Pump it Up at Indigo Studio

Jeana Anderson Cohen

12 years ago

Class title: Pump it Up

Studio: Indigo Studio, 735 N LaSalle Street

Class Focus: This class alternated between Zumba dance moves and sculpting with light (2-3 lbs) weights

Cost per class: $20

Money saving offers: There are a variety of class packs to bring the cost down as low as $10/class. (See more)

$40.00: Starter Package (Includes 3 classes)
$195: Monthly Unlimited

Who should take the class: Anyone looking for a fun way to break a sweat and wake up a little sore the next day.

The Fab Fit take:

From beginning to end, this class was all action. My mom kept me out of dance, claiming not to want to be a dance mom, but I suspect she saw my attempt at the chicken dance as a toddler and decided to avoid the, “sweetheart you are so so bad.” conversation. Regardless, I tried my best to keep up with the much more coordinated and very inspiring instructor, Milana.

As the songs changed, the focus of the class changed. We’d spend one song shaking and grape-vining and the next focusing on one muscle group. Through the duration of the class, we incorporated ab movements into almost every dance and toning series, which I appreciate as I’m always looking to flatten out a little bit more in the middle.

We spent two songs at different points in class working our glutes, which I felt the next day. We pulsed up and down in a wide second position on flat feet and on our toes. At the beginning I thought, “I got this,” as it’s a move I do in 2-3 workouts a week, but something about the cadence of the class fatigued my muscles a little faster.

The dance moves throughout the workout had the traditional Latin flair of Zumba, which required total body movement and brought my heart rate up. I, regardless of my lack of prowess, had a great time. Whether I was laughing at myself or not didn’t matter, I had a smile on my face the entire time. This was a way to ease into Zumba for me. I’ve been avoiding trying what I was sure would require more rhythm than I could muster. After trying this, though, I don’t care if I look like a fool, I still did the work.

The verdict: This class was like a night out meets an improv’d dance recital, but if you’re mildly robotic as I am, the hip motions may not come naturally to you, but you’ll get the hang of it. The toning series were tough, but when combined with the cardio that the Zumba provided, it was a really well rounded workout.

Tips:

The studio is really close to the Chicago/Franklin stop on the Brown/Purple line, so take transit if you can
Watch for offers, I’ve bought daily deals for this location from a few different sites
Try a few of the classes there – the signature class is Yoga Booty Ballet, but they also offer toning, yoga and Zumba classes

Date taken: 10/31/2012