Have you ever had a workout so tailored to you that you thought it must have been created with you in mind?
Enter:
Fitness NATION and
Marc Lebert's Saturday morning EPIC Boxing class.
 |
| Some of my FAVOURITE equipment- Equalizer Bars, the BOSU, and the Battling Rope! |
Carter and I went to check this place out- as we've been using
Lebert's systems in our schools/fitness classes for years! Both the Equalizers (some of my students call these "Torture Sticks"- fitting) and the Buddy System are versatile and extremely effective tools to use in any fitness program.
 |
| David Kittner, Roger Maklouf, and Marc Lebert- all awesome Fitness NATION peeps. And not that anyone's comparing, but I'm sure my abs are better than Roger's. |
 |
| The NATION comes fully equipped- TONS of space for some killer interval, Tabata, boxing, and sport-specific training! This was the point where I got really, really jealous that I didn't have a studio apartment overhead. |
 |
| Spin bikes- in the signature black and yellow |
 |
| A ton of gorgeous floor space, and most importantly: a door. That we'll need in the summer. For our makeshift patio. |
The class was totally up my alley- starting off with a warm-up circuit of jogging, hurdles, battling ropes, push ups, and kicks:
 |
| There were tons of people there, but my kick was so fierce, they had to get out of the way. |
We then moved to a strength phase of mountain climbers, hamstring curls, push ups, pull ups, lunges and tricep extensions:
 |
| Not pictured: the actual pull up. You're welcome. |
 |
| Contrary to what you're probably thinking, this IS the proper exercise, and not a forehead rest. |
We then moved into some shadow boxing, and focus pad work!
 |
| Jab, Cross, Uppercut Intervals! |
 |
| Marc was working really hard- I could barely get a photo, these guys were so good! |
 |
| Then, there was this guy. |
 |
| Note my fierce uppercut skills- my entire left hand disappears. I only pull that s%$! out in the ring. And, at home. |
We finished with another set of laps, and everyone's favourite- burpees- before doing a quick ab circuit:
 |
| While we worked our asses off, Marc sang Katy Perry's greatest hits. |
 |
| "I Kissed a Girl, And I Liked Itttttt" |
 |
| Alright, fine. Carter is a fitness god. But if I could only get him to wear shorts. |
 |
| Um... yeah. |
 |
| Thankfully, this photo is blurry enough that you can't see how long it's been since I've shaved. |
At the end of the class, I badgered politely asked the other participants to take a photo!
 |
| Actual caption: "Who is this damn blogger and where is my drink?" |
 |
| Calm down, people. |
What I LOVED about this class- the interval style training. It is reminiscent of my days playing hockey and lacrosse, and lots of time put in training. It was also accessible to ANY level and ability- Marc gave some excellent modifications for those with injury, or those with differing fitness levels. He explained the proper way to jab, cross, and uppercut; and he made everyone feel STRONG and capable. As a fitness instructor myself, I really see the value in this. You simply have to make the experience enjoyable, or people will find any excuse not to return. Marc is a fitness pro- and this was very evident in his teaching style, use of equipment, and versatility.
One of the questions I get asked the most is "How do you stay motivated to exercise?" My answer has three parts: 1. Find something you LIKE and that WORKS FOR YOU. I know people who love to run but hate to swim, who love yoga but aren't fans of pilates. Do yourself a favour and TRY! 2. Give it at least three separate tries. Personally, if I gave up on yoga or Zumba after the first, second, or even third try, I'd never have gone back. You need to try different styles and even different instructors. 3. Mix it up. Try not to only run or only weight lift or only cycle. Mix it up and you're more likely to stick to it.
I would be at this class every week if it were closer, and I have made a promise to myself to go as often as I can, as the class is different every week- totally up my alley. Another reason I'll be back:
 |
| I've found peeps who love fitness and booze as much as I do. Heaven. |
A huge thank you to Marc Lebert for having Carter and I at Fitness Nation- and for being the coolest, most down-to-earth person ever- rare to find in the fitness industry.
I'll be doing a post on Equalizer Bars and the exercises you can do yourself in my next Create Your Own Home Gym instalment. For now- check out these killer moves and stay tuned to save $10.00 off your own set!
Have you tried the Equalizers before?
What is your PERFECT class?
