May 2015 NU graduate Sarah Gaines is taking Boston by storm this Fall semester by expanding her Fit U brand to Boston University and creating a “Back to School Fit Crawl” that offered a different free fitness class each week of September. This included a Bollyx Zumba class in Cambridge, a CycFitness class, an Orangetheory class, and a Glow Yoga class at POP Allston.
I meant to attend three classes (dancing classes aren’t my thing), but due to a stomach bug I could only attend Orangetheory and Glow Yoga. I’m so glad I was able to becuase they were both unlike any fitness class I have ever taken before!
Orangetheory is located in Brighton and is a mixture of cardio, strength, and endurance. You wear a heart rate monitor the entire time since Orangetheory’s purpose to keep you at your target heart rate to burn the optimal amount of calories. The first half of the class we spent on the treadmill. I really liked it because you have 5 minute blocks of work where you increase and decrease your speed and incline. The constant switches made things less boring than when I usually run on a treadmill by myself and the instructor pushed me harder than I would have on my own. The second half is weight training in intervals as well. You focus on all of the body and we even used a rowing machine! Orangetheory definitely kicks your ass, but you feel so accomplished afterwards!
Glow Yoga was really cool too. It is offered every Thursday at 8 PM at Pop Allston near BU! Before beginning your class, you paint yourself with glow in the dark designs and put on glow sticks. It’s so much fun to see everyone glowing in the dark as you move through the poses. It’s also surprisingly relaxing especially with the room so dark. The instructor was also one of the best yoga instructors I’ve ever had. She really pushes you and makes sure you are doing the poses safely and with good form. Don’t worry if you aren’t the best at yoga either because the class is all levels and offered many options and modifications!
Be sure to check out what else Fit U has planned around Boston throughout the year. The organization’s founder and its two Northeastern and BU chapters are always finding awesome events and deals!