Fusion Fitness
By: Dena Braun
Fusion cooking is popular on the culinary scene, and now fusion fitness classes are all the rage at spas. The Golden Door Spa at the Boulders in Arizona is on the forefront of this trend with its latest offering, Spinyolates, a mix of spinning, yoga and Pilates crammed into one 50-minute class.
Last week I drove up to the spa to check out this new workout. The class begins with, and really focuses on, the spinning. Reebok Master Trainer, Vera Bond, led our class of four in a series of moves designed for interval training and to add interest to an otherwise monotonous activity. We started off slowly with Bond incorporating upper body and leg stretches into the cycling. We practiced hill climbs before embarking on a pretend outdoor ride where we each were instructed to cycle a certain way depending on where we were in the pack. Divided into teams of two riders we competed against each other in sprints.
For the last 15-minutes we took it to the mat and used a Pilates ring to engage in a series of stretches. I didn’t really feel the class incorporated any yoga moves.
I don’t regularly take spinning or Pilate’s classes, but had no trouble keeping up in this class. If you’re looking for a new twist for your exercise routine I’d recommend checking out a fusion class at the Boulders or wherever your travels take you.
