The Class: The exercise gurus at Beyond Fitness developed their class—which combines Pilates and weight training with good old-fashioned cardio—to blast 500 calories a session. The course (which I took at the Henderson location) has sessions as early as 5:30 a.m. and as late as 7:00 p.m. on weekdays and squeezes in weekend workouts between 9:30 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
The Appeal: Why burn 200 calories hanging out in down dog when you can surge through 500 at Beyond 500?
The Instructor: Rey Medrano has been training celebrity clients for over a decade. He started as an instructor at Beyond Pedaling back in 2013 and now leads the calorie-smashing class.
The Space: The single-room studio has a restroom on the right and a welcome desk to the left with a great selection of branded gear for sale. A long bench and cubbies line one wall, opposite a row of Curve treadmills. The center is a spacious area complete with Pilates chairs and kettle bells spread evenly throughout the room.
Who’s There: Mostly fit, stylish male athletes who were almost all under 35.
How It Went: The night before my class, I received an email that reminded me of the time and location, and included a checklist of what to bring: a towel, water, and trainers or running shoes.
When I got to class, we started with a brief warm-up of quick feet, toe touches, and plank drills. Then, Medrano asked the class to split into two groups: one for cardio and one for strength training. I volunteered to get the cardio portion of the class over with since that’s usually my least favorite portion of any class.
I stepped on to one of the Curve treadmills to get the feel for how the machine works. The self-propelled belt spins along a curved surface and speeds up as you run on it. When you’re ready to slow down, you just let your stride drift backwards and the belt begins to slow. The experience was unnerving at first, but once I got the hang of it, I was set.
When my group was finished with the cardio portion, we stepped down to the center of the floor for strength training. We held kettle bells as we did squats, overhead lifts, and single-arm swings with breaks for active-recovery moves like planks and lunges. Next, we used the Pilates chair to work our legs and glutes. We cycled through both the cardio and the strength portions twice as heart-pumping pop hits from Pit Bull, Kanye West, and Madonna blared through the speakers. Medrano ended the session with a few stretches and stayed after to answer questions.
The Aftermath: I was exhausted the rest of the afternoon and by dinner, my arms were sore.
Loved: The treadmill is a game changer. I know I don’t have space for one in my apartment, but I would give up my dining table to make room.
Hated: I had a difficult time hearing Medrano’s instruction, so I had to keep an eye on what my classmates were doing.
Cost: You can try your first class for $15 before committing to a package or monthly plan. These range from three to 15 sessions at between $80 and $270. The monthly unlimited membership is $249 and includes access to the Beyond Pilates location.
Difficulty Level: This would be a tough class for beginners. Most moves were low impact, but the pace was intense. We moved swiftly from one challenging exercise to the next with little time to rest in between.
Bottom Line: The name says it all. If you’re looking to burn 500-plus calories and add a little strength training to your routine, this class won’t disappoint.
