8 Awesome Fitness Classes Worth Driving to the Suburbs For


Classes at Plank Studio are performed on Megaformer machines.

Classes at Plank Studio are performed on Megaformer machines.

Let’s just admit it, fellow Philadelphians: We can sort of be snobs when it comes to the suburbs. And why not, right? The entire point of living in a city is having everything you need within easy walking/biking/public transportation distance. City life is supposed to be convenient, so why should we bother going to the ‘burbs for, well, anything?

I’ll give you one sweaty reason: fitness studios. One of the perks of my job is being able to spend work time driving around and visiting fitness studios in far-flung places throughout the region. I’ve done Pilates in Wayne. Hot yoga in Westmont. Boot camp in Atlantic City. Spinning in West Chester. Trampoline aerobics (seriously!) in Oaks. In all that research, I’ve come to the conclusion that the suburbs have got it going on, people. And while you may not want to travel far for all of your fitness classes, it’s fun to mix it up every now and then with a new studio and new instructor.

So without further ado, here are eight not-so-far-from-Philly fitness classes that are worth the trek.

Mega Pilates
Where: Plank Studio, 532 West Lancaster Avenue, second floor, Wayne.
What: The 50-minute classes take place on 10-foot-long Megaformer Pilates machines. They’re meant to work every single muscle in your body slowly and surely until you, well, pretty much can’t move.

Spivi Cycling
Where: Inner Drive Fitness, 210 South Newtown Street, Newtown Square.
What: If you like video games, you’ll love this virtual cycling race at Inner Drive. Students compete with each other on a giant screen at the front of the class. You’ll pedal away as you follow your avatar along the course. The goal: Break free of the peloton to take the lead.

Tri-Challenge
Where: Purenergy, 21 Plank Avenue, Paoli.
What: Biofeedback is the name of the game here. You’ll cross-train harder than ever before as you sweat your way through cardio and strength intervals using rowers, treadmills, TRX, weights and more. Live readouts of your heart rate and calorie burn will prove just how hard you’re working.

P90X Remix
Where: The Gravity Center at Horsham Athletic Club, 400 Horsham Road, Horsham.
What: If you like the DVDs, you’ll love these 30-minute group classes based on the P90X workout. They’re high-intensity, and you’ll never do the same workout twice. Can’t say that about a DVD, can you?

I.C.E. – Interval Cardio Extra
Where: Main Line Health and Fitness, 931 Haverford Road, Bryn Mawr.
What: It’s worth it to fork over $20 for a day pass at this Bryn Mawr gym because you’ll get access to all its classes and facilities. Make a date with I.C.E., a cardio-and-strength training class that pairs fast-paced, breathless movements with a killer soundtrack to keep you moving.

YeS+
Where: Focus Fitness Main Line, 1111 East Lancaster Avenue, Bryn Mawr.
What: Forty-five minutes of Spin and 30 minutes of yoga make for the perfect sweat-and-stretch combo class.

Soular Warm Slow Flow
Where: Yogasphere Richboro, 883 Bustleton Pike, Richboro.
What: This slow-moving heated yoga class doesn’t break the thermometer; it’s heated to a relatively pleasant 80 to 85 degrees. So if you’ve had bad hot-yoga experiences in the past, this might be the place to redeem them. You’ll hold postures for longer periods as you stretch and relax deeply.

Les Mills Grit
Where: Fit Fire Studios, 300 West Lancaster Avenue, Devon.
What: You’ll be struggling to catch your breath—in a good way—from the first minute to the last in this half-hour long class. The point is to keep your heart rate up for maximum burn in minimal time with killer cardio and conditioning.

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