There’s no getting away from it, the holiday season is here and for most of us that will mean a pretty much constant cycle of eating and drinking from now until January 1. It can be hard to stay healthy at this time of year, especially when sub-zero temperatures reduce motivation to even leave the house, let alone go to the gym. A great way to avoid the siren call of another evening on the couch is to try a new group fitness class – you’ll have more fun and see better results than just pounding away for an hour on the treadmill. Below are five of yours truly’s current favorite fitness classes at some of Beijing’s most popular studios.
Ballet fit at Philosophy
Trendy Philosophy in Parkview Green offers a wide range of classes, from yoga to Muay Thai, but we especially like the ballet fit class. Ballet fit introduces basic ballet poses and techniques, focusing on creating long, lean muscles. The pace of the class is slow but don’t let that lull you into thinking it’s easy – the poses are difficult to hold and will leave you aching in unexpected places. Call Philosophy on 8561 0735 to speak to one of their sales team about prices.
Bubble butt at B Active
Held every Thursday evening at 7pm at B Active Sanlitun, the cheekily (pun intended) named bubble butt class is a dedicated lower body workout focusing on shaping and lifting the hips, butt, and thighs. Trainer Hailie is lively and encouraging (she also teaches a core-focused class on Monday evenings). Classes start from RMB 100 per class, free trial available (WeChat ID: BActive24h).
Pound at Ms. Uptown
Rock out to this full-body cardio workout, inspired by playing the drums and using special “ripstix” as props. Each 45-minute session combines strength, endurance, aerobic, core, and HIIT work to burn up to 900 calories. Pound is a global brand but Ms. Uptown is the only gym in Beijing to offer the class and their instructor Xenia Xie is one of the only certified Pound trainer in China. The class is pretty intense if you go full throttle but the instructor will tell you how to reduce the intensity if you’re trying it for the first time or don’t exercise regularly. Classes start from RMB 168 per class or you can purchase a 14-day unlimited trial membership for RMB 199 (WeChat ID: MsUptown尚城健身).
Sculpt yoga at SpaceCycle
If you find traditional yoga too slow or you want to add an extra level of challenge to your practice then SpaceCycle’s sculpt yoga could be for you. Sculpt yoga combines yogic principles and poses with cardio and strength training. What that means in practice is you’ll find yourself doing sun salutations and while holding light weights or doing rounds of core work based on yoga poses. The classes are taught in a slightly heated room, so you’re sure to get sweating. Classes start from RMB 258 per class, one free trial class per person (WeChat ID: spacecycle).
Victoria’s Secret at Base Fit
Designed to get you looking like a Victoria’s Secret Angel, Base Fit’s latest class will have you completing lots of reps of lower-intensity bodyweight exercises (plus some with resistance bands and ankle weights) that will leave you with slim, toned legs and flat, sexy abs. This class is no walk in the park but fun playlists inspired by famous Angels like Gigi Hadid and Kendall Jenner will help get you through. A 10-class pass costs RMB 1,900, first trial class free (WeChat ID: BaseFitChina).
Note: Many of the classes above are available on GuavaPass, which allows you to try up to three classes/sessions per month at different gyms and fitness studios around Beijing.
Photo: Uni You
This post first appeared on our sister site, the Beijinger. See the best of Beijing’s healthy living here.
More stories by this author here.
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