GRIT HIIT - Grit Boxing Review

I’m not going to pretend that I’m an expert on boxing classes - but I can say that I’ve taken my fair share of boxing classes at different studios in NYC over the past couple of years (Work Train Fight, Overthrow Boxing Club, Everybody Fights, Punch Pedal House, Rumble, Shadowbox, NYSC, Kickbox Haus and Tapout Fitness).

Recently, a new studio joined the fray, and similar to the guerrilla-marketing campaign that accompanied Rumble’s arrival, this newcomer came in HOT with the Instagram sponsored advertisements, intro packages and beautiful models. Would you expect anything less from the boxing gym backed by none other than Mr. Worldwide? That’s right - one of Grit Bxing’s investors is Pitbull! Another big name behind the boxing gym? Tony Robbins. What a squad.

Grit Bxing has another gimmick though - it’s a fitness studio with a bar! No, not a barre. And not a smoothie bar or a juice bar - a straight up, “hit me with a tequila shot” BAR.

Naturally, I signed up for their intro package when it came across my phone screen - $36 (the usual cost of 1 Grit Bxing class) got you:

• 2 Classes

• 1 Guest Pass

• An “MZ Wallace-esque” Gym Bag

• 2 Free Drink Tokens

A definite deal! I appreciated that as the expiration date on the classes inched closer, and I struggled to get myself in for a class in the midst of triathlon training, they quickly answered my email and extended my classes.

I showed up for a 7 AM class at the Union Square studio (there are already plans to open the next Grit Bxing in San Francisco) with Evan Betts.

It’s worth nothing that Grit pays two of their trainers $1,000 an hour - and most make $450 per class! They’ve been very vocal about the fact that they wanted to find and hire the best of the best trainers - which meant auditioning over 500+ before selecting the 9 founding trainers you can now take a class with.

The Studio

The studio’s entryway was fancy, clean, and staffed by friendly front-desk folk. There are rhinestone studded gloves and punching bag spinning in the window, stadium style seating for people to wait for class, bright lights, and plenty of other extra AF touches.

Also in the lobby is the bar - but it’s not huge…there are only about 8 seats at the bar. At the morning class, the bar obviously wasn’t very popular (though they do serve coffee and kombucha) but when I went for a second class in the evening, there were quite a few people staying after class for a drink.

The Locker Rooms

The locker rooms have a lot of nice amenties - dry shampoo, tampons, hair dryers, fancy moisturizers, etc. While the locker rooms were nice - they were just SO crowded. I waited almost 40 minutes following my morning class to get in the shower. This is a product of the class size being so massive. This was also noticeable while waiting to go into class - when one class lets out and everyone is waiting for the next one to start, the waiting area is completely packed.

The Class

The class is split into three areas - you’ll start at either the bags, the treadmill or the weights section and cycle through twice during the 50 minute class.

Treadmill

Approximately 12 minutes of intervals (jog, run, run at an incline, sprint)

Bags

You rotate through different :45 combinations that are showed to you on a screen to make it easier to follow!

Floor

Ladder of the following exercises:

• Prisoner Squats

• Med Ball Burpee

• Squat to Med Ball Lateral Raise

  8-6-4-2-4-6-8-etc.

  The second lap on the floor was:

• 6X Side Lunge Left

• 6X Side Lunge Right

• 12 X Shoulder Taps

• 6X Single Leg Glue Bridge Left

• 6X Single Leg Glute Bridge Right

  Finally we finished with:

• 5 Medicine ball squat to press

• 5 Medicine ball burpees with plank jack

• Last :45 was all med ball burpees with plank jacks

On our way out after class, we were offered up a shot of electrolyte margarita! Pretty kitschy, but people seemed to love it.

What I Liked

• The instructor was very impressive at giving direction to the three difference areas of the class - it was a lot going on, but he managed to keep things from getting too confusing.

• They use my favorite type of bunching bags - they’re filled with water and very satisfying to punch!

• This class would be great for people that get bored doing one thing - you’re constantly switching it up which makes things go by really fast! Class was over before I knew it.

What I Didn’t Like

• I’m not a huge fan of classes that include treadmills. I love running so much, and can’t run a ton of mileage, so I want my runs to be outside in the park with my friends! Not on a treadmill.

• There were SO many people in the class. The instructor was shouting directions the entire time but had no time to really encourage people or have any one on one time with people in the class. Corrections on form was impossible.

• There was almost no teaching of the boxing moves. It’s pretty much expected that you already know jab, cross, uppercut, hook, etc.

Class Size

As I mentioned, the class size is very large. There are 50+ people in each class. But they must be doing something right, because many of the classes fill up a week in advance!

Sweat Scale

Boxing classes always get me sweat and this was no exception. Though my arms weren’t as dead as they have been after some other boxing classes, I certainly felt that I got in a great and very well-rounded workout. It’s a good mix of cardio and strength.

Cost

The intro deals were definitely worth it. Class costs are in line with other boutique fitness classes, but on the higher end at $36. You’ll also need to either rent or purchase gloves and wraps which is an added cost that bothers me at boxing studios.

Bottom Line

Despite the founder claiming that creating community is the reason behind the bar-in-studio formula being tested by Grit, I didn’t get very friendly vibes during my two trips. I think this is mainly due to the fact that there are just so many bodies in the studio at any given time - it’s overwhelming and also makes it almost impossible to have any sort of connection with the instructors.

It’s a great workout, it’s fun and sweaty and feels like you’re in a nightclub. Some people might light being able to just blend into the crowd and not draw any attention to themselves in the midst of the loud music, flashing lights and crowded room. If that’s what you like in a class then you’ll probably have a great time at Grit! It’s not for me but I wouldn’t discourage anyone from going and making up their own mind! Just go at night when you don’t have to shower and get to work afterwards…

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Am I Starting To Like Yoga?!

I'm not denying that yoga has endless health benefits - that it's good for your body and good for your mind. 

I'm not denying that yoga can lead to increased strength and flexibility and decreased aches and pains. 

I'm not denying that it can connect you to your breath and your thoughts and teach you how to be in the moment - to embrace discomfort and to breathe through the most uncomfortable parts of your practice. 

But despite all of this, I still have never found myself super pumped about yoga. Instead, I've viewed it as a necessary piece of marathon training, or something I "should" do. To me, yoga has always essentially been glorified stretching. I hated the meditative aspects of it, couldn't sit still during shavasana, and got frustrated by my severe inflexibility. Hot yoga made me feel like I couldn't breathe, but during regular yoga I didn't work up a sweat and felt like I'd wasted an hour of my life. 

But in the last few weeks, a fitness funk and a running rut had me willing to give yoga another shot. An acceptance that I can't go 100 mph all day, every day, gave me a new appreciation for "easier" workout days. A need to get out of my own head and to breathe deeply had me smiling and nodding along to mantras like, "the pose begins when you want to get out of it." 

Basically, the stars aligned and the universe spoke to me and suddenly, yoga just made sense! Okay, that isn't even close to what happened. 

URBAN ELEMENTS

What really happened, was my friend Sabrina forced me into going with her to a hot yoga class when we were in Pittsburgh for work. We found a studio (Urban Elements!) that had both hot yoga and spin classes and bought a $20 pass for 10 days of unlimited classes. In order to get the most bang for our buck, I reluctantly agreed to an evening yoga class one night when we got out of work on the earlier side.  

Sabrina's exclamations of "I'm so excited" were met by my eye rolls, sighs, and "Kill me's." To say I was dreading 75 minutes of yoga was an understatement. 

But then something weird happened - I kind of enjoyed it. It was a hot vinyasa power yoga class - but not so hot that I was only focused on the beads of sweat rolling down my arms. 

The studio had The Twelve Laws of Transformation written on a chalkboard and I read through them before the start of class:

• 1.  Seek the Truth
• 2.  Be Willing to Come Apart
• 3.  Step Out of Your Comfort Zone
• 4.  Commit to Growth
• 5.  Shift Your Vision
• 6.  Drop What You Know
• 7.  Relax with What Is
• 8.  Remove the Rocks
• 9.  Don’t Rush the Process
• 10. Be True to Yourself
• 11.  Be Still and Know
• 12.  Understand that the Whole is the Goal

I realized that the quote, and the style of yoga practiced at Urban Elements, came from Baron Baptiste. Many people, including Ali, have insisted that I would like studios like Lyons Den who practice the Baptiste methodology.  Turns out, those people knew what they were talking about! 

I liked that instead of feeling like I was stretching during this class, I felt powerful in each of the poses. The heat really did loosen me up and I was able to get much deeper into the poses than I ever had before. 

By the end of class, yes, I was wondering "How much longer?" but it went by much quicker than usual and before I knew it I was in shavasana (I still fidget incessantly) and the instructor was placing a cool, lavender compress over my eyes. It was heavenly - and I actually felt myself relax into the restful moment. 

Urban Elements Power Yoga and Indoor Cycling - you the real MVP! It was after this class that I first had a "WOW I liked that" moment following a yoga class. 

(Urban Elements' classes also use Ryder bikes, which rock from side to side like a real bike! It was challenging and awkward getting used to it - and I couldn't really stand and ride fast on them, but it's awesome technology that I think should be in more studios. It's an added core challenge and just all around closer to actually cycling outdoors).

YOGA TO THE PEOPLE

A few weeks later I found myself thinking, "I want to go to a yoga class after work."  

The second the thought entered my brain and I acknowledged it, I was baffled. 

I hate evening workouts. 

I don't like yoga. 

I had already worked out that morning. 

What was going on? 

I didn't really know what was happening, but I Googled the Yoga to the People schedule and made my way to the 5:30 p.m.  hot yoga class. 

It was much hotter than Urban Elements, and half the time I was trying not to gag as my own sweat rolled into my mouth in downward dog. But the flow was powerful and quick (I can be a real baby about holding poses for any significant length of time) and we did some of my favorite hip opening stretches - pigeon and lizard. The music was good, the instructor gave great cues and again I was scratching my head as I left thinking, "I'm really glad I randomly did that!" 

(I was also really glad that Yoga to the People offers $7 classes!)  

NEW YORK YOGA

And THEN I finally went to a hot yoga class at New York Yoga with my friend Kayla. I am not exaggerating when I say that Kayla has been trying to get me to a class with her for over 2 years. 

I had 730+excuses not to go - but I finally ran out last Sunday and agreed that I would go with her to a 75 minute class (thankfully, I wasn't hungover or I would have 100% died). 

Kayla has been a big reason I believed in the benefits of yoga for runners and athletes even if I personally wasn't a fan. For almost 2 years she struggled with IT Band Syndrome and was unable to run - a huge adjustment for someone who was used to training for and running marathons. I watched as she went from a super sad and stressed sidelined runner to a super strong and happy yogi. Yes, she always missed running - but yoga kept her active and strong and sane. 

I don't know why I resisted for so long, when I saw the effect it had on Kayla right in front of my own eyes - but then I realized, "Wait a minute - I'm a super sad and stressed sidelined runner - maybe I should give this a try!" I finally paid the steep $30 for a class. 

I was really nervous. What if I hated it and was trapped for 75 minutes and then had to tell one of my best friends that I thought she was nuts for loving this place? What if I needed to leave because I was going to pass out? What if they used terminology I had never heard before? I'm more of a "triangle pose" girl than a "Trikonasana" girl.

The studio was HOT. There were people who literally looked like they had been in a swimming pool at the end of class. I had 3 towels and they were all completely drenched by the end of 75 minutes. 

But maybe even more than Urban Elements and Yoga to the People - this class challenged me and left me feeling really glad that I had gone. 

It was a perfect mix of fast flow and deep poses. The fast flow got my heart rate up and had me breathing like I had just run 6 miles. The constant chaturanga had my arms burning in the best way. The times when we could go through a flow at our own pace helped me really focus on connecting breath and movement which is usually something I roll my eyes at during a yoga class. 

And then there were the parts that I hate, but know are important - the poses that you have to hold for 10 breaths as your legs shake and everything screams "OMG STOP PLZ." For me, this is usually Utkatasana (chair pose). But more than the physical act of holding a pose that's difficult is the mental challenge of talking yourself through it and refusing to let yourself quit. It's also crazy that "breathing into" the areas that are the most painful actually helps! 

A shower never felt as good as the one after my class at New York Yoga.  

So, I think it's finally happened - I've started to find enjoyment in yoga. Here's what I've realized are the keys to a good yoga class (for me! Yoga preferences, apparently, are super personal and you might have to experiment for 2+ years to figure out what you like...) 

• An instructor that gives helpful queues about body alignment, breath, and how each pose should feel.
• I like hot yoga, because it loosens me up and makes me (slightly) more flexible - and I don't like going to a yoga class and feeling like I can't do anything! 
• I like a lot of ~flow~. What worked really well for me at New York Yoga was learning a sequence slowly, staying in each pose for a few breaths, and then being told "Now do that 5 times fast." This got my heart rate up (It was over 100 degrees!) and going at my own speed let me connect my breath and movements. 
• Instructors that give different options are great - but I need them to actually TEACH the other options. Telling me, "feel free to go into _____ if it's in your practice" isn't helpful if I don't know how to even attempt the more advanced pose. 
• I don't like chant-y music. An acoustic Spotify playlist with some Lumineers or Bon Iver, please! 
• I really like a quote at the beginning or end of class! 
• If every yoga class could have pigeon pose, that would be great. THANKS!

Does anyone have any other suggestions of yoga studios they think I would like? I know Core Power Yoga is coming to NYC and Lyon's Den, Y7 and Modo Yoga are on my "To Try" list - but any other recommendations are appreciated!