The Class: Lake Highlands’ Peak Zone Fitness one-hour group training changes daily. Classes start hourly beginning as early as 5:00am and staying open as late at 9:00pm.
The Appeal: Adding a heart rate monitor to my workout a few months back totally changed the way I stay fit. Now I know when to slow down and when to push harder. Peak Zone caught my eye because their program utilizes a belt and watch program called, “My Zone,” which monitors your heart rate, calories burned, and effort exerted.
The Instructor: Donny Day is the co-owner and program director with over a decade of experience and myriad of fitness and nutrition certifications.
The Space: In the one-room studio space, treadmills and rowing machines line the cardio side of the room. The rest of the area—which is devoted to strength training—faces a mirrored wall. Equipment rotates in and out based on what the focus is that day. My class was devoted to the upper body so each student had a mat, an incline bench, and a weighted bar. The lobby is stocked with nutritional supplements and there are men and women’s locker rooms at the back with the basic essentials.
Who’s There: My class was split 50-50 between men and women (mostly 30-somethings) dressed in casual gear. The group learned my name by the end of class and encouraged me to keep coming back.
How It Went: I was handed two, five-pound weights and joined the rest of the class on the treadmills. Day asked if I considered myself to be in good shape and I naively responded, “yes”. He set my incline to 12 and my speed to 3, instructing us to lift weights overhead with every other step. My lack of coordination and upper body strength tried to keep me down, but I suffered through the warm up—yes, this was the warm up—letting out a “woo!” when he finally told us to stop.
The strength training was focused on my biggest weakness: the upper body. A Metallica song played as we moved to the open gym space for timed circuits of push-ups, chest presses, “Cali push-ups” (a tricep-building move), and the old clean and press. We broke up circuits with a rowing session to get our heart rates back up (or keep them up in my case). A large screen displayed everyone’s stats (nicknames, heart rates, calories burned, MyZone points, and the percentage of your maximum heart rate) on color-coded information tiles as Day pushed each person to get to 80 percent of their maximum heart rate (green tile). We completed the upper body circuit three times before hitting the treadmills for one more cardio push.
The Aftermath: As they tried to walk me through all of the membership options, all I could think about was how poorly I had prepared for class that day. I was dizzy, exhausted, and my arms were so twitchy I could barely lift my water bottle as I waddled to my car in shame. I beg you, eat a healthy mix of protein and complex carbs throughout the day before jumping into a class like this one.
Loved: The no-nonsense workout kept my heart rate up with a heavy mix of cardio between weight circuits.
Hated: Sitting through a pressured sales pitch turned me off. I think a flyer with basic information and pricing would go a lot further than a speedy explanation of methods and rates.
Cost: You can try a class or two at no charge (check out the website). Then you have to commit. Single classes go for $40 per session and several tiers of packages are offered, but the memberships are clearly the most economical choice. You can sign a six-month contract at $149.95 per month, or go month-to-month with no commitment for $169.95. If you have a significant other, they can join you for an additional $119 per month. Membership includes free VO2 Max testing, MyZone heart rate monitor, meal plans, and bi-monthly evaluations.
Difficulty Level: These classes are designed to test your limits, but every move can be tailored to suit your fitness level. If you usually grab a 10-pound weight, they’re going to hand you a 15 and push you to do as many as you can. If I had been on my own, I would have grabbed a 20-pound bar for presses. Day gave me a 30 and told me if I would give him fifteen, I could have the lighter option. I surprised myself by pushing through and my arms already feel better for it. Day set rep goals, but he didn’t berate us if we didn’t hit them. He just paced the class offering encouragement and adjustments as needed.
Bottom Line: If you’re looking to make a change, big or small, this is limit-busting program that will hold you accountable and help you achieve your goals.
