Two Workouts to Try in 2022
Whenever people ask about motivation, I always have the same response: Find something you enjoy. Then it’s easy to stay motivated! This will make all the difference in your ability to meet your fitness goals.
I pick workouts that I actually like. Recently, I was in the hospital for two weeks with my son. Of course, the list of things that I couldn’t wait to do when I left the hospital was pretty big (number 1 being running around with my little guy at home). But also on that list were a few of my favorite workouts. I swear! I was envisioning dancing my butt off in Kristin Boquist’s Cardio Party class at Lifetime, or taking a restorative yoga class with my friend, Lisa Werny, at Evolve Yoga and Beyond. I feel fortunate that I found these workouts that I love so much. That is why I always encourage people to try new things. While I am adventurous and really down to try anything, I was definitely nervous for my first Cardio Party class. I’m not at all a dancer, so never in a million years would I have imagined that this class would be one of my all time favorites. And up until about a year ago, I had never really done yoga. I had tried a class once in my early 30’s but hated the fact that I couldn’t balance so I never took another yoga class until recently. I tell you all of this to encourage you to keep trying new things. You may surprise yourself.
So for the new year, I am introducing two new workouts that I thoroughly enjoy and plan to do more of in 2022.
For an in-person studio option on the Main Line, Hot Body Sculpt at LVX Fitness in Bryn Mawr is on the tippy top of my list. LVX Fitness is a boutique gym. Owner, Jessica Berger (who started bodybuilding in her 40’s), opened her small, private gym with the goal for all members, no matter the age, sex or size, to reach their full potential. Inside the gym, which used to be the home to Flywheel, there is a studio for small group fitness classes. This past summer, while Jess was out in LA, she took a hot sculpt class. During that same trip, she bought the fabric bands to bring back to her studio and began to test out the class when she returned to Philly later that week. I got to be there for some of her test classes, and I knew right away that Hot Body Sculpt was going to be a hit.
What is Hot Body Sculpt: Hot Body Sculpt takes place in a room that gets up to 100 degrees Fahrenheit, with added humidity. Using small hand weights, wearable weights and resistance bands, Jess takes the class through each muscle group, starting with the booty, moving onto the legs and arms and finishing with the core.
The class is 60 minutes and ends with a restorative Shavasana and a cool, scented towel. Kinda like being at a spa, but more bad ass.
Why I love this class: I wasn’t always into the hot classes but there really is something so invigorating about sweating it all out. Especially during the cold winter months. Yes, it makes each move more intense but that’s kinda the point. It’s satisfying (and gross) to ring out my sweaty headband after class. There is nothing like Hot Body Sculpt out here on the Main Line. Yes, there is hot yoga. Yes, there are sculpting classes. But there is nothing that combines the two. I find the class to be super effective. Hot classes burn more calories which result in more weight loss. They increase flexibility and provide detoxification, which we could all use in January!
What you need: Obviously, come ready to sweat. Do not forget to bring lots of water to drink during and after class. You can bring your own yoga mat, towel, weights and bands, if you prefer. But the studio has all of these things available for you to use.
How to try a class: You can take Hot Body Sculpt (or any of the other offerings) at LVX Fitness for $25 a class if you are not a member to the gym. Gym members only pay $10. If you fall in love with this class like I did, you can purchase a 10-class pack for $199. Sign up at https://lvxfitness.com. And don’t forget to tell Jess that I sent you!
My other favorite class right now is a virtual option, unless you live in Southern California and can visit Nikki Carlson’s gorgeous studio for Hype & Tone classes live… in which case, I am pretty jealous. For the rest of us, you can chose from a large on-demand video library (she records nearly every class she teaches) or take a live class via Zoom 6 days a week.
The Hype & Tone Whole Body Method was created by Nikki Carlson who brought her experience as a dancer and a yoga and barre instructor to create her own workout. This workout is music driven and combines cardio and flowy, sculpting movements. The Whole Body Method uses “various techniques of HIIT, Pilates and Nikki’s signature mindful movements- set to the beat of kick ass music.”
What is Hype & Tone: Hype & Tone is a 60 minute class that is broken into 2 sections. The first 30 minutes of class combines cardio driven movements with weights. The second half of class includes slower, intentional movements on the mat for the ultimate sculpting experience.
Why I love this class: I was originally drawn to this workout, which I stumbled upon on Instagram, because of the music. The movements go with the beats and definitely motivate me. I also love this class because it uses a bunch of equipment that I have at home but would otherwise have no clue what to do with. I love how Nikki combines several movements into a single exercise for that full body burn.
What you need: Ok, so there is a lot of equipment but nothing too crazy and those Bala products are so darn pretty. Nikki loads up the ankles with 2 pound wearable weights and sometimes adds one pound to the feet when doing floor work. She uses 2 and 5 pound hand weights while also wearing 1 pound wrist weights. She uses the Bala Power Ring, which I recently bought and absolutely love working with in Nikki’s class. She also uses loop bands and resistance bands, sliders, a Pilates ball, a step stool and a mat. Some variation of most of these pieces would be part of any home gym and don’t cost a lot. The step stool Nikki recommends is $10 and the ball is $5. While the Bala products are pricey, there are other brands out there that do the same thing. (I recently found some great options at Target in the $5 section). Nikki sells everything you need on her site, as well. I purchased the resistance band pack from her to be sure I was using the same resistance as the two color bands that she uses. And those bands are so important because they target small muscles that you cannot reach with other equipment. Nikki is giving my readers 15% off of these bands on her site with the code NEWYEAR.
Each on demand class description lists the equipment that you need for that particular class.
I put all of these items on my LTK page, as well. But don’t go nuts. You can always modify with what you have (i.e., two hand towels do the job of floor sliders; you can use hand weights instead of the Bala Power Ring).
How to Try a Class:
Guys, Nikki is doing a FREE LIVE class for my readers on Monday, January 3 at 9:00 am EST!!! The Zoom ID is 834 688 8363 (or click the link found at the bottom of this hyperlinked page). Log in 10 minutes before class and Nikki will explain a little bit about her Whole Body Method and the equipment for us!
If you can’t make my FREE LIVE class on Monday, there are a few other ways for you to take Hype & Tone. Nikki will sometimes post a free class on her website. She recently posted her two holiday classes there. You can also subscribe and enjoy 7 days of free classes. That includes both the on-demand library and the LIVE classes. I should mention that the on-demand classes are really good quality and very easy to view and hear. If you plan to take a LIVE class, you must notify Nikki at least 10 minutes prior to class so she can let you into the class. The Zoom info is always listed on her website, under the “studio schedule” heading here. Most weeks, she teaches in her studio M, W, F at 6 am PT so it’s a nice time for me to join at 9 am on the East Coast. She also teaches T, Th and Sat at 8:30 PT. Nikki offers a $29 monthly subscription or $280 annual subscription. You can also just drop into a LIVE class for $10. And because this is Nikki’s unique method, she teaches all of the classes.
So, I hope you can join me on Monday to check out this class that I have been enjoying so much recently. A new workout can be as exciting as a new pair of sneakers, so put one of these on for 2022! And, if you give Hot Body Sculpt or Hype & Tone a try, I’d love to hear what you think.
