FlyBarre Review!

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Hey everyone! I just wrote an entire blog post and it disappeared, yes it disappeared. Ugh. I hit publish and poof - it vanished. Anyway, here's my attempt at the re-write!

How was your Memorial Day Weekend? Wherever you were and whomever you were with, I hope it was relaxing, carefree, fun and spent with friends and family. My weekend was sooo relaxing and much needed after a few very busy weeks and vacation. Isn't it strange how we sometimes need a vacation from a vacation?

Moving on, last week I was asked to check out Flybarre at Flywheel inside the Pru. I've actually never been to a Barre class even though I have a handful of friends that rave about it. I was skeptical at first because my preferred form of exercise consists of hitting heavy bags, lifting weights, and running. That being said, I always love to try a new workout and like I said, I've heard great things about barre!

Rachael and I arrived at the Thursday night "POWER 45" class taught by Ashley W. I was pumped to have Rachael join me. Side note: Ever since we started going to NBGNO last year, my girlfriends and I have been having more "fitness dates". A lot of times, we still get apps & drinks after class, but, it's still so great to get in a good sweat beforehand!

First things first, Ashley introduced herself to every single person in class. I thought this was a really nice touch and also important to figure out who might be a beginner or potentially injured/prone to injury. Class got going and there were no breaks... hence "power 45". We kicked off with a quick warmup of pushups and some dynamic stretching. After that, we moved right into each muscle group. I was surprised and happy to learn that the little 1-3 lb weights were only really used for the upper body portion of the class. Everything else either utilized our own body weight or the bar and a band.

My favorite portions of the class included the glute or "seat" as they call it and the ab/core section. All the pulsing and concentrated movements for the 'seat' really made my tush burn baby burn! The ab/core section utilized the band on the bar and was really fun! Not surprisingly, the toughest portion of the class was SHOULDERS! Man, those little 2lb weights really challenged my biggish/muscular arms. Working the stabilizing muscles is no joke!  During this portion - I really had to focus and tell myself to ignore the burn in my shoulders. I actually broke out into a serious sweat - haha!

Throughout the class, Ashley moved from the front to the back of the room to ensure that everyone could see what she was doing. She also paid careful attention to everyone's form and made adjustments to us, when needed. The concentrated movements of Barre require proper form and posture in order to get the true benefit from the movement. Ashley did a great job!

All in all, I really liked the class and would definitely go back! It's extremely important to work all the stabilizing muscles and I left feeling a little bit 'leaner', if that makes any sense. I am looking forward to going back to the studio not only for another FlyBarre class, but, to also FINALLY try FlyWheel!! It's supposed to be amazing.

I hope you all have a great week! Here are my QUESTIONS for the day:

1. Have you ever tried FlyBarre?
2. Do you take Barre consistently, what improvements have you seen from it?
3. What is your favorite type of workout class?
4. Do you go on fitness dates with your friends?

xo

PS: I was lucky enough to guest post on Burpees to Bubbly while Monique is in Italy! Today, I wrote about tips & tricks for healthy entertaining with a Mother's Day recap. Check it out!

Mental Toughness

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Mental toughness is a phrase that is said a lot in my boxing gym. The trainers typically say it when they are having us hold a squat or during a 4-6 minute round of repetitive body weight moves. It's a common phrase, and an important one. Today, I got to thinking about this phrase and what it means to me. How do I define mental toughness when it comes to health and fitness? 

We all have our mantras. Mine is typically "you can do this". It's not an uncommon phrase, however, simple as it is - it works for me. It took me a long time to have more confidence in my physical strength and fitness level. I was not at all the star athlete growing up, however, as I got older and started working harder... I realized that strength and athleticism can be dramatically improved with determination and hard work. I realized that, if I worked hard, I could do it.

Today, our trainer at PWG challenged us to a plank contest. I said to myself "You can do this". When I was holding the plank, my mantra was "All Day. You can do this All Day". It worked and I won the contest. Yay! BUT, telling you I won isn't my point. These mental mantras that result in mental toughness not only help us get through the plank, the lift, the run -- they help us daily. These amazing things we learn in the gym, on the pavement, on the ice, on the court, in the pool - challenging our physical selves is making us stronger in our daily lives. The fact that we can take what we've learned from physical hard work and improve what we do in our daily lives, is priceless. Hard work in the gym breeds hard work professionally. Mental toughness on a run breeds mental toughness when the going gets rough. It all correlates and it's awesome.

Questions: WHAT IS YOUR WORKOUT MANTRA? 
WHAT DOES "MENTALLY TOUGH" MEAN TO YOU?

Hope you all have a great week! xo
 

New Balance, Kate Spade, Barry's and more!

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Hey guys! Happy Thursday night! Everyone having a good week so far? Tomorrow is FRIDAY - whoo!
Last night, I met up with some of my favorite Boston fit bloggers to break in our new New Balance x Kate Spade Saturday sneakers at a complimentary Barry's Boot Camp class! Athena, Caroline, Sarah and I were able to pick a date that we could all attend and I'm so excited that it worked out. 

Can you handle how friggin' cute these sneakers are? And honestly? I LOVE mine so much (the yellow ones). They remind me a little bit of the fresh foams, which, if you follow me on insta - you know that I LIVE in. I'd say these are a bit sturdier than fresh foams so I can use these running whereas the fresh foams I only use at boxing classes.

So, Kate Spade Saturday and New Balance are working together on this very adorable capsule collection, BUT, the good news is that these versions will be available In non- Kate-spade colors long after these sell out. Caroline and I are in the WX711's and Athena is in the WX811's. 

Let's cut over to class and get back to the awesome sneaks in a bit...

This is my lame attempt at taking a photo of us in the mirror - fail. Anyway, guys - the last time I was at Barry's it was HARD, but, this time it was REALLY FRIGGIN' HARD. The last time I went was for a charity event so I'm assuming that they might have taken it a teeny tiny bit easier on us. Last night, no sir, no sireee! We started with a 12 minute TABATA style workout with weights and then 12 mins on the treadmill then repeat, repeat. Wow. It was awesome. I must admit that the treadmill portion was the toughest part for me. Running on a 12 incline? Woof. Running backwards and side shuffling on the treadmill? Ask the gals - that was HILARIOUS. I almost ate it. I held on most of the time during that part - boy that must take some getting used to! The weights portion was tough, but, we do a lot of that stuff at PWG so I was able to hold my own and felt really strong during push-ups, burpees, chest, abs, and back. What felt awful for some reason? Holding a lunge and doing a back row. For some reason, I was shaking and my IT band was really acting up. The back row part was fine though. Weird. Must have been from that damn treadmill.

So, why am I giving you the play by play? First, I really enjoyed Barry's and I want to give a proper description of the class. Second, it's important to keep in mind that you can always push yourself harder and faster. You can always find new exercises that are challenging, no matter what kind of shape you are in. My classes at PWG are still the hardest thing I've done and the first week at PWG was the sorest week of my life, but, Barry's is just as hard, just in a different way. I REALLY liked it. Plus, the staff is incredible. Our instructor, Chad, was so hilarious, I was cackling during a few of the moves which made it so fun!

Back to the sneakers... (Do you guys watch "The Affair"? I feel like I'm writing this blog post the way the show goes back and forth between Alison and Noah. Anyway, if you don't watch it - it's SO GOOD). MOVING ON... So the two versions are a little different. Here's a quick description of both:

811 Inspired by Kinesiology taping techniques and the aesthetic it creates, the 811 provides bonded lightweight, strategically-positioned support for athletes. The versatile shoe can take women from studio and circuit training to cardio workouts without sacrificing style. The full CUSH+ midsole provides lightweight cushioning, and Fantom Tape technology enhances the mesh upper to deliver dynamic support to move with the foot. 

711 The WX711 features Cush+ technology, providing one of the softest midsole foams offered by New Balance designed to comfortably take you through your whole workout, whether in the gym or the studio. But its extra softness doesn’t mean sacrificing durability. Cush+ is responsive, offering extra bounce to help keep you moving. Forefoot flex grooves enhance flexibility, enabling you to move freely, while a minimal upper construction provides a contoured fit.

The 811's are Sooooo stylish and cute. I feel like I would wear them to the gym and definitely out and about in the city. The 711's are still super cute, but, they feel more like a gym shoe than a street shoe. Either way, they can both be worn either way and still look stylish and most importantly - Springy! I love wearing bright yellow shoes -- screw you snow!

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Back to the class! Of course, we didn't take a 'before' pic, but, who needs that anyway. Here we all are sweaty, energized and feeling great after class!

These girls are amazing and I feel so lucky to be part of such a great Boston-Fitness-Blogger-Community. They are supportive, fun, and just all around really good people. Also, I want to send a HUGE THANK YOU out to New Balance, Kate Spade Saturday, and Barry's Boot Camp Boston for making this all happen. You are all the best!

I hope you all have a great Friday and if you want to learn more about the class or the sneakers - just leave a note below or shoot me a message. Happy to share even more detail.

xo