Fitness

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Going to Spynga class, I had no idea what to expect.

Spynga is a new fitness concept by Spynga Studio owners Sari Nisker and Casey Schacter that has participants doing 30 minutes of spinning followed by 30 minutes of yoga.

Nisker, my instructor, said the idea of spinning and yoga came from wanting to combine her background in yoga, with Schacter's in spinning, to create a cardio and full-body workout.

The exercises complement each other because spinning gets your body heated and opens up your muscles, preparing them for the strength and balance exercises in yoga.

Both exercises were physically and mentally challenging. The spinning took us through a variation of fast and medium cycling, with different exercises such as uphill (standing up while on your bike) and sprints (going as fast as you can for short bursts of time). It was not easy, but finishing made me feel both relieved and proud.

The yoga portion, designed to complement and counterbalance the same muscles you used in spinning, is relaxing, calming and a great cool-down while providing strength and burning calories. During both exercises the instructor is encouraging and supportive.

The atmosphere was relaxing, pretentious-free and the class was filled with women of all shapes, sizes and ages. The classes are small, and Nisker said anyone aged 13 to 65 could participate in spynga.

The most important thing Nisker told us as we lay in our final yoga pose was to take a moment to appreciate and honour taking time out to be there, for ourselves, which is what fitness should be all about.

To get the best benefits from spynga, Nisker suggested coming to class at least twice a week. However, people who are attending three times a week will shed pounds fast, as each workout can burn from 500 to 650 calories.

Besides transforming bodies, spynga also helps develop self-confidence, core strength, endurance, flexibility and is a fantastic stress-reducer. I left with a sense of accomplishment and in need of a well-deserved shower.

Visit www.spynga.com/home.html for details.