I've only been to the Sherman Oaks spot.  Like most Core Power studios, it was super clean, posh, and beautiful.  It also has really lovely natural light that comes in through the patio windows.   The negatives? Parking is absolutely terrible.  You either have to park at a meter or park in the underground structure which charges $1.50 every 20 minutes.  The meters did not start until 8, which means you cannot put money in them until the clock strikes 8 am which means I would be late for class.  I REFUSE to pay 4 bucks to park for an hour so I found street parking like 6 blocks away and hauled ass to class.  I'm very Los Angeles now, so parking even two blocks seems ridiculous to me even though I could count the "walk time" as part of my workout.   So I feel like I got extra points today for my efforts. 

Core Power Sculpt is no joke.  It's really hard, y'all.  When I go toCorePower I like to take the Level 2 or Fusion classes.  I like the fusion classes because when I am super hot after the first half hour I can just lay there and sweat and sweat and it still feels like I did something.  But sculpt is like half yoga class, half bootcamp class, in 102 degree temperature.  Our teacher today (I forgot her name, I will need to get better at this) was really into squats.  I must have did 100 squats.  It was not fun.   I liked this teacher yogi lady though.  CorePower is sometimes hit or miss for me with their teachers.  Sometimes they can be rather cookie cutter, and classes can get monotonus but this gal today really seemed to vary up the routine.  She also gave a lot of individual attention, there were only 6 people in my class.  By the way, this is the smallest class size I have ever had a CorePower, they tend to pack them in.  Sometimes I am sweating and touching the sweaty person next to me, which is generally less than ideal.  She also gave me a little back massage when I was stretching.  That was neat.  

In the end, I rated my class 5 stars.  Parking is a nightmare but the class was excellent and the studio is fancy and I feel very rich when I take class there.