In celebration of our wedding last Sunday, we were featured in The New York Times. My takeaway from our very chance meeting…and the twelve years prior that I spent dating online? Never give up. And, always wear a cute workout outfit. :)

Here’s our story.

Photo by Sarah Merians.

As a NYC Fit Week ambassador, I’ll be helping to kick things off at The Fhitting Room next Monday at 7 a.m. (because, seriously, who needs coffee when you have Emily?!).  There are still a few spots left, so, I’d love to see you there.  And, check out the full schedule including cult favorites like Brooklyn Bodyburn, intenSati and 3o5 Fitness.

Once you’ve selected your favorites, use code StrengthSole10 to receive 10% off all NYC Fit Week classes.  Enjoy and thanks for your support!

Class experience and head-to-toe look provided by SIX:02.
(Reebok pineapple pants are also available at select SIX:02 stores, find yours here.)
As always, all thoughts/opinions expressed are my own.

High intensity training is what it’s all about at The Fhitting Room. That means 50 fast-paced minutes of moves that rely primarily on body weight (burpees, jumping jacks, lunges and squats) and standard equipment (kettlebells, medicine balls, rowers and TRX), combined to create a Functional High Intensity Mix (FHIX). Our class was a fairly balanced blend of women and men (guys were definitely well-represented, for a group fitness class in Manhattan) and with an instructor-to-client ratio of 12:1, we found extra help where we needed it–and minimal opportunity to “rest” while no one was watching. Here’s a look around the gorgeous studio, plus a shot of Emily, Bianca and me celebrating a job well done.

Curious to try it out?  Book a class at The Fhitting Room’s Flatiron or original Upper East Side studio (first-time students receive 2 classes for the price of 1 – $35).  Then, come back here and let me know what you think!

Featured image c/o The Fhitting Room.

The catch? You can book four classes at any given studio from the 1st to the 31st.  So, if you’re a die-hard cyclist and prefer Peloton, once you’ve redeemed four classes there, you’ll have to spin elsewhere.  But, for those of us who seek out something new, it’s an effective way to sample a range of activities at in-demand studios like Mile High Run Club, Nalini Method, The P.E. Club and Xtend Barre.

I used FitReserve to try a range of classes that were new to me, like cycling at CLAY in Union Square and Core Fusion at Exhale Gansevoort. I tend to work out in the morning vs. evening, so, I had little trouble booking at my ideal start time, another common gripe among passport holders. My take? Try it. You might like it. Log on here to learn more.

And, because we New Yorkers are always up for a collective community-based challenge, it should come as no surprise that 100 tickets to Union Square’s Sweat Fest sold out in just nine minutes! The neighborhood’s first annual celebration of fitness kicked off with a party at JackRabbit Sports and featured classes led by instructors like Andia Winslow at Athleta and KGBody’s Katherine Greiner at Bandier.  

Here, a few photos from the fun and stay tuned for more spring festival updates: Sweaty Saturday on Saturday, March 21 and NYC Fit Week from May 11-16.

Thanks, as always, for reading–see you back here again in early March.
And, until then, follow me @fitgirlrachel!

Designed to burn fat and sculpt muscle simultaneously, HIIT includes a mix of kettle bell training, burpees, lunges and squats. This class incorporated those–and then some. It was a sold-out show, with 21 clients, and we each occupied a fixed spot in the studio vs. other HIIT classes, which often rely on circuits and continuous movement of small groups between stations.

In addition to the music, those of us who’d chosen to wear a Wahoo heart rate monitor supplied by the front desk were also able to push ourselves using the numbers displayed on a flat screen.

I always find this type of information inspirational vs. defeatist, so, whenever I saw my intensity level change from orange to yellow, I knew it was time to step it back up.

After several rounds of exercises, laid out for us on a chalk board at the beginning of class, we ended with abs: side and center planks plus scissor kicks. Ugh. What I need and dread most.

And, before I picked up my berry smoothie and headed out the door, I grabbed Robert plus a kettle bell for a sweaty photo opp. Posing for the camera and on the mic in class, this guy was born to do it.

My advice? Run, don’t walk!

Showing through February 15, 2015.

So, instead of saying nothing and waiting for my next class, I’ll say this: sometimes, being part of a team, whether as a couple, a colleague or a family member, trumps being leader of the pack.

Here are a few shots of what I’ve been up to lately and don’t worry, the sweat-meets-shrink session is still happening. Stay tuned.

Not a bad way to toast the bday, no?

I’ve been live Tweeting and Instagramming from our fall fashion and shopping events. This is a branding statement which I firmly stand behind.

And, a busy schedule means squeezing in my favorites right in the neighborhood: FlyWheel’s Chelsea studio and late night strolls on The High Line’s newly-opened section 3.

More soon!

And, tell me: how do you juggle work, life, fitness and family?

You’re wrong.

Welcome to Tone House, the hardest workout in New York City.

Bathed in red light, you’ll breathe harder than in any other class in town, you’ll sweat profusely as you carry the weight of a 70-pound harness on your back and you may even see black spots in between sets. But, you’ll be back for more.

Founder Alonzo Wilson lettered in every high school sport and went on to play college football. He now models for Wilhemina (that face, those guns!) and in conversation, he’s surprisingly soft-spoken for someone who designed a workout so crazy fierce.

The 15-minute warm-up consists of several rounds of hurdles, like these.

Then, there are pushups and burpees wearing the harness, strapped to the wall.

And, sprints back and forth across the studio, followed by resistance exercises using TRX bands that leverage your full body weight.

You’ll do all of this for an hour until it’s time to stretch and gather for one last team huddle signifying “game over.”

But, if you’re like me, the next morning, as you tell your friends about your more-than-grueling evening the night before, you’ll maybe, just maybe, also check the schedule.