Written by Lawrence Bivins, O2 Fitness at Seaboard Station Member
As you work hard this year to make your body everything you want it to be, here’s something important to remember: Don’t let your mind lag behind. That’s what happened to me until I discovered Inner Strength.
What is Inner Strength?
Inner Strength is an innovative group fitness concept that burns major calories while keeping me mentally connected to the physical changes that come with improved fitness.
In recent years, sound guidance from O2 Fitness personal trainers – and some dedication on my part – trimmed 25 pounds of body fat off my mid-section and built new muscle in my chest, shoulders and arms.
As a result, my center-of-gravity shifted higher, leaving me slightly out of balance. My brain was slow to catch on to the new me. The solution began with a recommendation from an O2 staffer to give Inner Strength a try. Though frustrating at first – and occasionally even now, after a year – the class quickly became a key part of my class exercise schedule at O2 Fitness.
Inner Strength- More Challenging Than it Looks!
If Inner Strength looks to you like yoga-by-some-other-name, look closer. Lights are dim and most of us stand barefoot on an exercise mat, so it can initially seem a bit like a yoga class. But there the similarities end. Some of it is Pilates-inspired, though there are also functional drills that at times resemble bootcamp. We push hard for 45 minutes to sharpen our balance, coordination, core strength and cardiovascular endurance. The music is great, as is the overall mood.
Like all O2 Fitness classes, each of the excellent instructors brings a unique vibe into the room, and new moves are introduced regularly. For me, it’s a reliably sweaty 500+ calorie burn that’s challenging from every angle. Each class leaves me exhausted but also invigorated -- and eager to return the next week.
Linking Your Body & Brain Through Fitness
Whatever your 2013 fitness goals, Inner Strength will complement them by keeping your brain attuned to all the great new things you’re training your body to do.
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