On September 27 and 28, Dallas held its first ever experiential fitness festival, FAME Fest, bringing together the best local studios, along with food, live music, and art. It was a lot (FAME stands for “fitness + arts + music + experience” after all), but the Omni Hotel and the Dallas Fitness Ambassadors made things feel pretty seamless.
I started my Saturday FAME Fest experience with some silent disco mat Pilates led by Beyond Studios. If you’ve taken any sort of Pilates class, you know one thing for sure: you’re activating muscles you didn’t know you had. How is it possible to feel so alive and as if you’re dying a slow death? Maybe it was just the headphones blasting disco music, simulating the surround sound of a club. Either way, I made it out alive.
After that excruciating (yet liberating) workout, I made my way around to the vendors before my next class. A standout was Hydrology, a local IV therapy service that uses “designer drips” for healing hydration. The menu features various, wittily named “cocktails,” including The Rehab, which claimed to balance, rehydrate, and provide energy through the day. After that Pilates session, I was sold—pump me up. I took a B12 shot and settled into a spin class.
Before FAME Fest, I had never experienced ZYN22, a buzzy, Texas-based studio. I’ve taken a spin class before, but I still get nervous before each ride. I know at some point, inevitably, I’m going to want to hop off the bike and find solace in the economy-size fan while I contemplate a getaway plan. Happens every time. But I persevere, begging for mercy, trying to embody the strength of Wonder Woman. There truly is nothing better than the endorphins rush of a spin workout.
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To cap off my FAME day, I went over to the recovery lounge and took advantage of the NormaTec compression therapy, where you put your legs in what looks like an astronaut suit, which performs a sort of pulse massage for about fifteen minutes or so. They told me it helps with muscle recovery, circulation, and inflammation. Once again, I was sold. After that, I tried Cryotherapy, where I was invited to stand in a capsule-like contraption (encasing all but my head) in -500 degrees for a grueling two minutes. I was told I would continue burning calories for up to 48 hours after my initial session. Nothing makes me more excited than potentially extending my calorie burn beyond my workout, so I forged on with the freeze.
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All of that is to say, I was physically drained (but hydrated!) after just a few hours at FAME Festival (I didn’t even make it to the evening concert or “DJ therapy session”). But the idea and concept of the festival is a brilliant one, and I can’t wait to see what’s in store at next year’s event (which is already in the works). I’m still not sure if that B12 did anything for me.
