I have been wanting to try different fitness practices around Cincinnati. So instead of just letting these places sit on my bucket list, I tried out 5 of these places in one week!
Monday – barre3
I went to an 8:45 a.m. barre3 class in Mariemont on Monday morning after dropping off the middle schooler I take to school at 8:05. This was convenient because I can finish my morning part-time job without having to feel rushed to get to the barre. Katie was the instructor for this class and boy did she kick my booty. My legs and “seat” – as they like to call your butt at barre3 – were really feeling the burn and the “shakes.” This wasn’t my first time at barre3, so I generally knew what to expect going into it.
For those of you who don’t know anything about barre3 or barre classes in general, it is basically a mixture of ballet, yoga, and pilates. It is a full body workout (legs, booty, arms, and abs) that uses isometric movements (moving just an inch) to create long and lean muscles. It is low impact cardio, so your heart is pumping the whole time. I personally loved going to barre3 because the atmosphere was so bright and cheery. Plus there were 20 other women pushing through every last movement with me and motivating me to go the extra inch for the entire 60-minute class. Additionally, I can’t forget to mention how supportive and accommodating the instructor was. Although it was all women in the room with me during that class, I have seen men join as well!
I would recommend barre3 to anyone who is looking into switching up their workout routine or even just beginning their workout journey because the instructors offer so many modifications for new-comers or for more veteran class-goers. Barre3 has three locations in the Greater Cincinnati Area including Mariemont, Montgomery, and Ft. Thomas.
Tuesday – Shine Yoga
I decided that after the butt-kicking workout I did on Monday, on Tuesday I would take a more relaxed class. I still have to drop off my middle schooler in the morning, so I thought I would try experiencing a workout before I had to get to work. I signed myself up for the 6:00 a.m. “Mindful Morning Flow” at Shine Yoga in Hyde Park. I have never been to a yoga class before, especially not a 6:00 a.m. yoga class, so I really had no idea what to expect for this morning. However, despite it being very early in the morning, I was looking forward to really stretching out my tight muscles from working out at barre3. I convinced my friend Lauren to join me on a whim and we both showed up at Shine Yoga around 5:50 a.m.
The studio is set up in the back of an office type of building on the second floor, which I thought was interesting. Besides Lauren and I, there were only two other girls who joined us for the 6:00 a.m. class. Nonetheless, I really enjoyed how small and intimate the class setting was, considering I had no idea what I was doing and was a little nervous. Overall, the class was 60 minutes and we practiced the basic poses such as downward dog, cobra, and child’s pose. I felt really relaxed and my muscles felt stretched out after it was over. I honestly didn’t want it to end! I loved 6:00 a.m. yoga and will definitely go back again. It was nice to experience a slower form of movement and give my muscles a little bit of a break. Plus I had more than enough time to get to my morning job.
Wednesday – CycleBar
Wednesday: Hump day. I wanted to kick things up a notch after the relaxing flow I experienced the morning before. I decided to sign up for the 9:00 a.m. “classic” CycleBar class in Kenwood. I dropped my middle schooler off and headed over to Kenwood. I have never been spinning before, so this was a completely new experience for me. I don’t even know when the last time I rode a bike was! I was 30 minutes early and was immediately greeted by the friendly woman at the front desk. I explained that I was new and she helped me get signed in and set up. You can rent shoes to clip into your bike, so she brought me my size 7s. Additionally, there is a locker room where you can put all your things while you’re in class.
The class consisted of peddling on a stationary bike facing a wall of mirrors and the instructor inside what they call the “theatre.” The lights went dark and some neon lights glowed around the room. We peddled to different music and changed the resistance on the bike to imitate hills. The instructor would cue us when it was time to change resistance and always told us to modify the number if needed.
I am not going to lie, I don’t really think spinning is for me. I was a varsity runner in high school, so don’t get me wrong, I love cardio. The insides of my crotch area were just not feeling the whole sitting on a tiny bike seat for 60 minutes. However, I think the overall experience was great and I am glad I tried something new even if I don’t end up going back.
Thursday – Modo Yoga
Collegiettes! I. Love. Hot. Yoga. Today, I went to another 6:00 a.m. yoga class. But this time it was at Modo Yoga on Columbia Tusculum and it was their “Hot Flow” class. I did a lot of research into hot yoga before attending the class, so I knew what to expect. I was terrified because most of the reviews said, “Expect to die or pass out.” Nonetheless, other reviewers said they loved it. Since I was a little terrified of dying of heat stroke, I convinced my boyfriend Jack to accompany me, just in case.
The class overall was exactly what I expected, yoga in a hot, humid, and dim room. I didn’t mind it though because it was very cold outside, so I was ready to get warmed up. Let me say, I did not die. I did not have a heat stroke. I honestly did not think the heat was that bad at all! I loved the feeling of sweating out all my toxins early in the morning! I definitely recommend bringing 3 towels, one to put on your yoga mat, one to wipe your face, (you will drip into your eyes if you don’t) and one for your shower after class. Yes, it was challenging at times and it isn’t for everyone. I would suggest trying out regular yoga a couple of times before adding heat into the mix because it makes the whole practice more intense. Overall, I will go back in the future!
Friday – My House
For my last day of trying out different fitness places, I wanted to experiment working out at home. Although there are a variety of fitness classes around Cincinnati, there are always different options for working out at home. Not everyone has the time to fit in the different class times, nor do they have the money to spend on trendy workout classes, that’s totally understandable. So on Friday, I got home from my morning shift at work and decided to jump into a home workout. I followed a full body workout video from one of my favorite YouTubers, “Sarah’s Day.” I modified the workout to match what equipment I already had at home. Instead of a kettlebell, I used a dumbbell. Overall, it is nice to be able to save some money and realize you can workout for free in your own home! I do have to say though, it is a little hard to stay motivated when an instructor isn’t yelling at you or there aren’t other people around to keep you accountable, so keep that in mind.