Raise your hand if you’ve ever been personally victimized by how mind numbingly boring it is to run on a treadmill. Same. I may be a little biased as an instructor, but I think we can all agree that group fitness is where it’s at in 2018 – and that’s not changing anytime soon. The concept of group fitness is not a new one, so why is it all the rage as of late? One word: connection.
In the current world we live in as young adults, social media makes us feel like we are constantly connected when really, we’re quite the opposite. We stare at our phones all day and feel like we know what’s going on but are we ever really IN it? Are we ever really forming and maintaining valuable connections? I think not. Group fitness classes give people an outlet. A way to connect with others even if it’s just a smile to the girl next to you in class. I’m such a believer that people who come to classes are there for much more than just a workout, which is why I don’t think things like Peloton or Mirror (although this one is pretty crazy) will ever really be a threat to the industry.
I spent this past weekend at the Michelob Ultra Fit Fest in Scottsdale and the weekend really drove home this importance of connection and what it means to our generation. The festival was attended by some of the country’s top trainers and hundreds of bloggers and influencers. The latter was convenient because you could count on pretty much anyone to get a good Instagram photo for you, butttt that’s not the point. I attended alongside Eliza of Kick It By Eliza, & between the two of us and Kick It Instructor Lily, we made it to a variety of classes with some of Instagram’s finest.
My personal favorite (aside from Kick It), and in my opinion one of the hottest workouts out there, was Vixen. I’ll admit, even with a background in dance this hard-hitting hip-hop dance workout was intimidating for me to walk into! I got there just as class was starting so the only spot left was right in the front row…just my luck. However, Vixen founder Janet Jones was leading the class and when I walked in she was asking everyone to raise their hands if they think they can’t dance. Naturally, 99% of hands in the room went up. She went on to talk about how everyone can dance and we are all born with a light inside of us that most of us either stifle, or haven’t found yet. As soon as the loud hip hop beats came on, I believed her. And I had the BEST time. Janet and her Vixen Army have an undeniable energy and, more importantly, authenticity that literally left the room complaining when Janet said we had reached the cool down. I was dripping sweat, my face hurt from smiling, and I had some brand-new moves for the bar later that night – win, win, win.
Janet and Eliza led a fireside chat later that day centered mainly around that authenticity and connection that people crave. They talked about how the most successful classes are the ones where the instructor realizes that it’s not about them, it’s about you – the people in the class. It’s about being a real human and making sure every person leaves class feeling SOMETHING. Vixen is based in Miami but has instructors worldwide, with a pop-up studio in NYC. You have GOT to check it out. If you don’t live near these places, keep an eye out for dance based workouts near you.
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Its MONDAY!! Let’s get that 💵💵💵 #dinero #vixenarmy #vixenworkout #dancefitness
Lily attended a class by Megan Roup, founder of The Sculpt Society – a dance cardio & lightweight toning workout. The things that Lily liked about this class were similar to what I appreciated about Vixen. The class is made up of everything you could ask for – loud music, intense cardio, and toning of several muscle groups. The first thing Lily mentioned when I saw her after class was how genuine Megan is. In her own words, Lily was “big time sweaty” and was all sorts of sore the next day. Megan teaches at Project by Equinox & Studio B in Manhattan – it’s another must-try.
We capped off the day with an over capacity room for Kick It By Eliza. The connection level in this class is unparalleled by any other class I’ve ever taken. I’ve been teaching this class for about 3 years now, but it’s always a test when you teach to a room full of people who have never taken the class before. Halfway through class they are asked to partner up, and the fear in their eyes is immediate. By the end, they know their partner’s name and are cheering each other on. I’ve seen countless instances of people exchanging numbers after class and making plans to come back together. THIS is what our generation wants and needs. Kick It is based in Boston but has bad ass instructors in several other cities, including NYC!
So if we strip away all of the “#fitness” posts on Instagram, what are we really looking at? If you leave the studio without a sweaty selfie, are you leaving empty handed? I encourage you to find workouts that make the answer to that question a resounding “no.” I can’t tell you what classes work best for you, but I can tell you that connection and authenticity are EVERYTHING right now, and what we should all be going for on top of the sweat. Find workouts and instructors that feel real and that leave you feeling like you got something out of them mentally as well as physically. I’m a big believer that if we aren’t working out our minds and hearts, we aren’t really winning. Look for people and classes that bring out the light in you because trust me, you can dance.
P.S. – I was around Shawn Booth a good amount this weekend and he’s a gem. I took his class and to be honest it wasn’t my favorite, but he’s hot and famous so he certainly has that going for him. I really wanted to ask about Kaitlyn but never got drunk enough to get the courage…probably because Michelob is like, 99% water.
