Although you should have prepared for beach season much earlier, it’s never too late to get faster, taller, and stronger. That’s what the BURO editors thought. and I chose one sport each, that I had wanted to master for a long time, but my hands (and feet) just couldn’t do it. We tried cycling, pole, boxing and even surfing, and we’ll talk about how it was and what came of it. Spoiler: trying new things is great.
After four years of pole dancing and online training at SM Stretching (thanks a million for the productive time during and after Covid), eight years (while writing, I surprised myself) of stretching, it’s hard for me to care about anything. When we started talking about choosing a sport that I would “never choose”, I immediately remembered several videos from the Ban program, where they pedal to the songs of Meladze and “Tsarina”. I decided: this is what I’m signing up for. So far I have completed five out of ten workouts, but I can already say that this load is for me. I debuted with Cycle Start, but realized I could do more: every subsequent time I signed up for Cycle 45 (including dumbbell work). The result: excellent drying, good mood, relaxed head, tired (but pleasant) body.
The only thing is that I think it would be worth adding a 5-minute warm-up, taking into account the different basic configurations of those present. PS: There are no doubts about the equipment of the studios and the work of the staff, but some places (for example, on Novoslobodskaya) attracted attention with their complexity. The first time, it took 20 minutes to figure out the intricacies of the garden and get on the right track (read: finding that very studio).
The main goal that led me to Pilates was to be healthier and, more specifically, to capture a feeling of lightness in the body, eliminate tension and pain caused by a sedentary lifestyle, and strengthen my muscles. And on this list of goals, all the boxes were checked. A special bow to the studio itself. I went to Sculpt because I knew for a fact (based on my friends’ glowing reviews) that only professionals work here, and the bonus was a cool interior and modern equipment that was a pleasure to use. I decided to take a comprehensive approach to trying Pilates on the reformer and went down the Beginners – Intermediate – Advanced path, as it should be. I advise you to do the same and not skip a single level (if it seems that you are an athlete and can immediately join the group with the advanced ones, it is just your opinion). By the way, I was at all three studio locations: on Mayakovskaya, Frunzenskaya and the newest, recently opened one on Chistye Prudy. I fell in love with the ads with all my heart and have already decided to renew them when the subscription expires.
For two months straight I dreamed about Miley Cyrus’ sculpted arms. They were imaginative and drove me crazy. We decided to step up our game and try something very daring, like pole dancing. So she ended up working as a directing researcher at Polezhaevskaya’s Premium Pole studio (the second one was at Mosfilm). I bought a cute short skirt (like in childhood) and a crop top (spoiler: it won’t work, it will be too hot, a sports bra will suffice). The first advantage is the studio application, where you need to create a personal account and sign up for classes (personal, stretching, striptease, exotic), as well as read the news, find out about summer sales and the loyalty system. The second is the study itself and the care with which it was carried out. Relaxed hip hop plays in the hallway, you can relax on pink ottomans, and in the shower there is everything you need to get rid of body cream (it will interfere when sliding on a pole). The third advantage is the community of girls who support and talk about the class experience, as well as plan picnics and summer dances (this is probably how adults find friends). Fourth and most important: in my first lesson I met the coolest teacher. Oksana Davydova, even though the room was full and all the girls were super professional, explained to me how to make the elements and helped me when I was “stupid” (she literally moved my inept legs and showed me how to do it correctly). That’s how I learned the “clothespin,” the “spider,” and other things whose names I don’t remember. After several classes, you will definitely understand this emotion: your head is afraid, but so is your body. The next challenge is to move on to difficult elements and get used to feeling pain, as well as your arms and abs. At the same time, take a month to stretch and do the splits!
I finally fulfilled my childhood dream of conquering the waves. The process turned out to be much more difficult than I imagined (ten times more difficult than in skateboarding and snowboarding), but the charge of positive emotions was x100. The training consisted of a warm-up on land, instructions and then a board ride. All staff, from managers to coaching staff, are professionals in their field. It’s immediately obvious that they get high from what they do and they also give you energy from it.
It seems studio chain SM Stretching needs no introduction. I’ve been going there for a long time for other activities (stretching, barre and Pilates), but I hadn’t decided to try FitBoxing before (and it’s a shame). This is a cardio workout with boxing elements accompanied by energetic hip-hop with super-charged trainers that don’t let you rest for a second. First of all, when I signed up for boxing, I wanted to increase my endurance and lose some extra kilos. This is working successfully. The lesson is divided into several parts: warm-up on the step-steps, cardiovascular part on the punching bag, strength training and final boxing with the last of your strength. The lesson is complex and intense, but terribly interesting. You forget about your problems and throw away negative energy. I recommend it to everyone and without fail!
I spent my entire childhood dancing, so the thrill of testing whether the muscles remembered those stretches and splits with tears and screams (who knows, knows) was great. For testing, I chose stretching, which I had not previously considered as an independent direction. I found a studio almost immediately and settled in at Mil’s Fit in St. Petersburg; To be honest, I was sold on Friday movies. Watching your favorite videos on a projector (last time we watched Renata Litvinova’s interview on the channel “Careful, Sobchak”), stretching and relaxing the body at the end of the working week turned out to be one of the best decisions (no matter how pathetic as it may seem). Previously, I thought that sports would take up a lot of time and wouldn’t fit into the schedule at all (read as “I was looking for pretty weak excuses”). After a few classes, I realized that I was ready to start preparing thoroughly for the beach season, and now I move on to strength training before stretching. Well, with Mil’s Fit there was a perfect combination: sensitive and professional teachers who will always tell you how to do the exercises correctly, cool and even motivating music that leaves no chance to relax and cheat and, finally, many interesting activities. . For example, yoga on mats in the Tauride Garden. I haven’t decided yet, but, as you understand, I have big plans.
Honestly, I get along fine with dance in any form, so when we decided to try an activity we hadn’t done before, the choice was predetermined: all that was left was to find a cool studio. On the advice of a colleague, I decided to try the format “These are people” at Alexander Mogilev’s school: no choreography is exhibited, just intuitive work with movement and getting rid of tension. Where to start if before dancing was only done at parties. Then I connected the Contemporary classes and the puzzle came together. I feel there is still a lot of time to spend on developing body memory, but a good start has been made. A special thank you (or rather, even a declaration of love) to the teachers: open, professional and without unnecessary pretensions, the guides are perhaps the most important thing when you have not yet figured out what squareness and body roll are.
My friends have been recommending body&mind to me for a long time and I finally found the time to start walking. This direction combines yoga exercises, Pilates, functional training and stretching. To be honest, not everything is working out yet, but there is something to strive for! Two or three times a week is a good pace to stay on track. After several sessions, the muscles get used to the load and it becomes easier. I will continue going, since X-fit is very close to home.
