Secret Formula....

     

Anyone who knows me can tell you I have trouble sitting still for long. I have the attention span of a puppy, and can usually be found whirling from room to room at home, or back and forth across the store at work.

     So when it comes to my workouts, you are not going to find me slogging miles on the treadmill or repeating the same set of exercises over and over. On a good day, I can usually only last about 10 minutes on a cardio machine. I’ve always loved circuit training and fast paced fitness classes, but had to create my own combo to put the two together. It’s fine for a while, but sometimes you just need the motivation of a class full of people to push you a little harder.

      Enter my new favorite workout: Formula Total Body at The Fitness Formula in St. Louis’s Central West End.

 They offer both classes and personal training. The staff of instructors, trainers, and physical therapists have a wealth of experience, enthusiasm and  fun (yes FUN) that I don’t see in many of the chain boutique fitness studios. Each class is a little different based on the instructor, but the Formula Total Body classes all incorporate interval training with machines and weights. 

The intensity is based on your heart-rate and all exercises are modifiable, so everyone trains at their own pace.

     It’s total body, one-hour, heart-rate based interval training using free weights, kettlebells, TRX, sandbells, boxes, and a variety of machines, including the incline trainer, Versa Climber and a water rower.

-The incline trainer is a treadmill that goes up to an incline of 30%. You can walk or run at your own pace, adjusting the incline. Even at lower speeds, you burn more calories but avoid injury risk. 

-The Versa Climber is a low impact machine that simulates what I describe as crawling up a wall without the fear of heights. It uses both your arms and legs in a kind of cross-crawl pattern, strengthening your inner core and balance. 

-The water rower gives you the feeling that you’re actually rowing on the water. The low impact, smooth, rhythmic, and meditative movement of water rowing works 84% of your muscle mass during one exercise while lengthening contracted muscles. 

-The mix of free weights, TRX, kettlebells, sandbells, med balls and jump boxes build strength & power, define muscle, and build bone density. While the machines help build your cardio endurance.

     The daily workout mix is posted as you walk into class on a whiteboard. You have an idea of what’s coming, but the instructor leads you through the workout. Dividing into groups and teams, you alternate strength work and cardio throughout the class.  As I said before, the workouts are different every day, but they all move smoothly between sets. Some switch quickly and repeat, others are longer and fewer.

   They incorporate the MyZone Fitness tracker, so your name, heart rate and level of work show up on the screen in class, encouraging you to push a little harder to get into a higher zone. It's not mandatory, so if you're not into the numbers, you can still take the class and push at your own pace.

     My favorite days are the one-minute intervals, switching from cardio to weights every 3-6 minutes. (It speaks to my short attention span). For those who like to get a little distance on the treadmill, rower or climber, some classes use longer intervals. Some days you use all of the equipment, other days it’s more kettlebell or TRX. But each workout hits all of the muscle groups without overtraining.

     

Best of all is the support you get from the instructors and owners. They will be your biggest advocates, keep you accountable and cheer your successes.  My husband has been training with both of the owners and they constantly assess his progress, modify his workout to fit specific needs (he had knee replacements a few years ago), and update and revise his workout program. All with a sense of humor and tough love. 

They are located at 4630 Lindell Blvd in St. Louis, 63108.
Phone is 314-696-2700 or you can email them at info@fitnessformulastl.com.
Your first class is free and you can sign up on their website at: www.fitnessformulastl.com

     If you live in or near the Central West End, it’s right in your backyard. But it’s worth the drive from all over STL, especially now that summer is almost here. Because after a great workout, who doesn’t love a healthy lunch or dinner at a CWE restaurant patio?