Class Review: One of the Best Fitness Classes You’ve Never Attended

When I was invited to Crunch Gym to attend an exclusive (and brand spankin’ new) fitness class, I was immediately excited. I’ve heard from friends who were members of the fitness establishment that they absolutely love all the classes they offer. Being a member at a different sports club, I had never had the opportunity to partake… until now.

In addition, not only would I be at a brand new gym, but I would also be taking a fitness class that has only recently been introduced – and not to mention, invented. The class is called “Transformer w/ Disq” and I had no idea what to expect. Besides this coverage by The Wall Street Journal, I was mostly only intrigued. In addition, due to being classified as a “cardio strength” class I was also the tiniest bit scared. While I typically deal in weight lifting, Vinyasa Yoga, and Ballet Barre-based classes, strengthening work comes more easily to me. Cardio? Not so much. The idea of jogging – whether it’s on a treadmill or in place – personally always sounded like more of a snooze-fest than a pick-me-up.

Luckily, this class was anything but a snooze-fest. It was action-packed, to-the point, and an ultimate fat burner. It was both cardio and strength, but boring is not how I (or anyone) would describe it.

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First thing’s first. Attendees of the class were handed a mesh bag with the required equipment to put on. One look a the straps and pulleys, and I felt a little nervous. Would I even be able to figure out how to get this on? Luckily, the Crunch fitness instructors – in conjunction with Disq creator and former Dutch speedskater, Robbert Boekema – took the time to carefully demonstrate how to strap the Disq contraption on for ultimate effectiveness.

Once we got into gear, we warmed up with traditional exercises such as squats, skaters, and more – all of which were elevated thanks to the tension created by this pulley system. The rest of the class incorporated strengthening moves for both the upper and lower body.

Upper body moves included movements such as bicep  curls, rear delt rows and overhead “presses”, to name a few, while lower body work included lunges, more variations on squats, and other plyometrics such as mountain climbers and jumping jacks. The fast pace and intervals at which these moves were performed made it ideal for getting your heart rate up, all while challenging yourself strength-wise thanks to the Disq.

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The workout was undeniably challenging, but rewarding all the same. While it was only 45 minutes long, it undoubtedly rivals longer classes. I love expressing to fitness newbies that it truly is not necessary to live in the gym. If you love being in the gym for 2+ hours, more power to you, but is it necessary? Does it always translate into the results you want? Not necessarily. This class perfectly demonstrates that if you cover all your bases in 45 minutes or less and push yourself to the max, you can get just as sweaty (if not more) and see the results you want.

In addition, I really enjoyed how this class was not “geared” towards any one gender. Both females and males can enjoy the group fitness class and simultaneously be equally challenged.

All in all, this was a class I am so grateful for attending. The instructors and creator of the technique were incredibly high-energy, friendly, and inspiring to keep up with. It was unlike anything I had ever done before. To say this was a “transformer”  – even in only the 1 session – would not be an overstatement. If you are a member at Crunch, or even just thinking about becoming one, I highly suggest popping into this class for an invigorating workout.

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Would you take the Transformer w/ Disq class?