what's new?...pop-up Pilates with Steph Prem

It was 6:15am when I rocked up to Winter Olympian Steph Prem's Premium Performance pop-up Pilates studio to try out her bootcamp class. I'd downed a shot of leftover cold drip from my fridge before leaving the house (too early to show my pillow-creased face in a cafe) and was waiting for the caffeine to kick in. I was feeling pretty tired and stale. 

However, within about a minute of meeting Steph, her energy started to rub off. She says herself that she has a "severe case of chronic enthusiasm", which is exactly what you need at 6:30am in the morning. 

After welcoming the group to the studio and checking whether anyone had any injuries, we started out with some (much needed) foam rolling. Man, my quads were sore. Then it was into the circuit, which involved a range of Pilates moves, bodyweight exercises and TRX suspension work. By the end of the class, I felt more supple, balanced and energised.

Steph is a professional snowboarder, but after suffering a career-ending back injury she rebuilt her career as a personal trainer and Pilates instructor. She's been training clients around Melbourne's parks and beaches for a while, but has recently opened up her pop-up studio. The studio is a gorgeous little loft above a clothing store on Chapel Street. There's no gym equipment, just Pilates props, TRX straps, a boxing bag and a ballet barre. Which is really all you need.

Verdict: Whilst I wasn't dripping in sweat, the class provided a full body workout with a focus on proper technique and core stability. If you have an injury, Steph will tailor the workout to suit your needs. And thanks to Steph's personality, you'll leave the class with a smile on your face.

You can find out more about Steph and Premium Performance at www.premium-performance.com. 


Whilst I was invited to attend Steph's bootcamp class for free, this review is my own opinion.

what's new?...KX Barre

As more and more people start jumping on the health and fitness bandwagon, a new fitness craze or super health food product seems to be coming out weekly. To add my two cents into the mix, I�ve decided to start a �what�s new?� segment, where I will review the latest health and fitness trends and provide my verdict (for what it�s worth).

 

To kick things off, the lovely people at KX Pilates invited me to try one of their new KX Barre classes.

I was given a free class in exchange for a review. The review is my own opinion - I�m not being paid to say good things!

 

Inspired by the training undertaken by dancers, KX Barre incorporates a mixture of ballet barre exercises, Pilates and cardio. I opted to try the Barre Sculpt class, as it promises a full body workout that strengthens, lengthens and tones your muscles (yes please!).

 

Coming from a background of high intensity strength and conditioning training (I did CrossFit for 2 years, now I do kickboxing and Muay Thai), I did wonder whether the class would actually give me a good workout. Well, it did. I was buggered by the end. Not dripping in sweat, but it felt like every muscle in my body had been worked hard. I especially felt it in my inner thighs and glutes a.k.a. my bum (glute medius, maximus, minimus�the lot).

 

What can you expect from the workout? Lots of pli�s, leg raises, kicks, arm circles with weights, Pilates-style abdominal work and a good stretch at the end. The movements simply use your body weight, resistance bands or small hand weights, so it�s all about muscle endurance. 

Pilates-style abdominal work with resistance bands

I did ballet growing up, so I really enjoyed the class�s ballet flavour. But you don�t need any dance training to do the classes. I�d say that once you�ve learnt the movements over a couple of classes, you�ll be set. The classes are small, so the instructor gets around to everyone to help with technique.

Verdict: If you�re looking to improve muscle endurance, lengthen your muscles and improve your balance and co-ordination, KX Barre classes are for you.

For locations and to book classes, go to the KX Pilates website www.kxpilates.com.au.