Thanks to my partnership with Fitmapped, I had the opportunity to try a new to me studio last night, As One. Located in Columbus Circle, right down the block from the Time Warner Center, As One squeezes a tough workout into a short time by using functional, compound weighted movements with cardio bursts.
I honestly had no idea what to expect and tweeted yesterday that I was nervous – hoping someone would calm my fears. Just two days after the half marathon my legs were still a bit weary. What I discovered upon entering the studio, located 3 floors above Broadway, was an environment that was somewhere between CrossFit and personal training. 
The studio and machines were very no frill, a far cry from some of the other studios I’ve visited in New York. But, what the studio lacked in frills, it made up for in workout style and personality.
The six of us were told that we’d experience many of their more common workout moves in a 65 minute long class that would mix cardio and strength. In addition, the trainers ensured that they’d watch us for form, correcting us along the way because form is more important than repetition. I loved hearing this as Lauren, my previous personal trainer, often preached the importance of proper form.
Our warm up got each of hearts beating quickly while warming up our joints and muscles: 5 rounds of 20 jumping jacks followed by 5 burpees.
Divided into 2 groups of 3 we started to tackle the core of the class, weight and cardio. They explained that we’d go through a circuit of exercises five times, rotating to stations along the way. The stations included the following:
Cardio: Airdyne bike and StepMill
Floor moves: lunges, squats, mountain climbers, pushups, ab roll downs, dead lifts and rows with sand bags
I really liked mixing it up with the StepMill and Airdyne bike. While the bike was definitely a bit retro, using both arms and legs to keep the pace high was an added challenge. By the time we finished the first round I knew I’d be sweating at the end! In addition, having a small group atmosphere allowed us to gain energy from each other and instilled a bit of competition. I was happy that I could still complete all the pushups in regular style though I did slow on the last round to ensure good form.
True to their promise, the instructors did correct form the entire time and didn’t let anyone slack. This is definitely not a class for you if you like to take it easy or chill. Since the classes don’t allow for more than 15 participants, they can easily adjust and push you harder if they think it’s needed. I like having that level of accountability in a class.
One of the things that set As One apart from other fitness classes I’ve taken in the city that make me sweat and push me such as Barry’s or Uplift was the finale. Each class ends with 10 minutes of foam rolling and stretching. We did a few new to me moves with the foam roller, each of which targeted a different part of the leg! My fatigued legs were very thankful and I felt the buildup start to move as soon as the roller moved over the knots in my quads!
Would I go back: I’m spoiled considering that there are so many fitness options within walking distance of our apartment. If Columbus Circle was more convenient to my office or home, I’d definitely sprinkle this in when I’m looking for a good kick in the pants or with a friend. Their classes range from $20-$35 depending on the class and package purchased. If you want to try it out for yourself, they have such pride in what they do that the first class is ALWAYS FREE! Grab a friend and head uptown to try out one of their 3 different classes (As One Afterburn, As One Strength, or As One Cardio) and let me know what you think!
Want to read more? Check out the rest of the As One reviews on FitMapped!
