Looking for new ways to shake up your fitness routine?
Of course you are.
Your life is routine enough, so when it comes to your workout, you shouldn’t have to feel like you’re just going through the motions.
Swap the typical gym routine and yoga class with some of these innovative new Toronto workouts…
1. Surfset
It may not be the sun-kissed ocean; but you can pretend.
The world’s first indoor surf trainer hits mid-town Toronto next month. This means a total body, on-board workout that’s designed to sculpt muscles similar to a surfer’s long and lean physique. Intended to simulate the physical demands of surfing, the instability of the Surfset board constantly engages core muscles, causing them to react to the shifting platform. As the board mimics the instability of water, it offers a realistic surfing experience as you improve your balance, core strength, agility, aerobic conditioning, power, and coordination.
The next best alternative to the actual thing, you’ll burn 500-900 calories in just 45 minutes. Which seems like a much better idea than this…
2. Essentrics
Join the likes of Canadian “it” girl Sarah Gadon and the Montreal Canadiens and hit Equinox for an Essentics class.
Owned by featured Notable young professional Sahra Esmonde-White, the much-buzzed-about 60-minute total-body workout simultaneously lengthens and strengthens every muscle in the body, resulting in greater joint mobility and lean, long muscles. Picture a completely original workout that’s inspired by the flowing movements of tai chi, the strengthening theories behind ballet (responsible for that long, lean dancer’s body), and the healing principles of physiotherapy that create a pain free body.
If hitting the downtown gym is out of the question, it’s also available in DVD form.
3. Cirque-Ability
If you’re having fun, you won’t even realize it’s a workout. And, really, what’s more fun than the circus?
Cirque-ability is an aerial, acrobatic and fitness studio that offers circus-inspired classes. It doesn’t matter if you were a former Olympic gymnast or the least flexible person in your yoga class – the classes are open to anyone. Most classes have no more than 6 students to a coach, which translates to personalized instruction, faster progress, and less time waiting around for a piece of aerial equipment, so you can have more “air time.” Not to mention, you can feel safe knowing you have the instructor’s attention.
The classes have quickly caught on; by 2011, Cirque-ability had outgrown its former small loft space and found a new 3500 sq. ft. home at 213 Sterling Rd.
4. Barreworks
If you want that dancer’s body, you may want to consider hitting the barre.
Some of the city’s most recognizable females are often found at Queen West’s Barreworks for a workout that blends fitness training, core conditioning, yoga, and Pilates by using the ballet barre, resistance bands, and weighted balls. The Toronto studio is inspired by the current celebrity endorsed barre fitness sensation in New York and Los Angeles and created by a team of certified fitness and yoga instructors and dance professionals.
Trust us; it’s more of a workout than you’d think. Not to mention, it’s set to a kick ass playlist.
5. StriveLife
If you want to look like an athlete, you better train like one.
Owned and operated by former professional athletes, StriveLife has gained increasing popularity since it hit the scene last year. More than a workout, it’s described as a social fitness movement that promises athletic, posture, mobility, life, and personal development. It allows you to train like an athlete in a team environment and in the warmer months sessions are held outdoors, while in the winter you’ll be inside at Queen West’s Great Hall.
If you weren’t exactly the first person picked for teams in gym class, don’t worry: all of the workouts are scalable and allow you to work at your own capacity.
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Cover Photo courtesy Cirque-Ability
