Pilates Reformer with OnPointe Training

April 29, 2015

I love pilates reformer workouts. How can I not when people like Iza Goulart and Alessandra Ambrosio, both Victoria’s Secret models, credit pilates reformer with helping craft their long, lean and toned bodies?! Although I realize that genetics plays a major factor, pilates reformer is an intense workout and very different from the usual circuit-style training that I like doing.

The only downside to pilates reformer is that it can be expensive … and especially in San Francisco (have you seen our crazy rent prices?!). This is because of the expensive machinery involved and the fact that classes are always kept small; the maximum amount of people in a class is usually 4-6. You could say I was more than intrigued to learn that OnPointe Training offered pilates reformer classes at an affordable price. And in the Marina district of San Francisco nonetheless – for those of you not local to San Francisco, the Marina district is a very nice and pricey part of the city.

OnPointe Training

I was invited to try out a pilates reformer class at OnPointe Training last week and got to meet the lovely owner, Kaitlyn Rhoades, former ballerina turned pilates pro. We got to chat a little bit before and after class and she was extremely sweet. She told me that she wanted to open up a studio which offered pilates reformer at an affordable price because she wants everyone to be able to try it out. And she understands that not everyone can drop $45-50 for a class, two to three times a week! She informed me that to help clients afford the classes, OnPointe Training offered discounted rates through class packs and memberships. Although these options offer more of a commitment, they are a great way to help save money and motivate you to regularly commit to working out.

Although the studio space was smaller than other locations in the city, OnPointe Training is in a fantastic location right in the heart of Marina near other healthy food spots such as Seed & Salt, a yummy vegan cafe. Although the workout was not as intense as I had expected (which made sense since there was a beginner in the class I attended), it felt great to workout my body in a different way and target areas I do not normally workout. It surprises me everytime how much pilates reformer engages and works out my core; and how nice and tight it feels afterwards. I was so annoyed I forgot to bring my cute pilates reformer sticky socks and had to do the class with my ugly and old socks!!

All in all, it was a great experience and a lovely and complimentary workout to my usual fast-paced circuit workouts. If you live in the area or are visiting, I highly encourage you to check out OnPointe Training so you can experience a pilates reformer class for yourself.

Honestly yours,
Alice

Thank you for always supporting me! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest and don’t forget to subscribe!

Disclaimer: I was not financially compensated although I was offered a complimentary pilates reformer workout. Rest assured that my opinions will always stay unbiased and honest.

Fitness, San Francisco

Uforia Studios: San Francisco

April 24, 2015

I had planned to go to the Japantown Cherry Blossom Festival Parade, and so I thought it would be a great idea to try out a class at Uforia Studios early in the morning so I could head to the parade straight after. I confess that I never actually went to the parade as I couldn’t find anyone to go with me (and it was SO cold that day), but I have to tell you about how my class at Uforia Studios was!

Uforia Studios

I was kindly invited to try out a class of my choice at their newest location in Nob Hill, and after some mulling over their class choices, I decided on a grit class. Their website states that grit is “a perfect blend of conditioning and cardio … build long and lean muscles!’ – hey, sounds good to me!

The class was at 9am and with the knowledge that finding parking in San Francisco is such a tossup, I woke up around 8am (so hard on a Sunday) and drove off with a green smoothie in hand (recipe coming soon by the way). Luckily, parking was suuuper easy to find and I arrived there with plenty of time to spare. I was given a water bottle because I was a first-timer, which I thought was such a sweet gesture! Already pretty impressed, I had a little peek around the rest of the studio before class. It is a gorgeous space! It has a really modern feel to it and it is just beautiful … you need to see it to get what I’m talking about!

Grit

Okay, so onto the class. I was hoping for minimal upper body work because for some reason, I had been working out my upper body a lot last week. Although there was of course upper body work, we also did some lower body work, ab work and lots of high intensity moves. I really liked that we used a variety of equipment including gliders, a box and light weights. Although I thought the weights were a little light, we did a high amount of reps which really made everything burn. Although I felt like killing the instructor, Lee, during the workout, I felt so full of energy and good about myself for having done such a fantastic workout. And on a Sunday morning, no less! Oh plus, they offer you a cold towel and blueberries after class – really nice and thoughtful touch.

A Special Offer

Grit have been kind enough to offer not one, but TWO amazing deals for you guys! If you use the code honestlyfitness when choosing a class on their website, you will get that class free. And then you can tell me what you think about uforia studios 🙂 Also, if you want to buy a classpack, you can use the code honestlyfitness-20% and this will take off 20% of any class pack you purchase. FYI, they also have a location in Palo Alto, which is much easier to get to if you’re in the South Bay.

So, I’ve got your weekend plans sorted 😉 These are both such generous offers and I highly suggest you take advantage of them. I seriously can’t wait to know what you think about them; let me know how the other classes are since I haven’t tried them out yet! Here’s a sneak peek of what you can expect at Uforia Studios.

Honestly yours,
Alice

Disclaimer: I was given a free class at Uforia, and I get a small portion from every classpack bought. My thoughts are always my unbiased and own, and I only showcase what I think will be helpful for your health and fitness journey, and I thank you for supporting the brands that support Honestly Fitness.

Fitness, San Francisco

Pilates, Weights & Cardio at Burn SF

April 21, 2015

These past few months have been busy. I stressed out more than I should’ve, but how could I not? I had 3 huge exams (like determining if I will get my master’s degree or not huge) and tons of assignments to do, all while trying to maintain the blog, workout, and work (I work part-time). Social life? Non-existent.

Burn SF

I am so glad that April is finally here! I was invited to the grand opening of Burn SF’s newest studio in Hayes Valley at the end of February but I knew there was no way I could fit it into my schedule. I was so disappointed, as their workouts consisting of pilates, weights and cardio sounded awesome and right up my alley. Luckily, Burn SF were kind enough to let me try out a class when my schedule got a little less hectic (hello April!) so I went to check out their studio in the Mission.

The studio was really easy to get to, as it was just a short walk away from the 24th Mission BART stop. This was a huge plus for me because having to drive around San Francisco is as bad as it gets. The people here drive like maniacs -shakes head-. Anyway, I was really impressed with how fun and challenging the class was! The class boasts that you can burn between 500-650 calories per session.

Burn SF uses customized slastix resistance bands in their workouts which truly helped to make their class stand out. There was a lot of upper body work, so think tons of band work targeting the biceps, triceps and shoulders. For certain parts of class, you were strapped to a resistance band which allowed you to do exercises such as sprints, jumping jacks and high knees. It is a little hard to explain, but it was a very unique experience and all the more reason to try out Burn SF. The emphasis on small movements (which made your muscles burn) really pushed me to my limits. Although I would have loved to see a bit more focus on the lower body, overall I really enjoyed the workout and thought it was a great way to shake up my usual routine. Plus, I was able to get a delicious latte from Grand Coffee right after 😉

Burn SF will be expanding into the Bay Area, with plans to expand into Oakland and Seratoga. They already have a ton of locations in San Francisco as well, so they are really accessible. Me personally? Like I said earlier, I am so happy I can hop on BART to get there! I would definitely like to do another Burn SF workout and bring a friend with me 🙂

Honestly yours
Alice
All photo credits go to Jennifer Graham photography (minus the latte photo).

Thank you for always supporting me! For more Honestly Fitness, check out my Instagram, Facebook, Twitter & Pinterest and don’t forget to subscribe!

Disclaimer: I was offered a free class at Burn SF but no financial compensation. My thoughts are always my unbiased and own 🙂

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