Chicago offers an array of workouts, so you’re certain to always have a new studio or class to get your blood pumping. With ClassPass, you can experience up to 10 unique classes a month at Chicago fitness studios. Read our review of ClassPass here.
The Chicago Lifestyle had the chance to check out some of studios ClassPass offers and provide our recommendations.
Exhale Chicago
945 N. State (Gold Coast)
Class: Core Fusion
Soreness Factor: 2/5
Uniqueness Factor: 3/5
Would Recommend: Yes
Exhale provides a serene backdrop, making you feel like you’re getting in a quick workout on a spa retreat. That’s not to minimize the fact that you’re actually getting a good workout – muscles were wavering as pliés and squats pushed us to the limit. Part yoga, part barre with a splash of cardio and light weights, the Core Fusion class offered a varied workout within 60 minutes’ time. The class ended with a few stretches and the calm-inducing Shavasana yoga pose. The staff was extremely friendly and spa locker rooms made for a great experience at Exhale.
Core Fitness Chicago
1030 W. North Ave. (Lincoln Park)
Class: Train Like Jane
Soreness Factor: 5/5
Uniqueness Factor: 5/5
Would Recommend: Yes
Core Fitness’s Train Like Jane class (and its male counterpart class, Primal) are some of the most unique classes in the city (while not categorized as CrossFit, the hard-core nature of the workout comes close). Designed to work your body in the primal nature of the cave man days, the class involves a circuit of heavy lifting (weighted squats and bicep curls), chin-ups, body weight planks and Bosu ball squats. The unique factor comes in with equipment worthy of military training or football practice – tire flips, sled pulls and hurling sandbags. Run by a boot camp instructor over loud motivating music, the class works all kinds of muscles in ways you don’t normally accomplish at the gym. Located on the 3rd floor of a storage and office building, the fitness room is small but mighty. You will definitely leave this workout with sore muscles!
Kick@55 Fitness
820 N. Orleans (in Hifi Fitness) (Near North)
Class: Bootcamp
Soreness Factor: 4/5
Uniqueness Factor: 3/5
Would Recommend: Yes
Run by certified personal trainer Rebecca Gahan, Kick@55 fitness takes over a studio in the humongous (40,000 square feet) Hifi Fitness, a facility dedicated to personal training and personal trainer-run classes. Using fast, fun and intense exercise circuits, Rebecca pushes class members to the max. Prepare to get sweaty while burning hundreds of calories with weights, short sprints, jump ropes, body weight exercises and more. Quick variety and upbeat music make the time speed by, and if you’re lucky (and weather allows), Rebecca may end the class with an outdoor workout. Partner activities build camaraderie within the class and offer that extra push of motivation. You’ll feel super-charged to take on the day after taking Rebecca’s Kick@55 bootcamp.
Shred415
Studios in Old Town, Lincoln Park, Wicker Park, South Loop and North Shore
Class: Total Body
Soreness Factor: 4/5
Uniqueness Factor: 3/5
Would Recommend: Yes
Dubbed “415” by the setup of four intervals of 15 minutes each, Shred415 is not for the faint of heart. The fast-moving class guides you through two sets of intervals on the treadmill and two sets of intervals with weights, benches and body weight exercises on the floor. While treadmills may not sound the most exciting, the alternation of sprints with slower-paced running allows you to get a good cardio workout in a small amount of space. The workout allows you to go at your own pace, while encouraging you to push yourself to maximize your time. Floor exercises use dumbbells and a step-up bench to add variety. The studio is kept very dark during the class, so you don’t worry about anyone else’s progress but your own – but it’s a little too dark to run comfortably on the treadmill. Once you get used to the dim lighting the DJ jams will carry you through the rest of class.
CrossTown Fitness
1031 W. Madison (West Loop)
Class: Total Body
Soreness Factor: 4/5
Uniqueness Factor: 3/5
Would Recommend: Yes
After being greeted by a super friendly staff, you’ll find your spot on the floor, which is small but accommodates a lot of people. The instructor sections the group into small teams, who each take on a spot in the rotating circuit. The circuits cover everything from step-ups with biceps curls to treadmill sprints to throwing medicine balls at the exposed brick wall. In between each station there is a cardio burst – jumping jacks, burpees or similar exercises. This keeps the blood pumping and allows for minimal rest to keep calorie burn high. While there aren’t locker rooms in the studio, there are several health food options available up front, and a few tables to enjoy your food outside. Featuring over 100 weekly classes and well-known trainers, CrossTown Fitness offers something for everyone.
Go Cycle
525 W. North Ave. (Old Town)
Class: TRX Training
Soreness Factor: 3/5
Uniqueness Factor: 4/5
Would Recommend: Yes
While Go Cycle is most known for its spin studio, they offer spin classes paired with yoga, core sculpting or weights, as well as dedicated TRX classes. If you’re not familiar with TRX, it’s a set of body weight exercises using suspension straps. The straps are secured to the ceiling and have handles at the end, and can be adjusted to different lengths. TRX exercises can work all parts of the body, most notably the arms and core. The instructor set up each exercise in 30-20-10 second timing – start with 30 seconds at moderate difficulty, change your stance to make it slightly difficult for the next 20 seconds, and even more difficult for the last 10. Go Cycle’s TRX class is 45 minutes, which blew by! There weren’t many people in the class which made for dedicated help and instruction. While this is a great class for those familiar with TRX exercises and form, the instructor is patient and will show you the ropes if you’re new to TRX.
AIR Aerial Fitness
Studios in Lincoln Park, River North and Streeterville (coming soon)
Class: AIR Foundation
Soreness Factor: 1/5
Uniqueness Factor: 5/5
Would Recommend: No
You’ve seen pictures of acrobatic aerial yoga poses, thinking, I can do that too! While it seems cool in theory, aerial yoga is quite difficult (more so logistically than athletic ability). The “ropes” you hang from are actually large silken sheets, strong enough to hold your body weight (I couldn’t find a published weight limit). You’re required to start with the AIR Foundation before moving up to their more advanced classes, to get you used to working with the sheets and positioning yourself correctly. In the first move we did (the most interesting), the sheet is spread out and you climb in to lay down, your body expanding the whole length of the sheet, as if you are in a cocoon. If we could have stayed in this position the whole class it would have been great! For the remaining poses, the sheet is twisted up so it looks more like a rope. You’ll lean over the rope, resting it on your pelvis, to go into a downward dog pose. In addition to the mental hurdle of having the sheet hold all your body weight, this position is actually a bit painful. As the starting point for many of the poses, it made for an uncomfortable class. While expertise and comfort can be built over many classes, it was challenging for a first-timer.
With ClassPass, the adventures are endless, and the variety of the studios incredible. What are your favorite studios in Chicago?
{ClassPass membership was provided gratis for The Chicago Lifestyle to try these classes. All content, images and opinions are from The Chicago Lifestyle}
