The moment I walked into studio47’s new Warren location, I was struck by two things: the sleek design of their sparkling new studio, and that the socks I’d put on that morning were neither matching nor clean – but I’ll get back to that. I was greeted by Mora, co-owner of the studio and instructor of the STRENGTH Pilates class that morning. She gave me a personal tour of the gorgeous new space housed within the recently redeveloped Tourister Mills building, including the strength training area, the barre and fitness studio, and (deep exhale) the relaxation room. I’d previously taken one of Mora’s classes at their former Barrington location, so I knew I was in store for a great exercise sesh and a much needed endorphin boost.
I took off my sneakers and - oopsies - one of my socks was highlighter yellow and the other would’ve been pink if I hadn’t worn it with black leather boots the previous day. Talk about a fitness fashion faux pas! Luckily, the studio sells a variety of fit footwear so I got myself a pair of Maryn Jane-style barre socks, partially because they had a gripped bottom and partially because they were really cute. With my footwear on fleek, I walked into the spacious studio lined with full-length mirrors and floor-to-ceiling windows, and grabbed one of the last remaining mats in the front of class.
Mora started class off with a warm-up from head to toe, quite literally. Executing the simultaneous motion of my arms and legs, alternating between the left and right sides, was a real workout for the old noggin too, especially on a Monday morning. Following the warm-up, we performed a set of standing, high-energy exercises including squats with simultaneous arm pulses, knee-ups, and lunges, plus alternating arm lifts, leg balance holds, and stretches. Mora later incorporated three-pound hand weights into the workout. Concentrating on my form and overall coordination overpowered that burning sensation associated with exercise, which worked out great; I like to avoid that feeling by remaining seated on various pieces of furniture throughout my day.
We then added rubber flex bands to a series of resistance exercises: we used its elasticity and resistance around our hands to execute alternating upper arm exercises, then around our feet for leg lifts, side lunges, and balance holds. I knew I was getting a great workout when – during a couple of plankholds between sets – my glasses started sliding off my nose, and I dedicate this article to all those who know firsthand that the four-eyed fitness struggle is real.
Luckily, the temperature of the studio remained comfortable from start to finish, with fresh air circulating throughout the 55-minute class. We finished the workout with a few sets of core and abdominal exercises, and the fun, positive attitude coming from Mora and the entire class made the last arm-to-knee crunches and toe touches a little easier to get through. We then cooled down on our mats with stretches. I left studio47 with an energizing whole-body boost to take on the week, and it felt great to start Monday off on the right foot – with some cute socks to boot.
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