I tried Uplift Studios

Have you tried  Uplift Studios on 23rd Street in Flatiron? Before last week, I hadn’t.

I’d heard great things, so when I was searching ClassPass for a post-work class that I could attend barefoot, Sculpt Fusion fit the bill. (For more on Uplift fandom, check out this post by Theodora, the blogger behind Preppy Runner.)

I knew Uplift was a women-only studio, but I didn’t think too much about that aspect, especially since I was signing up for a barre-like class, which tend to be women-only anyway. (Unless you count Matt and Jon.)

I opened the door to the studio, was immediately taken aback, and closed the door. The lobby area also operates as a personal training area and there was a lot going on there so I thought I interrupted a class. I didn’t see an alternate door so I opened it again and sorted my way to the front desk.

It’s not a big deal of course, and I’ve taken enough fitness classes that I don’t get easily intimidated but it was a strange first impression. Everything else was honky dory though.

The locker room was small, but amenity-packed.  A sign informed me they used products by women-owned companies whenever possible. Outside the locker room, there is a long bar and women sat casually reading magazines and chatting. After class, I saw a few ladies freshly showered and sharing a bottle of wine perched on the stools.

There was one noticeable difference about a women-only studio: no one closed the locker room door. So we all got changed in a kind of visible place. ‘tevs

The class itself was fantastic. It was a workout very similar to Physique57  (my favorite) but without a barre.  I used 5 lb weights for the class, and next time I’ll up the ante. We did a lot of planks, push ups, lunges, squats and balance exercises.  The class was organized in sets of short sequences that we repeated. It was the exact kind of workout I wanted, and the kind of work out I think supports running really well.

The classes are small – I think somewhere between 9-12 people were in the room and it was a full class.

I left feeling sore and happy.

The vibe inside was very encouraging and upbeat, like the name implies. It’s clear they care about having a welcoming, inclusive, community-oriented vibe.

But the reason I’d go back was the great workout. Has anyone else tried Uplift?