Health & Wellness

HOT IN FITNESS There is a lot of newness on the local workout horizon, so much so that what’s old is new again.

by Amanda Jean Harris

What's hot now in the world of fitness, for some, is actually quite literally hot. From hot yoga to the new spin on Pilates and amped up ballet moves to booty-centric workouts and fitness that lets you sit (not rest, mind you), your workout just got a lot more interesting.

Khristie Gass

What’s hot now in the world of fitness, for some, is actually quite literally hot. From hot yoga to the new spin on Pilates and amped up ballet moves to booty-centric workouts and fitness that lets you sit (not rest, mind you), your workout just got a lot more interesting.

Guru of all things workout-related and the fitness director at City Club, Dextria Sapp says the newest class at the River Ranch health club is called “chair,” and while you sit you’re not slacking in the workout department. “It’s a total body workout mostly from a seated position,” she says.

While you may not be running for miles, chair and other seated workouts can burn some serious calories. Chair is aimed to increase mobility and strength from a seated position using free weights and resistance bands to increase core stability. High intensity Pilates is also one of Sapp’s favorite workouts for burning calories along with the new booty ballet.

When it comes to ballet with a twist, the gals at Xtend Barre are getting it done. The method at the River Ranch studio is a hybrid of Pilates and dance amplified.

“It brings in elements of dance, ballet and Pilates to create an adrenaline-fueled workout that strengthens, lengthens and chisels the body,” according to the founders of Xtend Barre. “Each class features an elegant yet energetic combination of movements that enhance flexibility, improve balance and challenge the core.”

When it comes to a new method that’s catching fire from an age old foundation, look for hot yoga. At Oui Power Yoga in Park Lafayette, a combo of asana practice, meditation and self-inquiry marry with hot power vinyasa inspired by the Baptiste Yoga Methodology.

Founded in 1940 by Walter Baptiste, the method has evolved through his son Baron and now finds a home here in Lafayette at Oui. The classes are held in a room heated between 88 and 95 degrees, which allows for a deeper opening in the body, detoxifying of internal organs and more caloric burning.

According to personal trainer Lizzie Ellis, what’s old is new again while she notes boutique fitness studios seem to be on the rise.

“I believe in good old-fashioned weight lifting and conditioning,” she says. “It’s not new, but I feel like more and more people are figuring out it’s one of the best things for your body.”

In addition to spots like Oui Power Yoga that focus on one type of workout with a sort of boutique feel, Khristie Gass of Physiques says she is entering the fray of high-end studios. She says Physiques Elite (a co-ed gym) is the next level in workouts opening this month near her existing women’s-only gym on Verot School Road.

The program designer works for Reebok and Men’s Health magazine, and free demo classes are slated for the first week in January.

“I’m integrating kettle bells, TRX suspension, ropes, water rowers, punching bags, free weights and heart monitors,” Gass says, “plus a registered dietician who will design a plan for each individual.”