Workout: podFIT at Yoga Pod

Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer

Instructor Dan Carbonell leads a class during a podFIT workout last week at the Yoga Pod in Boulder. For more photos of the class go to dailycamera.com.

Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer

Natalie Pigliacampo works out with others during a podFIT class last week at the Yoga Pod in Boulder.

Jeremy Papasso / Staff Photographer

Kenzie Woods works out with others during a podFIT workout class last week at the Yoga Pod in Boulder.

Yoga Pod, 1750 29th St. Unit 2020, Boulder, 303-444-4232 boulder.yogapod.com

Instructor: Dan Carbonell fell in love with yoga while working and living in the Washington, D.C., area. He started a yoga teacher training course after moving to Boulder and now has 500 hours of training under his belt. He is also the COO of Yoga Pod, which consists of 11 studios with nine more opening by winter.

What is the workout? Don't be fooled by the yoga vibe of the studio — this class is all cardio and weight training. "The intention of this class is really to be a balanced complement to yoga practice," said Carbonell.

There was a full body warm up followed by two circuit workouts, finishing with stretching and a cool down. Each circuit includes cardio, squats, a standing series with arm exercises and pushups. Everyone grabs two sets of weights, one light and one heavy. The weights are used throughout most of the class, but can be dropped at any time if they get too heavy.

After the warm up, the music was turned up and we jumped into a fast paced weight training and body weight workout. The exercises were simple enough that it didn't require a lot of explanation and kept the class moving at a consistent pace. It's an hour of nonstop movement and heavy breathing.

What's different? PodFIT is very different from traditional yoga. The only real element of yoga is the yoga mat and the shoe-free environment. Yoga comes across as a very contemplative and serious exercise, with hushed voices and calm movements. This class was the antithesis of that workout. There was high-fiving, loud encouragements and conversations going on around the room. There was even an impromptu sing-along during the cool down. "It's a nice way to cut lose from the serious aspect of the practice and just have more fun. At the same time it's a really awesome workout," said Carbonell.

The music played a much bigger part then you might think. It kept us moving and motivated. The songs were chosen to synch up with the exercises by timing the beats per minute with how fast the exercise was performed. There is no lag in the high energy environment. It really pushes you through to the end. We moved straight from one exercise to the next, keeping our heart rates up and body moving.

"This is more of a strength-based practice. The idea is that the hot yoga or the flow yoga coupled with the fitness aspect is more of a balanced practice. So instead of just stretching all the time and opening your body up, we have this practice which is more about building strength in your body. The other practices are more mobility and this is more stability," said Carbonell.

Cost: The drop-in price is $18 per class. The monthly membership is $99 for unlimited classes. The studio also offers a 10-class punch card for $160.

Level: "Ideally, this class is all levels. There is always going to people on either end of the spectrum that maybe it doesn't work for. The general idea is that anything in this class can be modified," said Carbonell.

It's often said that a class is all levels, when realistically that isn't the case, so I appreciate Carbonell's honesty that there are some limitations. For the hardcore athlete this class may not be challenging or targeted enough to be appealing. On the flip side, people with limited mobility or issues with balance might find this to be too difficult and fast paced for them. For everyone in between, especially yogis that don't know where to start with weight training, this is a very good fit.

When: The class is an hour long and is offered at 12:15 and 4 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays; 10:30 a.m. and 5:30 p.m. Tuesdays and Thursdays; and 10 a.m. Saturdays and Sundays.

What to prepare: Workout clothes, yoga mat and water. I’d also highly suggest a towel. The combination of cardio and a warm room full of people makes for a very sweaty environment.

Muscles worked: I felt this in my legs the most, though I’m sure this varies with every class. My cardiovascular system was working overtime, breathing hard and sweating out all the water I drank that day. No matter what, you can bet on getting your heart rate up.

What I loved: I have a very short attention span for yoga, making me an outcast in a town in love with the practice. This class very much appeals to my squirrel-like wandering attention. I wasn't wondering when the class was going to be over or what I was going to have for dinner. I was fully engaged and really enjoyed the class, probably because it had very little in common with yoga.

What I didn't like: Coming into this class for the first time is a little overwhelming if you haven't gone to a lot of group fitness classes. There isn't any time to focus on form and there are too many students for any one-on-one time with the instructor. You have to be your own guide when it comes to knowing your limits and picking up the moves from scratch.

How I felt after the class: I was very surprised at how hard I worked in this class. I wanted to drink a gallon of water and jump into Boulder Creek to cool down by the end of it.

Know of any interesting workouts? Tell us about them so we can check them out: [email protected].

Sign up for email newsletters