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.