Category — Spinning

A while ago I purchased an introductory pass for Energia Athletics on the Danforth. I’ve been wanting to go here for a while now as I have been intrigued by their concept – an interesting mix of yoga, spinning and running offerings. Oh and kettlebell classes!

I tried three different classes during my week there:

• Spin/Core
• Spin/Yoga Journey
• Spin

Of the three the one I enjoyed the most was the Spin/Core combo. They teacher was intense (very Lance Armstrong-esque!), the music appealing and the workout was just the right intensity. The additional draw to this class for me was that I had no excuses to not do any core work which I sometimes very conveniently avoid.

The one thing I’m still a little curious about is their run group. They do have a run club, but I didn’t get the opportunity to try it out yet. I think one of the draws for running out of here is the fact that you can complement your running with yoga and spinning.

The one downside to Energia is their bathroom/change room facilities. If you can change before. Trust me.

Yesterday I received an email that made me happy. I had been wondering if any of Toronto’s fitness facilities would be organizing  anything in support of the recent earthquake that hit Haiti. I’m happy to say that Quad Spinning has organized a special spinning class this Sunday. The three hour cycle will take place at their Quad east location on Queen (3 p.m. start)  and all proceeds will be going Doctors without Borders (applied towards Haiti relief). Great idea.

So, how do you get involved?

Spots are limited so you need to pre-register. The suggested donation is $20 and you can spin for as much or as little time as you like. Even if you can’t make the cycle donations are still welcome. Check out their website for more details.

If anyone has more information on other facilities doing things like this let me know.

Flickr credit: avlxyz

There comes a point in  life when you stop going to clubs on a regular basis. I have reached that point in my life where going to clubs are not a part of my usual weekend plans – not really sure, though when exactly this happened though. The last time I went I felt extremely old and out of place. What I do miss about going to clubs, though, is the music. There is just something about loud music and hearing your favourite song come on.

What do you do then?

Go to one of Micheline’s evening spinning classes at Quad Spinning and you will be able to relive your clubbing days. I went to her Tuesday night “Rihanna theme class” and I really did feel like I was out at a club. Only difference was that I was sweating because of spinning and not dancing. The class was loud, packed with people and full of energy. As an added touch staff came around and refilled your empty water bottles throughout the class/

Never tried spinning before?

They have an introductory class on Saturday mornings where you’ll learn all the ins and outs of spinning – technique and all.

Quad spinning has three locations to choose from. One class was $20 and you can pre-register for classes online.

Every time I go to Spynga I contemplate buying the Jivamukti China Gel product they sell and I finally succumbed this past week. Jivamukti’s china gel is great for relieving muscle soreness and is also good for heating up the muscles at the beginning of your yoga practice. I first found out about this gel during a yoga class there. During the first sun salutation the teacher came around and rubbed the gel into our necks and it just felt lovely especially for someone like myself who is always stiff.

This product is also a great natural alternative to other products that are out there!

Best time to buy this:

Go buy this at Spynga on a Saturday morning and then check out Casey’s 10:30 a.m. class which was an awesome start to the weekend. Even better drag a friend you haven’t seen in a while with you and then catch up after the class at Urban Fare.

For me joining a gym and having a contract is kind of like doing all your shopping in a department store. Department stores may have everything you need, but like gyms, do they really have everything that you are truly looking for? Gyms do have spin classes; yoga and boot camps, but rarely are any of these classes spectacular. To get spectacular you need to go to a place that specializes.

I recently had the opportunity to go to a spinning class at Get Spun on Spadina. For me the Get Spun name says it all – you go there for spinning. Spinning classes are a tough workout and according to their website you can burn up to 900 calories in one class which according to my nutritionist is ½ of my daily caloric intake. Other benefits of spinning include:

• Weight lose (yay!)
• Toning

I took a 45 minute class there and I really enjoyed it. The instructor was fun and actually a real cyclist which I think is an added bonus when taking spinning. I also liked the fact that it was a high intensity workout done in a short amount of time – perfect for people on a tight schedule. There were a variety of different levels within the class as well, so I think beginners would find the workout doable – just take it at your own pace and adjust

The place

The facility itself was kind of cool as it was done up in an industrial loft style.  For some reason the whole place made me feel as though I was working out in New York which was fun. The bathrooms were passable in the sense that they were clean and I think that I would shower there if I took a lunchtime class otherwise I would just wait until I got home. Other perks – their in-house juice bar and mini clothing store.

To take a spinning class at Get Spun you can either just pay for a single session ($18 taxes included) or purchase a package. A ten class package costs $150. Get Spun also offers Gravity classes and Pilates. Pre-registration for classes seems to be preferred and you can do this online or via phone.