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IMAXShift Brooklyn

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This blog post could also be titled, the time I took a spin class in a movie theater or that time I left a class utterly confused and disappointed.

IMAXShift, which opened in May, is located near the beautiful Brooklyn Bridge Park in Dumbo. The first new studio to open in this area, they will soon have lots of company since Shadow Box and Row House are opening next month. Due to the convenient location and our love of spin classes, Bo and I hoped that we would quickly fall in love with this unique workout. We signed up for their 7:00 AM ride via ClassPass, excited to have discovered another great Brooklyn workout option. With average reviews of 4.7 out of 5 stars, it had to be a good experience, right? Unfortunately, that was not the case.

Ride Beyond ImaxShift Brooklyn

ImaxShift Spin Studio

Since the studio highlights the IMAXShift difference multiple times throughout their website and studio, I thought I would use these aspects to provide my review as they are correct, these things do differentiate the experience and studio from other NYC spin studios.

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  • Screen: When I heard the name of the studio and read the description, I thought the screen was going to make me fall in love with the experience. I envisioned simulated rides through the Alps or Pyrenees – following Tour de France rides or other globally known bike courses. Another option I envisioned was riding to my favorite, inspiring movie scenes. Instead, the 40 x 24 foot screen played everything from Justin Bieber music videos to nature images which reminded me of the Disney ride Soaring. Evidently each trainer has the freedom to design their own visuals and soundtrack so that no two rides are the same.  The teacher pointed out multiple times that we weren’t staring at a mirror or competing against anyone. While I love the no judgement mentality, I also don’t understand the mirror comparison when it comes to spin classes. While the ever-popular Soul Cycle has a mirror in the front of it’s classes, the classes are so dimly lit and sweaty that I’ve never even noticed the mirror as it’s often too dark or fogged from the sweat. 
  • Sound: While the music is Imax theatre quality, the louder than necessary music caused the instructor to literally scream at us during the class. In addition, for the entire class the music was off timing with the music videos which drove me a bit insane.
  • Studio: This is by far the largest spin studio I have ever seen! Since it is in the IMAX theater it is literally the size of a large movie theater and houses more than 50 bikes, only 5 of which were occupied this morning. The studio was so large that it left me feeling alone, especially during this morning’s class.
  • Stats: The Schwinn bike’s console, which reminded me of bikes at Equionx, allow you to see your stats at all times including time, distance and RPMs. However this class is more about keeping the beat than tracking your distance. I felt that it fell in between the bike dancing of Soul Cycle and the focus on the torque style of Flywheel.
  • Scene: The studio is the largest studio I’ve visited in New York City with plenty of space to relax before or after class, get ready in the spotless locker rooms. It is very similar to Peloton in that they encourage you to lounge and enjoy the space though unlike Peloton, there is no food or coffee bar to enjoy.

Would I go again? Most likely. I would be willing to try another class as long as it is during a more popular time and with a different teacher.  When I spoke with the front desk staff, they said that Bree’s classes are their most popular as she was just named NYC’s Hottest Trainer.

Cost: IMAXShift classes cost $34 or you can use one of you can take up to 3 classes per month via ClassPass.  They do have a first time rider special which is 2 rides for $34.

Address: The studio is located in DUMBO in Brooklyn at 127 Plymouth Street, conveniently located near the F train.

What to wear: I recommend wearing bike shorts or crops paired with a sports bra and tank top since the studio was warm this morning. Since they include spin shoes and towels in the price of class, you just need to remember socks!

Your turn: What would you want to watch if you were taking a spin class in an IMAX theater? 

Some images via New York Post.

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Spin Geneve – Geneva’s First Spin Studio

This morning it felt more like we were in London or New York than Geneva!

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Bo and I spent the morning doing something we’ve missed since moving abroad – enjoying a workout class followed by brunch. Catching up with friends before and after a sweaty workout class was a regular part of our weekend routine until moving to Geneva full time. While Geneva has many athletic people, very little of the Geneva social scene revolves around group fitness activities.

When I saw on Facebook that Geneva’s first spin studio was opening this week, Bo and I knew we wanted to give it a try. Bo, who is an avid Flywheel fan, has missed spin more than I have since moving abroad. But, as a runner who realizes the importance of cross training, I have missed cycling during these shorter, colder winter months.

Spin Geneve, conveniently located near our transportation hub, Gare Cornavin, enjoyed a soft opening the last few weeks of December before formally opening their doors on Monday.  An experiment of sorts, Spin Geneve is currently in Bike Switzerland, a local bike store which closes each winter during the off-season. This allows the Spin Geneve owners to see if the concept will work here before expanding into a permanent location.

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Based on our first two classes, it is clear that spinning is an unmet demand here, and the studio should do wonderfully! The space features 15 brand new bikes with RPM monitors, a bathroom, changing area and huge fan to keep the room cool. One great aspect of Spin Geneve versus many other spin studios is that their bikes all have interchangeable pedals. This means that regardless your shoe or clip style, they can fix a bike to meet your need!

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The classes are 45 minutes in length and have, thus far, replicated many of the nearby rides and popular cycling routes. The climbs are long and intense, followed by fast sprints to flush out the lactic acid. Doing their best to cater to the local market and demand, they are considering adding a few back to back classes, allowing people who want longer rides to stay for two classes. Their schedule currently includes morning, lunch and evening rides making it a very convenient Geneva workout option.

Cost: 25 CHF though packages can reduce prices to 20 CHF – Address: 22 Rue des Grottes, 1201 Geneva – What to wear: If you have cycling shorts & shoes, make sure to wear them. Otherwise, your favorite workout outfit & shoes will suffice.

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A Monday Double: Spinning and Core Fusion

The hunger monster is in rare form tonight! I want to eat everything in sight but have limited myself to this delicious glass of homemade granola, peanut butter, and yogurt instead since dinner is still in the oven.

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I hold today’s workout schedule responsible for my hunger level! This morning Bo and I enjoyed another Dave M spin class which was an absolute sweat fest. By the time he blasted a Girl Talk mash up of Ludacris around the 40 minute point I was sweating, sore, and exhausted. Luckily, I was able to find today’s Girl Talk song and have already downloaded them to my computer. They will definitely make their way into my National Half Marathon playlist.

After a long Monday of work, I enjoyed an amazing Core Fusion class at Exhale on Madison.

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It had been ages since I’ve taken a class with Fred. He spent the entire time adjusting students, making everyone feel like they were in a personal class. I felt like his class was more demanding than a few of the other ones I took in December but I loved every minute of it- even when my legs were burning and quivering.

Tonight’s class reinforced the benefits of strength training and cross training. The arm section was much easier today than it was in December, after the marathon. Due to the arm work I’ve been doing the past six weeks, I was able to do the arm portion of the class with 4 pound weights. My c-curl form has also improved greatly since my last class in December. I’m looking forward to working with Fred to develop a cross training, stretching, and restorative plan I can use to balance the running and spinning. I’m very curious to see what he recommends to keep my hip flexors, ITband, and glute muscles in check.

What is the best food to silence your hunger pains when nothing else seems to help?

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