Equinox Gym Now Offers Rounds Boxing Class
The Equinox Luxury Fitness Club is just that. It is a gym that feels as if you are working out in luxury, from their clean lines and spa-like restrooms to the offering of apparel, smoothies, and fitness apparel.
They recently began offering a new class called Rounds. This class is offered at the Preston Hollow location on Saturday at 11:15 a.m.
Now don’t think this is a simple “slapping a heavy bag” type of class. They push you as far as you can go physically. The average boxer works in three-minute intervals. This class is 60. Sixty minutes of jumping, hitting, sweating, and pushing yourself to the limit.
Our instructors for the day were Lizzie Furlong and Lindsey Lidiak. Both instructors are CPR and AED certified.
Furlong has been teaching at Equinox since May 2019. She began her fitness journey with soccer and kung fu martial arts, where she spent about six years before she began studying boxing, Muay Thai, and jiu-jitsu. She eventually began personal training and group fitness and grew to love it.
Lidiak has been teaching at Equinox for about six months. She was drawn to the gym because of the atmosphere, the experience, and the wealth of knowledge they offer. She has taught group fitness for over nine years. She attended Texas Wesleyan University and obtained a bachelor’s in kinesiology.
The class began by asking if there were any injuries they should be aware of. It calmed my nerves that they are willing to accommodate those situations and that they care about your current state of health.
This class is broken down into three categories. Agility, an iron station with weights and boxing. You stay at each station for six minutes.
The first station included a pyramid of repetitions. We began with weighted squats. There was a range of weights from 10 pounds and up that you can adjust to your fitness level. I began with 12 pounds. I didn’t want to tire myself too early. You did six weighted squats and six high V crunches. After about the fourth series I began to feel the burn. I like taking the elevator, but this made me think about taking the stairs in the future.
The next station is the boxing station. They had gloves in various sizes for you to use. This is the time to take out your anger on an inanimate object. A series of one, two punches almost makes you feel like a real boxer. Until you realize only one minute has passed and you have five more to go. After hitting the punching bag, the instructor had us do drills with her. She held up her punching mitts and instructed you through a series of punching combinations. Having her give words of affirmation while you are doing this makes you feel as if you aren’t as bad as you thought.
The final station was ladders. Watching football payers do this on TV honestly looked easier than this felt. I am not quick on my feet. The goal is to get moving and do it fast.
By the time you were done with doing each station twice the sweat was running. I could feel the burn of the constant movement in all of my limbs.
This class challenged me in a way I was expecting but not really ready for. As someone who does not stick to one fitness plan, this made me realize just how out of shape I was. At the same time, it reminded me of what the high of exercising can do for you. I left the class feeling pumped and exhilarated.
The instructors added to the positive experience. They only provided positive feedback and egged you on to perform better. This class is great because it can be altered to meet your skill level. I would recommend this class to exercise novices like me as well as those who have more experience.
“It’s hard and challenging, but we have tons of ways to modify it to make it successful for everybody,” said Lidiak.
For more information about the class or information regarding membership visit equinox.com.
