Indoor cycling/spin has evolved so much. What was sheer torture to horrible trance & generic workout tunes has turned into a full out sweaty dance party on a bike. If you haven’t given it a shot yet, you should. Here are our top 5 do’s and don’ts when going to a indoor cycling class: Do’s: Do a little research. Where is the studio? Who is the instructor? What type of music do they play? If you are a music lover then finding the studio that plays the kind of music you appreciate will help you ride hard! Do arrive early to get properly fitted on your bike. After the door shuts, winding your way through the cycle stadium looking for your correct bike, and then setting it up in the dark is not the best way to begin class. Do buy your own cycling shoes. If you plan on going again (which you will), make the investment. Who knows what kind of stinky toe jam is all up in those rental shoes. Do be prepared to sweat like never before. Don’t bother wearing makeup or a cute little updo for class.. The hair will be a rats nest and your full face of makeup that took a half hour to do will melt off in minutes. Do bring your own water bottle. It’s insane the amount of H2o you guzzle during class. You need it. Stay healthy, Stay hydrated! Don’ts: Don’t bring your cell phone, favorite magazine, or the New York Times (true story) into the studio. Allow yourself an hour to connect mind, body, and spirit. You deserve that. Schedule this time to disconnect from the outside world. Don’t forget your socks! Especially during sandal season, keep an extra pair of Pointe Studio socks in your gym bag! I see people put on the rental shoes with no socks because they “forgot.” My stomach turns just thinking about it. Don’t bee-line to the back row! I know it’s tempting, but find a place in the second row. You will be able to see the instructor better and I am willing to bet you will work harder. Don’t lean on the handlebars. Every once in a while look down at your knuckles… Are they white? Release the death grip. Keep your weight in your legs and your hips back over the saddle. They will get stronger I promise. Don’t got it alone. Everybody has that one friend that you can make eye contact with and know exactly what they are thinking. Bring them.

Sometimes plank doesn’t feel right, a stretch makes you feel worse than better, and which variation you need to take is unclear. Here are some clarifications of the most common weird pains and questions so you can feel more confident in getting the most out of your workout. Q: It seems like there are a trillion different ways to do down dog. Which is the correct one? A: Yes there are a trillion ways and all of them are amazing and should feel brilliant. Some tips for when you're in down dog: Distribute your weight inwards between thumb and index fingers. Head should feel heavy and relaxed with no stress in your neck. If your heels do not reach the floor take a small bend in the knees - tail tucked and ribs in. Try to create a sensation of a flat back while pulling in your core. Q: My feet hurt during spin class. Is this normal? A: Your shoes probably need an adjustment. Try tweaking them so that your feet turn slightly in and see if that helps. Remember to push and pull through your thighs and not solely through your feet or ankles. Q: Is it normal to get weird lower back pain when doing plank? Is that a good burn or a bad burn? A: Bad, bad, bad burn! No way should your back ever feel stress or take any pain during plank. Listen to your back, work your core and find the right balance between the two. Some steps to keep in mind for a successful plank: start on your knees. Tuck that tail. Pull in your ribs. Roll your shoulders back. Lift your head gazing forward for a neutral neck. Q: Do I have to follow the breathing instructions the instructor suggests? If I'm not exhaling while bending down and am instead inhaling am I screwing up my flow? A: Blood flow is an important part of exercise so why make it harder for your body do collect fresh oxygen. When you work within the movements; inhaling when your body is opening and exhaling when you are folding, you are only helping your body get the maximum results from  your workout!  

Many women face a variety of challenges in working out during pregnancy. From hormone-related issues to basic mechanical difficulties, there are always new modifications that need be applied, limitations considered, or things to be completely avoided. Here I have broken down what I found to be most helpful in tackling fitness goals during each trimester. Please note, that this is not designed to and does not provide medical advice or treatment to any individual. The first trimester: This can be a difficult time for many moms-in-the-making. One may experience nausea and/or vomiting, extremely low energy, cramping, and a roller coaster of emotions. Most moms keep their exciting news on the lock down. So not only do you feel like hell, but you can’t tell anyone why. Take it slow and easy. Listen to your body. I cut back on running and on my Bar Method classes during this time. I napped more. My diet consisted mostly of gummy bears. I worried that I was going to turn into a lump, but don’t worry, you’re comeback is just around the corner. Rest when you need to and eat your gummy bears. Just supplement with a green smoothie here and there if you can stomach it! The amazing second trimester: Most of us start to look [more] pregnant, energy is back and you can tell everyone what’s really been going on! You’ll probably resume your previous fitness routine. Remember it’s generally fine to do what you were doing before you were pregnant, but don’t take on anything too newly aggressive without first consulting your doctor. Also, remember to stay flexible to accommodate your body’s changes. I was going along fine until I suffered a pelvic sprain due to a combo of rapid weight gain and the relaxin hormone. I made some adjustments in class as to not aggravate the issue and replaced running with swimming. If you’re concerned about weight gain in general, try to use it to your advantage. While you shouldn’t be doing any heavy lifting, you’ll be lifting yourself around. Think of the muscle you are building to support your heavier body and the strength of your heart pumping for two, let alone the added mass. It’s like working out with weight packs on top of a mountain! The muscle you build during pregnancy will continue to work for you postpartum, burning fat stores while you take time to recover and bond with your baby. The third trimester: Oy, what a workout. Your baby is taking up more room, and not only are you allotted less of your hard-earned oxygen, but your little one is smushing your lungs to make the job that much harder! Now that weight gain can put even more pressure on your feet and joints, and cause more swelling all over. For barre class, I would stand on a mini-mat to lessen the pressure on my feet. I began leaving class at the halfway mark, though modifications were provided should I have chosen to stay. My first trimester exhaustion was back so I counted the slightest achievements of physical exercise victories. And as my body grew and I began fretting to leave the house, I kept up my practice with Bar Online at home. Whether it was 20 minutes or a full hour, I could do what suited me in whatever outfit suited me in the comfort of my living room until it was time to deliver. Remember that during pregnancy, you’re training for an “event” and smart training delivers results. Having a baby is the most challenging event I could ever train for physically, mentally and emotionally. I knew I needed to stay as fit and focused as possible to face labor and delivery as my best self. In the end, my training was put to the test and I was quite pleased with the results. He’s freaking adorable, best result of my life. And my seat’s not looking too bad for it either.

Pure Barre, Barre3, The Bar Method, Dailey Method, they all sound the same, so how does one pick the right barre class? Don’t worry, that’s what we’re here for! Let us help you out with our ultimate cheat sheet of barre classes! Pure Barre Utilizing the ballet barre to perform small isometric movements set to fantastic music, Pure Barre is a total body workout that lifts your seat, tones your thighs, abs, arms, and burns fat in record-breaking time. Pure Barre moves little faster than its competitors so if you like to move and groove, this is the class for you! The Dailey Method The Dailey Method is the original multidiscipline barre fitness class. It is clean, fresh, and stays up to date with the trends. The Dailey Method offers a variety of classes from the basic barre, interval training, and they now feature a Dailey cycle class, in which you spin for 40 minutes and work on upper body and core strength for 20 minutes. Give the Dailey Method a try, it might just change your life! The Bar Method The Bar Method is one of the safest Barre classes out there making it perfect for those looking for a low impact workout that still kicks your butt. Designed with the help of physical therapists to ensure proper body mechanics and the use of proper modifications and all of that information trickles down to the instructors. The instructors are also hands on with the students, so if you need the extra push to stay in the position, the Bar Method is the studio for you! Barre3 Unlike the previous three barre studios, which are closely tied to the Lotte Burk Method, Barre3 is set more in a yoga philosophy and borrows from many other forms of fitness. The Barre3 workout is ever changing as they grow with what they learn. This class is for you if you like the more zen approach to a barre class. Pop Physique Pop Physique takes the original Lotte Burk Method and puts a modern, sexy spin on it. The people behind Pop Physique see their exercise as an art form, but don’t let the clean branding and pink studio design fool you into thinking that it will be easy! Each class will work your arms, core, butt and legs hard. CardioBarre, Physique57, FlyBarre, and Core Fusion are all cardio driven fast paced studios that use lots of quick isometric movements including working with weights. Guaranteed to raise your butt and your heart rate, these studios are known for being more challenging and will make your legs feel like noodles after! Basically, if you are close to any of these studios, give them a try, let us know what you think. We would love you know what you think the difference is! Take a pic of you in your socks at the studio and tag us on Instragram!

I was seconds away from being wheeled into surgery to have a C-section. My saving grace? Grip socks + Bar Method, who knew. My pregnancy was standard. Some morning sickness cravings that took control and drove my car to McDonalds a few times for a 4pm pre-dinner Happy Meal… the elated day I found out I was having a boy… hair pulling moments of stepping on the scale and seeing a 7 in the center number slot despite a solid workout schedule through the bitter end… convincing my husband that yes, the ENTIRE house required a redecoration… and the final weeks of waiting, waiting, and waiting. And then, voila. The long days, but short months were over. The day before my due date, I went into labor. We arrived at the hospital at midnight, I was breathing through the pain, got my epidural and it was going to be smooth sailing after that. So I thought. My little guys’ heart rate started dropping, and was getting lower with each passing contraction. I was dilating fast, and the doctor and nurses were getting visibly more nervous with every contraction. I knew where this was heading. My husband, mom and sister were all in the room, quietly panicking as they watched the baby’s heart rate on the monitor have a harder and harder time coming back up. The nurses tried all they could, flipping me from side to side, and finally putting me on all fours to try and relieve some pressure for the baby. Nothing worked. Once I was fully dilated, the doctor and head nurse watched my baby’s heart rate fall one last time. He was in danger, and he needed to come out. The decision was made and a C-section was the new plan. Tears rolled down my face but I nodded through my oxygen mask that I was onboard with whatever needed to be done. Baby. Safe. One-track mind. I rolled onto my back as the team to take me to surgery came in with the gurney to wheel me out and into the OR. As the doctor sat down next to me to quickly explain what was about to happen, she noticed my socks: my grip socks from Pointe Studio. In an attempt to quickly get me to stop crying, she said she took Bar classes too and what a great core workout it was. Jumping into the conversation from the corner of the room, my sister piped up – “She’s a Bar Method Instructor.” The doctor froze, looked at me and asked if I had done Bar consistently through out the pregnancy. I answered with an affirmative nod, and that was it all it took. She barked her orders quickly and told the gaggle of nurses and doctors to prep for delivery, I was strong enough to push this baby out. Not more than 15 seconds later, she had me in stirrups, gave me stern instructions, a pep talk and told me I had to be stronger than I ever had been, and to get this baby out as quickly as possible. We were told he wouldn’t be breathing when he made his entrance to the world, and we wouldn’t be able to cut the umbilical cord. Shit. Got. Real. And with everyone in the room yelling at me (as kindly as nurses and doctors can) to push, I have never dug that deep and used all my strength to do anything. It was primal, it was instinctual, and I was certain all the blood vessels in my eyes were going to burst. But within 3 minutes, the little bundle of joy that would change my life forever came out screaming his head off. The best sound I’ve ever heard. Needless to say, I owe a lot to the Bar Method. It gave me the knowledge to workout effectively my entire pregnancy (and yes, you can do ab work, damn it), kept me strong, and allowed my body to do the seemingly impossible. It also helped me drop the 40+ pounds postpartum in just a few months time. Is there a secret? No. Eat well, work hard, it’s that painfully simple. Why am I sharing this story? Because my doctor should have known what my body was capable of. I should have told my doctor from the moment I knew she was the one that would be delivering my baby about my exercise regiment and my strength. She found this out by dumb luck because I was wearing my Pointe Studio socks, and had she not, I would have ended up in surgery. So speak up, ladies. Be an advocate for yourself. Push yourself to work hard through your pregnancy if you’re able to. Know your strength, and TELL YOUR DOCTOR. Could it save you from a c-section? Maybe, maybe not. But it’s certainly worth a shot. xx – Iva Side note: I’ve been an instructor at Bar Method in Newport Beach for almost 3 years, and a bar addict for a few more than that. When I found Bar Method, it became a stress reliever that I desperately needed in my life of running a start-up business. It changed my body, helped my mind and I found an incredible group of ladies to call allies in life.