Why he’s different: Remember from my recent review of the studio, Michael is a real crew coach vs. a fitness instructor. He rowed competitively in high school and college; after graduation, he continued as a coach for a few girls’ varsity teams and, most recently, the men’s varsity team at Clarkson University. He describes his training style as “a mix of fun camp counselor and intense crew coach” and you’ll find that all this high-level rowing combined with professional coaching makes for some really loud in-class cheering and major attention to proper form.

What’s inside his closet: A self-described very low maintenance kind of guy, you’ll find lots of workout clothes by Lululemon and Nike plus a few vintage pieces from Beacon’s Closet and newer ones scooped up at H&M.

A day in his life: Starts with 20 minutes of stretching, followed by 3-4 back-to-back classes at Brooklyn Crew. On off days, you can find Michael listening to bands at Glasslands and eating pizza at Roberta’s in his Bushwick neighborhood.

Fitness (and life) motto: “Keep calm and row on.”

Want to book a class with (and bat your mascara-free lashes at) Michael? Click here.

Hopped onto the L train one stop to Bedford to get rowing, which is all the rage right now.

Brooklyn Crew’s studio is modern and sleek though small, in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge.

The workout is centered around “dynamic ergs” (indoor rowers) that simulate the movement of rowing on water. They’re streamlined and deliver a smoother stroke than what I remember from past indoor rowing (hello, college P.E.) These even have a handy hook in back for a towel. Grab two at the front desk…you’re going to need them.

Classes are led by real crew coaches instead of fitness instructors. Mine was Michael Aiken, a collegiate rower, himself, and high school & university coach since then. This makes for a more intense experience (little slacking, lots of sweating) vs. your average group fitness class. Michael takes his rowing very seriously, and, for those of us who have participated in team sports, you know–you do not want to disappoint the coach.

The introductory Novice class focuses mostly on proper form for the perfect stroke. After 2-3 of these, you move on to the Signature class, which I’ll get to experience soon. Today, my all-over soreness confirms that, yes, it’s definitely a full body workout.

Having just burned up to 800 calories (dependent on body weight, of course), the post-workout meal at Marlow & Sons was much-needed.

Love the artsy view on Brooklyn’s Broadway.

And, this morning, I headed downtown to brunch on the Bowery at DBGB with a great group of girls. There’s nothing like a quality catch-up over coffee and french toast.

As I write this, I’m slowly coming out of my caffeine-fueled food coma.

Next steps for me? Back on the erg ASAP.