This post is part of my 2017 New Year’s Resolution to try every group fitness class offered at my gym, The Equinox in Chestnut Hill. Full list of class reviews here.
TClass: Best Abs Ever
Class length: 30 minutes
Description from the Equinox: Chisel your core and ignite your metabolism with a challenging, 30-minute six-pack of exercises that builds abdominal muscles and enhances total-body performance.
What Class Was Like
Quick and challenging. Using a mat, a resistance band and our own body weight we flew through two sets of seven (bonus!) different exercises with 50 seconds on and 10 seconds off. Add a quick warm-up and cool-down, and you’ve got an efficient add-on ab class to get your day started. Ok, or started and finished, I wouldn’t judge because this class was hard.
Great class if you’d like an efficient ab workout that can complement another activity. I wouldn’t recommend it for beginners. Remember to modify if you’re feeling pain in your lower back and as a prerequisite I recommend being able to hold a plank for 60 seconds and a side plank for 30 seconds.
Sample Exercises
- bicycle crunches with resistance bands around the feet
- walking planks with resistance bands
- high plank bringing alternating legs to knees, crossing legs to knees, then holding
- burpee then superman repeating combo
- leg scissors with resistance bands
Who would love it?
A great class for someone with a fitness base who wants to power through some difficult ab work using the group for motivation and an instructor for guidance.
Know before you go
- If you see people getting a ton of equipment, they might be staying for the next class. Check before you grab everything.
- The blue resistance bands are harder than the green. There’s enough so you can probably take one of each if you’re uncertain.
- All exercises with a resistance band can be done without one; get the exercise done, if the band isn’t working, ditch it.