‘Simple, easy-to-follow workout for strengthening the muscle groups and toning’ – claims the official website of Life1 Fitness on their shaping group classes. After this very quick research of mine, I headed to Nyugati tér, thinking that I would have a slightly wearying, yet delightful 50 minutes. How wrong I was!
I attended a group class that is held by Sifi every Tuesday and Thursday. At first glance, she seemed really vivid, full of energy. She is that kind of a trainer who always has a kind word to both newcomers and those who regularly attend her classes and pays special attention to everyone’s physical state throughout her group workouts. Due to this relaxed environment, I immediately felt comfortable entering the room.
The shaping class starts with the regular warm-up exercises to prepare our body for the next 50 minutes that were, in my case, pretty challenging. It is followed by the main part of the class which includes exercises focusing on several muscle groups of the body: the Thursday class I took part in aimed the abs, the muscles of the arm, shoulder, back and thighs.
All of these exercises improve our strength and conditioning skills and requires our endurance and persistence.
The primary equipment we used was our own body weight, which was sometimes complemented with step pad, rubber band and ankle weight. The pieces of equipment that are used on a shaping class differ based on the trainers’ preferences: dumbbells, fitball, flexi bar and dynair pillow may be your workout companion, too. The class ends with stretching which is inevitable for our muscles to keep their flexibility.
My not-so-muscly body that is used to the slow-paced Pilates classes remembered every single move I made during the shaping class the following day in the form of immense muscle soreness. However, it was worth the pain as I felt energetic after-class and burnt up to 500 calories in less than an hour.
The shaping classes are recommended to everyone regardless age, gender or fitness level.