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Tiffany White finds her way up the climbing wall at Climb Nulu.

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If you’re thinking about starting an exercise routine, Today’s Woman has a few suggestions on fitness centers you might want to try.

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Orangetheory Fitness, St. Matthews

Class: One hour fitness workout
Sore Factor: 6
Fitness Level: all levels
Exerciser: Tiffany White
What to Expect: My class began at 8:15am, but I had to arrive 30 minutes earlier to complete a health form. The trainer gave me a thorough tour of the fitness room. My class included 24 people with a majority of the participants being women. You must wear a heart monitor to keep track of your heart rate. The instructor separates participants into two groups and has them rotate between using the treadmill, rower, and weight floor. While on the weight floor, our group did push ups and a series of upper body exercises using weights and TRX straps. He guided us through the exercises by showing us the proper form, but participants could also watch a demonstration video that correlated with each exercise. During the workout, participants can view their stats on a screen in the workout room, including how long a participant is at high intensity.

 

Area 502 Mixed Martial Arts – Camp Zachary Taylor area
Class: One-hour Martial Arts boxing fitness class
Sore Factor: 1
Fitness Level: all
Exerciser: Tiffany White
What to Expect: I discovered that boxing in the evening is the ideal way to let off some steam, and I had plenty of opportunities to do it in Area 502 Mixed Martial Arts boxing fitness class. I was in a class with three other members, but the class size often varies and can include up to 15 people. We began with a warm-up session — rotating between jumping rope, walking, and jogging for 15 minutes outside. After the warm-up, the trainer wrapped my hands in preparation for the boxing session. Wrapping the hands, he says, protects your wrists, knuckles, and thumbs from injury while boxing. First, I learned about the proper boxing stance and the correct way to throw a punch using a punching bag and the one-two punch technique. One represents the left punch and two represents the right punch. Our trainer had our group go through several rounds of punching the bag using the one-two punching technique. Next, we stepped into the boxing ring and continued the punching drills with our instructor, but at a faster pace while moving around the ring. I enjoyed this part of the workout, because it gave me a chance to establish camaraderie with the other members in my class. They also cheered me on after I completed each drill. For the final part of my workout, I did leg lifts, a series of upper body exercises using an 8-pound medicine ball, and finished with a one-minute plank.

 

Climb Nulu, Nulu
Class: Not really a class – more climbing on your own. Participants are free to climb for as long as they want.
Sore Factor: 7
Fitness Level: all levels
Exerciser: Tiffany White
What to Expect: This exercise tested my problem-solving skills and agility by climbing colorful, large, three-dimensional walls covered with holds that are color-coded to differentiate the climbing route and numbered based on their level of difficulty. The free-flowing atmosphere at Climb Nulu allows participants to move from one route to the next at their discretion. When I arrived, I was given a pair of climbing shoes and powdered chalk to help grip the holds while climbing. The challenging routes, which cover a range labeled as V4 through V16, are located in the main room. Be prepared for an intense upper body workout that requires an equal amount of strategy and strength. I attempted to try one of these routes, but had some difficulty maneuvering my way through it. After three attempts, I opted for a couple of the easier routes in the beginner’s room and felt my confidence soar when I was able to climb up and back down a route successfully.

 

CycleBar St. Matthews
Class: 50-minute Connect Ride
Sore Factor: 2
Fitness Level: any fitness level
Exerciser: Tiffany White
What to Expect: CycleBar is masterful with taking the edge off of a hard workout through the use of lighting and an upbeat music playlist. I registered for the connect ride — one of two types of rides CycleBar offers. When you register for your class online, you will see a layout of the cycling room, which shows the available bikes for your class. All of them are numbered, and you must select the one you want to use. Most classes have 40 participants but can accommodate 50. Prior to the workout, the cycling room is dimly lit, but when the workout begins, the room darkens, the music starts, and the sweat drips continuously. The fun part about these classes is that the bike rides are tied into a choreography centered around the music. The instructor guided the class through the ride while standing on a small platform lined with LED candles. The atmosphere is a nice blend of softness and hardness. You can adjust your position and the gears on your bike as directed by the instructor — turn the gear to the left for less resistance or turn it to the right for more resistance. Every class starts at a gear level of three to prevent the risk of a knee injury. For the last part of the workout, we did four types of arm exercises using a body bar while seated on the bike. Lifting the weights was the most difficult part of the workout for me, but I appreciated the challenge and loved the addition of upper body exercises. After your workout, you can take a shower and use their powder room equipped with toiletries and shampoo from Dry Bar.

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