Admittedly, I didn't know much about Shred before I attended the class. I knew treadmills were involved (Running! YAY!) and that many Chicagoans SWEAR by Shred as one of the best workouts to drop weight quickly. Beyond that, I had no idea what to expect.
There are two studios - Lincoln Park and Old Town. I chose Old Town due to proximity and the fact that it seems less crowded (I didn't see as many "waitlists" on the schedule). My first class was Sunday morning, and I prepared for a tough workout.
When you walk into the studio, you have the option of starting on either a treadmill or at a weight bench. I chose the treadmill, although the instructor said it didn't matter where I started. I will say that when the studio doors opened, there was a mad dash for the treadmills.
The class went something like this:
5 minutes: Treadmill intervals (The instructor gives you a pace range - you select where you start!)
5 minutes: Weights/Strength moves (squats, lunges, planks, push-ups, etc.)
5 minutes: Treadmill sprints (.5 miles at fastest speed)
5 minutes: Weights/Strength moves
15 minutes: Treadmill (Hill work)
15 minutes: Weights/Strength moves
5 minutes: Treadmill intervals on MANUAL (Basically, YOU move the belt! This was so hard...)
5 minutes: Weights/Strength moves
By the end of the class, I was sore and sweaty, but felt that I had accomplished a pretty impressive workout. I woke up on Monday morning, sore as hell, and wondered if heading back for a second day in a row was a smart idea. I went anyway, but I decided not to push myself too hard. The focus of the "floor" routine (which changes daily) was arms and abs, so it gave my sore legs a break.
Anyway, if you're interested in checking out Shred, I definitely recommend giving it a shot! Your body will thank you!
Have you ever done a similar workout?
Great review!! This is similar to Barry's Bootcamp which started in LA and has made its way over to NYC and London at this point. I need to try this out asap!
ReplyDeleteVery cool idea for a class! And it's longer, too! Sounds like something I would love! So excited you snagged a good deal to check it out!
ReplyDeleteOnce I did the bike between strength intervals with my trainer! That was intense on its own ;)
I'm jealous of all these cool workouts they have in Chi-town! Sounds like an awesome workout!
ReplyDeleteYou are so brave to do so many classes! I am always super nervous that I'm not going to be able to follow along or that I'll fall on my face. I usually stick to machines and even that is iffy - I swear my machines get possessed and do crazy speeds every once in a while and everyone can hear me clicking the buttons to slow down at a very spastic rate. I typically find running on the street the least embarrassing.
ReplyDeleteA girl i run with just tried this on Sunday! I think this actually sounds like something i would like!
ReplyDeleteShe DOES have brown hair! Her name is Brittany :)
DeleteI've never done anything like that but it looks intense! You're so good about going to classes. I've always been into solo working out (running/jogging, hiking, Jillian Michaels DVDs at home) but I see why you like these classes!
ReplyDeleteOMG that is an incredible gym! My jaw dropped when I saw the picture...it's everything you need RIGHT. THERE! Glad you had a satisfying workout, wish I was there!
ReplyDeleteThis class looks really cool! I've never done a class with a treadmill before!
ReplyDeleteWow, looks intense. Definitely something I could see myself trying though.
ReplyDeleteThat sounds like an amazing class! I would LOVE something like this :)
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