Gym: AIR Aerial Fitness, 2217 N Clybourn Ave

Other Chicago locations: 

• River North: 676 N LaSalle, 2nd Floor

Class Focus: AIR takes the best of barre, yoga and Pilates to create one lengthening, strengthening workout

Cost per workout: $30

Money saving offers:

• $100: First month of new classes (new clients only)
• $175: Monthly unlimited
• $375: Brides-to-be and new moms can get an experience to tone them up and get them back into fighting shape over three months

The Fab Fit take:

If AIR’s September 4 opening is any indication, the ladies of Lincoln Park are going to have to sign up early to take a class. The studio opened to a packed house. This isn’t your sweat and get out kind of class. There is something about the AIR hammock that gives you a glimmer of childhood, when swinging was the greatest thing invented and the monkey bars were something you could and would flip over, so help you god. When the class came to a close, I saw something I’ve never seen before: gaggles of girlfriends stuck around to snap instagrams to show their friends the amazing moves they mastered in class.

Guilty.

Peppered into the fun, was the work. Using the hammock at times to get deeper into yoga poses and at other times like TRX bands, the class delivered a head-to-toe workout that didn’t leave a face in the place sweat-free. We worked our arms by using the hammock to pull ourselves up off the ground. We’ll call that an AIR pull-up. After 10 of those your arms will scream. We also stood in the hammock, leaned back to create more body weight resistance and we worked our arms and backs with rows.

The class delivers on the promise of fusing yoga, Pilates and barre. To target thighs, we all stepped away from the hammocks and over to the ballet barre and worked through a set of three exercise to sculpt that long, lean leg and lifted tush that barre fanatics rave about.

The core was not forgotten. Returning to the hammock and the mat, we placed one foot in the sling to enhance a few ab standbys including bicycles, planks and the Pilates 100. Hip raises (or back dancing as barre flies know it) used the prop to add more movement that worked low back, butt and hamstrings.

If you think the AIR Foundations class is hard, just wait until AIR starts to offer its more advanced AIR class starting Saturday September 7 . The foundations class offers a little extra instruction to coach newbies through the technique, but it’s still a great time and a great workout.

I ran into my girlfriend Kelly, and we obviously had to pose for a photo together to post on Instagram (#latergram). Grab your girlfriends, a bottle of water and meet at AIR. I already told Boyfriend that this is what I want to do for my birthday party. We’ll see what he does with that information.

Date taken: 9/4/2013