I travelled 5 km early in the morning to go to BGC to try something new. Last Friday, I did my very first Physique 57 class. It’s the latest fitness franchise to land here in Manila.
In February of 2006, Physique 57 was born. Founders Jennifer Vaughan Maanav and Tanya Becker created the fitness program out of need when their previous studio closed down where the two were once a client and an instructor respectively. Physique 57 is an innovative and modern take on the best of The Lotte Berk Method. Twelve years later and Physique 57 has grown a community not just in New York City but as well as in LA, Hamptons, Dubai, Bangkok, Mumbai and now Manila.
Perfection is a myth but there’s magic in the process.
The stairway to fitness. Hahaha. I actually didn’t know what to expect save from the fact that the studio uses a barre. Other than this I was very excited (and a bit nervous) to try it for the first time.
So what should one expect when doing Physique 57?
GET READY TO PULSE
Expect a Physique 57 class to have a lot of pulses (see the photo above). That small minimal movement allows more contraction of certain muscle groups, particularly the thigh so prepare your quads because it’ll burn like it never did before!
quick tip: bring closed toe grip socks (the kind that covers even your toes), towel and water bottle. But if you forget to bring any of these you can purchase it at the studio. I saw there were Atsui apparel and Physique 57 merch by the reception area.
IT TARGETS NOT JUST CERTAIN AREAS OF YOUR BODY BUT ALSO YOUR MIND
Physique 57 workout targets the muscles in your arms, thighs, seat and abs to the point of fatigue then stretches them for relief. Honestly, I felt it on my thighs the most. A bit on my glutes, partially on my arms and abs. It felt like endurance training because just when you feel the intense burn of your muscles, you’d have to hold it on the last rep for a few seconds. Apart from targeting different areas of your body, I do believe like any other challenging workout, it’ll also train your mind. Pushing you to hold that last rep for a few seconds is sort of a mind game in my opinion.
quick tip: feel free to leave your inhibitions behind. For an introvert being surrounded by mirrors and workout alongside another person can be overwhelming. Best thing to do is to let go of expectations & your inhibitions. Focus on yourself but don’t be too hard on yourself too. Whether it’s your first time or not, remember that you’re there to sweat, workout and have fun.
GET READY TO BE CHALLENGED
I’ve been doing Pilates for three years now and have added strength training for almost a year but doing Physique 57 still challenged me. Their process called Interval Overload, includes muscle-defining arm exercises, intense thigh and seat sequences, waist-chiseling ab moves, and fluid stretches will ultimately let you feel the burn. BURN KUNG BURN TALAGA BES.
quick tip: it’s best to attend with a friend. 57 minutes of continuous workout may sound so long and tiring but if you’re with a friend it’s pretty fun!
GET READY TO DANCE A LITTLE
I was kinda surprised to know there’s a bit of dance moves incorporated in the sequence–kinda reminds me of aerobics–which totally made the workout fun. If you watched my Instagram stories and Michelle’s you’ve probably gotten a glimpse of the class we did. You sorta saw us throw our hands in the air while tilting our hips back and forth. Heehee.I cannot dance to save my life but instead of feeling shy about it I didn’t take myself seriously and just tried my best to catch up with the rest of the group!
quick tip: you can choose your own dumbbell weight. Start light because the arm workout series has no breaks in between so you’ll definitely feel the reps as you go along!
BARRE, BANDS, BALLS
Barre, bands, balls and dumbells are the props used during the workout. Basically you use your own body weight as resistance. Basic movements such as push, pull, lunge, squat are done repetitively until you feel the shake (if your arms or legs are involuntarily shaking then it means they’re working twice as hard!) which eventually wiil lead to feeling the burn.
quick tip: smile & breathe! One of the things we tend to forget while working out is proper breathing. One thing I learned from doing yoga & Pilates is to send my breath to the area that’s burning. I don’t know the science behind it but for me it works!
WHOLE BODY WORKOUT
While it primarily focuses on the lower body, Physique 57 is a total body workout. I think this is best for people (not just women) who only have 57 minutes to spare but wants a full body workout. The pacing can vary from slow to fast, pulses to hold, switching from legs, to arms, to abs and glutes.
All smiles after an intense workout led by Mia Cabalfin.
Love how each and everyone in class were competitive (amongst ourselves–I can see each one of us pushing ourselves) but the overall environment was very welcoming. The studio prompts each attendee to interact and sometimes face each other too!
With Beverly Hills based Physique 57 trainer Lyndsey Makovsky. I love how she was very encouraging during the entire workout. She would go around the studio making sure each one was doing the sequence properly by guiding us to do the right form. Can I just say super peg ko her arms and glutes!? Hahaha! Going back again if not this month, hopefully on my birth month so I can achieve Lyndsey’s physique & strength! 😉
Physique 57 Manila offically opens today! Visit their website to know how you can book a class.
PHYSIQUE 57
The W Building, 5th Ave., Bonifacio Global City, Taguig (go through Lane A; entrance is right beside Metrobank)
Leave a Reply