What I am "F'd Up!" about today! Core and Powerstrike at Equinox Gym

I am a group fitness junkie. I LOVE to go to class. Although the bulk of my workouts take place in the four walls of my apartment, it is nice to get out in the world and see what everyone else is up to. Luckily through the magic of Twitter, I hooked up with my pal Cherie Lily and scored a guest pass to a Core class and Powerstrike class last Tuesday at the very slick Equinox gym on 92nd Street.

I was giddy and a little nervous when I walked into the gym. Equinox was abuzz with a member party, and all the machines were pumping with the after work crowds. Cherie was at the front desk when I walked in and welcomed me with a huge hug, which instantly put me at ease.

Don't be fooled, folks. Cherie is nice but she is an ass kicker!

The class took place in one of the gym's studios on the second floor. I love the facilities here- everything is super clean and in great shape. I couldn't help but notice a lot of the members looked the same. I grabbed a mat and a medicine ball and waited for the class to fill up with members.

While I waited, Cherie put on some great dance music- I found out later that this was her own "house blend". She likes to use her own remixes and says, "This is one of the things makes me unique as a group fitness instructor - I make my own dance music! When I'm making music, I think about what would be the most exciting music to workout to, that will get people motivated, excited, pumped up to push it outside their comfort zone."

Once class began, I was so thankful that I had been doing the Shred! All the ab and plank work I had been quietly cursing under my exhales and inhales came into play for 30 minutes during the Core class. Bicycle crunches, side planks, regular planks, twists with the medicine ball: You name it, I crunched it. My sides were sore for two days after class!

After Core, people hurried off to Zumba or other classes, but I stayed on for POWERSTRIKE. I love kickboxing. In fact, I own more kickboxing workout DVDs than any other workouts. So needless to say, I was totally thrilled to attend.

Powerstrike was created by Ilaria Montagnani, a real life Wonder Woman. Seriously, she looks like she drives an invisible jet and she could kill you with her bare hands. Here is some more information from http://www.powerstrike.com/ - "The Powerstrike programs reflect the ideology of founder and president, Ilaria Montagnani, who believes the body's potential is an unrealized resource. She has created workouts designed to push everyday warriors past their comfort zone, tapping into their own strength and ability to face the daily challenges of their lives." I know! Right?

I felt like a warrior, fo' sho'. With a pumping beat to guide me I punched, jabbed, hooked, crossed, chambered, and round housed for an hour straight. Cherie got in there and did it with us, and kept us all smiling through the sweat. It was exhilarating to get out all that pent up aggression and burn all those calories! According to http://www.livestrong.com/, kickboxing can burn around 696 calories an hour.

Core and Powerstrike classes are offered at Equinox: Check out http://www.equinoxgym.com/ for class schedules. To learn more about my new hero Cherie Lily and all of her goodness, check out http://www.cherielily.com/.