Hi there! So I had a really great weekend that was due mostly to the fact that Saturday was one of my favorite days of the year: Sweaty Saturday! Sweaty Saturday started as the fitness industry’s Fashion Night Out (which is no defunct. Sad face.)—a day when fitness studios around the city could come together and support a good cause, offer great classes and generally celebrate fitness. Participating studios offered special classes or amped up their normal schedule and donated a portion of the proceeds to the Partnership for Healthier America, a non-profit organization that works with the private sector entities to ensure the health of nation’s youth by combating childhood obesity. It was founded in 2010 in partnership with, but separate from, Let’s Move, which has gotten a lot of press because of First Lady Michelle Obama’s support of the campaign to get kids moving. Partners include some mega companies like Blue Cross Blue Shield, All-Clad. GE, Nike, the U.S. Olympic Committee, USTA and much more.
I participated back in 2012 and was so excited to join in again this year. Last time I became slightly possessed and participated in 4 (!) classes. This time my saner self prevailed and I participated in only two with a nice two hour break in between. Also, no Flywheel this time (sorry Flywheel!) because that class makes me feel like I’m going to pass out.
My first class of the day was at Chaise Fitness. I tried their classes for the first time last year at their 23rd Street location and loved them! I was so excited when they recently opened at the 92Y because it is so much more convenient for me. Even if I love a class, if it is too far away I can’t go regularly.
The lovely Tara taught Cardio Chair, which is an amped up version of Chaise’s traditional Reinvention Chair class. You can read my full recap on the studio here, but as a quick rundown, the studio uses a modified version of the Pilates chair and incorporates it into a whole new workout. They also use bungees that are attached to the ceiling, which I LOVE! It works my arms and hurts so good. My arms have always been a “trouble spot” for me so I love being able to engage them the whole class. The class is also based on Pilates and dance principles which means deep muscle engagement that leaves you totally spent after class (think pikes while holding onto the chair and the bungees- I can’t even explain it, it’s so hard!). The Cardio Chair class uses all these principles plus some basic jumping moves to really up the burn.
After burning it out at Chaise, I headed to AKT in Motion, which I tried for the first time a few weeks ago. Their Happy Hour class is a mix of dance-based cardio and strength. AKT was super pumped about Sweaty Saturdayand it was such a great time! The vibe was incredible and it may or may not have been assisted by the disco ball that was glittering from the ceiling! I mean, how can you not be happy when working out with a disco ball!?
The class was challenging and a lot of fun. The good thing about AKT is that they repeat the dance combinations over and over so the class appeals to a lot of non-dancers. The strength sections are no joke either. We did some heavy weight toning moves, lower body moves using a resistance band and some ab work on the foam roller.
AKT also surprised us with these awesome goodie bags that included some fun things like a few products from the new athletic clothing brand Sweaty Betty that just opened in SoHo. I’m kind of obsessed with the headband!
There were so many fitness studios involved in Sweaty Saturday and I wanted to go to every single one of them. Sadly time and my body did not allow but I had a great time at two of my favorite UES locations! Thanks Chaise & AKT! And of course, a big shout out to the organizers of SweatySaturday for a great event and for supporting an important cause. I had such a great time and wish there were more ways I could get involved with this great cause.
Readers, have you heard of the Partnership for Healthier America or Let’s Move? Have you ever done a fitness-charity event? How do you get involved with charities?
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama
February 25, 2014I love that you went! I was hoping someone that I knew went so I could get the deets! 🙂 I love your pics…although the cardio chair kind of scares me 🙂 Very nice goodie bags too! 🙂
FitBritt
February 25, 2014It was a lot of fun! Did you go in 2012? The cardio chair isn’t scary, I promise!
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama
February 25, 2014I love that you went! I was hoping someone that I knew went so I could get the deets! 🙂 I love your pics…although the cardio chair kind of scares me 🙂 Very nice goodie bags too! 🙂
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama
February 25, 2014I love that you went! I was hoping someone that I knew went so I could get the deets! 🙂 I love your pics…although the cardio chair kind of scares me 🙂 Very nice goodie bags too! 🙂
Nellie @ Brooklyn Active Mama
February 25, 2014I love that you went! I was hoping someone that I knew went so I could get the deets! 🙂 I love your pics…although the cardio chair kind of scares me 🙂 Very nice goodie bags too! 🙂
Kimberly (Manifest Yourself)
February 25, 2014Unexpected goodies! That’s always a plus! Glad you had a good time!!
FitBritt
February 25, 2014Thanks Kimberly!
Cailee Joy @ http://www.hellohealthyeating.com
February 25, 2014This sounds amazing!! Love that you are always trying new fitness routines!! So nice!!
FitBritt
February 25, 2014I can’t help but be drawn in with the latest and greatest class!
Kim
February 25, 2014I really need to live in a place that has more options!! I love all of the different gyms and classes available to you and the fact that you take part in so many of them!
FitBritt
February 25, 2014I think I have exercise ADD! I know you have a lot of DVDs to switch things up with.
Davida @ The Healthy Maven
February 25, 2014Is it weird that I have a thing for disco balls in classes too?!? I used to go to Crunch at Astor Place and their spin studio has crazy lights and disco balls from the celling (so does David Barton…no surprise there lol) and it actually made me a spin person. Might have had something to do with the fact that I was super into rave music at the time so I felt like I was at a rave instead of the normal feeling I have during spin classes, death.
FitBritt
February 25, 2014Haha! I know. I momentarily am distracted by the pretty glittering lights until I realize I’m puffing so hard I feel like I’m going to die!
Lisa @ Lulu's Big Adventure
February 25, 2014What an awesome event!! I’ll actually be in NYC for four weeks this fall (unless things go horribly wrong) and I’m booked to stay at the 92Y. So excited that I’ll have such a great gym attached to my living space!
FitBritt
February 25, 2014That’s so cool! You definitely should try out Chaise while you are staying there!
Carla
February 25, 2014I would love to try the Chaise fitness class. I doubt we have anything like that out here but does it ever sound good. And a disco ball, always good. What a great way to get involved with some charities.
FitBritt
February 26, 2014I love being able to do something I love to help others out. I really really want to get more involved in helping kids get healthy!
Erin @ The Almond Eater
February 25, 2014Omg this sounds like so much fun! I wish Pittsburgh would do this, or every city for that matter. Glad you enjoyed your TWO classes ahha two sounds way better than four!
FitBritt
February 26, 2014Yeah, four was waaaaay too many! I don’t know what I was thinking. Maybe it will expand to Pittsburgh! Fashion Night Out started out just in NYC and then spread to other cities.
Jessie
February 25, 2014This sounds awesome, fun & super sweaty! Now if only I lived near a city that did something similar to this. #darnit
FitBritt
February 26, 2014It was a lot of fun and I was happy I could participate!
Nicole
February 26, 2014I think that the Let’s Move campaign is awesome! You keep reminding me that I really would like to get more involved in fitness for charity events. I need to check out things going on in my area!
FitBritt
February 26, 2014So funny you should say that! I just put out a call on FB for anyone with more information on how to get involved with fitness & wellness charities.
Melanie @ Happy Being Healthy
February 26, 2014You always get to go to the coolest classes! Love it. That dance class with the disco ball sounds like a blast. I also love your fun goodie bag!
FitBritt
February 26, 2014I have to say that NYC is not always my favorite place (too cold, not close enough to the beach and very crowded) but the fitness scene here makes it worth it!
Lauren @ Focused To Be Fit
February 26, 2014This looks so incredibly fun! There’s a gym here that holds day-long sessions of all the classes they offer and you pay $10 to go to as many as you like, which is pretty cool! I love stuff like that!