One of the perks of the fitness media business is getting invited to brand-new classes, which is how I came try out "Stacked," a new group fitness class from Equinox.
"Stacked" uses the latest trend in exercise, which is interval training, to pack a full-body workout into 30 or 45 minutes, depending on the class.
"This workout offers a lot of bank for your buck in that it's a time-efficient workout that covers everything. It's basically the 'full meal deal' as it includes cardio, muscular strength and endurance and core work all in one," says Angela Leigh, the Los Angeles-area group fitness leader who helped develop the class.
"Interval training has been around for years and more and more in the industry we are coming up with different ways to approach it. This is one of them," said Geoff Bagshaw, Equinox's area group fitness manager for Florida, who put my class through its paces.
Classes use the innovative Sandbell sandbag, resistance tools and body weight exercises (like body bars), to target the entire body in intervals of 30 seconds to three minutes. We started with one exercise and then increased the number, in order to "stack" one move on top of the other, creating a more challenging workout.
"The Stacks gives the students the opportunity to develop sharper skills in foundational moves at the beginning of the stack, get more powerful in the middle of the stack and truly challenge their endurance at the end of the stack," said Bagshaw. "This class offers a little bit of everything, and its hard and its fun," he added.
The workout did indeed offer a fun, fast-paced, challenging class that is an excellent stand-alone workout for busy professionals or as an excellent compliment to other Equinox classes.
In addition to South Beach, "Stacked" is also offered in the upscale fitness chain's other locations, including Aventura and Coral Gables, here in South Florida.
More info: Equinox Fitness
Comments