Refine was started by New York City Ballet dancer, Brynn Jinnett, who wanted to create a way to bring resistance and cardio training together. All of the teachers are either current or former dancers. I should warn you, this is not for the faint of heart! What I originally thought was going to be an easier Pilates workout turned into a cardio class full of kettlebells, pulleys, squats, lunges and push ups.
The workout starts with using a foam roller to roll out any tight areas and then you move on to a quick cardio warm-up Next, is three rounds of a circuit which is non-stop and varies by class. They use a pulley system for resistance training and kettlebells to work your arms. Along with that, you will do jump backs, squat jumps, push-ups, jumping jacks and planks. Most moves are focused on a total body workout. The class goes by very fast though because you learn the quick circuit and only have to go through it three times. At the end of your final circuit, there are about ten minutes of ab exercises followed by a deep stretch.
I must say, Refine pretty much squashed all my preconceived notions-it is an intense workout and left me soooo soar for about 3 days after my first time going! 1. This place is not just for women- of all the times I have gone there has been a man in the class with me and today there was even a male instructor. The regulars here have amazing bodies so it definitely is a motivating factor! 2. I thought it was going to be another stuck up Pilates studio- all of the instructors have been amazing, I have had classes with Becca and Jeremy and they have been so welcoming. 3. This is a killer workout, my muscles are always shaking by the end of class and I'm always drenched in sweat.
I try to go once a week to Refine since it is still a program that leaves me exhausted and completely out of my comfort zone. I would encourage anyone to try this out with the free class. It seems like it has a pretty loyal following~ there are locations in Union Square, Upper East Side and Upper West Side.
