Tag Archives: fitnessfriday

Christmas Fitness with Studio Three

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You may feel like your current them song is: “It’s getting cold out there, so put on winter clothes.”  Brr it feels to early for Chicago to be so chill!  You may wanna hibernate through March but thawing out with exercise can bust winter blues and strengthen your immune system.  Annnd you don’t need to wait for all the Jan 1st resolution peeps to clog up the gym.

Throughout the next few weeks, we are going to share some of our favorite workouts from 2016 to get your 2017 to start strong.

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Do you suffer from repetative routine syndrome?

Studio Three can cure your boredom with some spicy variety.  Studio Three‘s tri-level fitness mixes up your workout mojo with a cutting-edge Peloton® indoor cycling, interval training and yoga studio.  You can double it, ensuring you get that stretch after a tense strength sesh.

So what is Studio Three really like?  

Well, first you can check out our initial visit here.  This go ’round, we branched out of our yoga pose zone and tried Studio Three’s Athletic Yoga with instructor, Sui Wen.  This 60 minute hot yoga class kept it’s promise of being athletic.  It felt like a mix of ballet inspired graceful moves blended with serious body weight sets intersperced with balance challenges.  Seriously, we have not tried anything like it before.  We wouldn’t recommend this class for students just starting yoga but…if you’ve been around the mat a couple of times, this class will summon your inner and outer strength.

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What else is offered?

After your class, you can refuel with Studio Three’s full service cafe with smoothies, juices, cold brew coffee to cool the sweat.  The cafe offers free wifi too so you can catch up on on the newest fit articles while you soak up all your hard work.

Looking to commit to a healthier lifestyle too?

Studio Three is kicking off a brand new nutrition 101 program.  From Jan 15-April 30, you’ll get an initial assessment, bi-monthly meetings with Precision Nutrition Coach, Dustin Hogue, live cooking demos, custom food lists and recipes.  This is something we’d love as most “programs” command what you can and can’t eat without considering diverse eating styles like veggie eaters or gluten free lifestyles.  Call the studio for more info and pricing!

Pick up your first class for only $13 bucks and work that snow bunny body with some sweet yoga, cycling or interval heat.  Have you tried Studio Three?  Tell us what you think in the comments!

 

*We were offered one free class at Studio Three in exchange for an honest review.*

 

FREE FITNESS: The Bar Method Classes this Weekend and GIVEAWAY!

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Happy birthday to you!  Happy birthday to you, happy birthday dear Bar Method!!  What kind of birthday is it when you get a present instead of the birthday girls?  A super sweet and sweaty one!

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The Bar Method is celebrating it’s 15th birthday of making ladies long and lean.  Bar Method’s signature moves are low impact yet can strengthen and tone you.  We are huge fans (like the kind of fans that have the big foam finger) of Bar Method and can’t say enough about their results.  Read our past experiences with Bar Method here!!

Oh and your present?  You thought we forgot!

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Take FREE Bar Method classes and tuck for yourself this Saturday 8/20 and Sunday 8/21*.  One lucky reader/new client will win FREE Bar Method cute and motivational sticky socks as well. Enter our Rafflecopter giveaway to win**!  Rafflecopter giveaway

*Only new clients are eligible for a free class.  Not new?  Bring a friend to the Bar!*

**Winner must be able to pick up socks at a Chicagoland Bar Method locations and must be a new client.  Giveaway 8/19 10 pm – 8/20 12 am**.

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Free class offer is valid on August 20th and 21st at any of four Chicago locations.  Call the studio you would like to visit to check the schedule and reserve your spot.
Gold Coast: (312) 573-9150
Loop: (312) 332-9150
Lakeview: (773) 935-2150
Wicker Park: (773) 384-3150

20 Minute Toning: Ignite Fitness Review

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Admit it.  Sometimes, during tough workout videos, you lie there huffing and puffing hoping your virtual teacher won’t catch you slacking.  That feeling is slightly guilty/awesome because you know this workout is challenging you.

It may seem that 20 minutes of fitness won’t do squat (HA!) but high intensity workouts can pack a punch for more energy and toning.  We received a complementary Blu-Ray copy of the Women’s Health Ignite workout starring Next Fitness Star winner Nikki Metzger to test its fit factor.  Nikki Metzger isn’t just some gym rat of the street.  She’s a Master Trainer and owner of BODI gym in Scottsdale, Arizona.  She’s not afraid to slap you with a bad @#s fitness routine.

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Ignite fires you up with 3 x20 minute stand alone (or get crazy and plow through all 3) workouts.  Bonus: An 8 minute bananas ab sequence in case you didn’t feel sore enough.

Workout Chapters:

BUILD

More of a traditional weights workout, but still maintains an interval format. Nikki demos the moves and sets before each change.  Free weight usage is optional, removing intimidation for the recently sedentary.

BURN

Guacs, this is a doozy.  Plyometrics take center stage for this cardio heavy chapter with crazy hard moves like the evil planky bear or real move name: Lateral Bear Crawl.

SWEAT

Your muscles will get HIIT from the front and the back with this 360 high speed interval routine.  Expect 45 second sets with 3 sets in each rotation.  Moves include modified burpees with a row added, plank walk outs and our Snapchat favsie: The Starfish Crunch.

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Workout Cheers

  • These 20 minute speed workouts torch calories and slow time.  You can fit this into a busy life!
  • Nikki’s lady crew each demo-ed a different move level for beginners up to bodybuilder lost your mind mode.
  • As a trainer, Nikki is approachable and encouraging.  Also, we like her fitanista style with 3 on fleek fit outfits to choose.

Workout Woes

  • 8 minute abs was like 8 minutes confused.  Transitions were too too fast so it was hard to follow where to move next.
  • Closed caption anyone?  This is 2016 so I am sure the fitness industry would want people with hearing issues to be able to follow along with verbal cues too.
  • Why do all workout videos have drum kit music created on a Casio keyboard for their background?  We suppose it’s necessary to appease a majority of viewers (?) but we think even keyboard cat could do better.

Final (Get) Cut

Extra Extra!  Get your 20 minute toning with Ignite here.  Not ready to commit? Check out a preview of Nikki’s training here.

Looking for other workouts?  Check out some suggestions from previous posts here.