Where: Physicalmind Studio, 1200 Lexington Avenue, Floor 2, New York, NY

An Intimate, Challenging Class with an Awesome Dude

Ryan possesses many of the qualities that I covet in an instructor. Because this class is capped at ~ 8, he can, and does, shower tons of attention on each student.

Here’s what I liked:

• Corrected my form more times than I can remember. Corrections were great (read: painful)
• Gave great cues and told us know exactly which muscles we were working. Great tactic for visualizing what you’re toning.
• Attentive to students who were struggling, without slowing down the class for more advanced students.
• Encouraged us individually, using our names. High focus on personal touch.
• His dedication to being a great teacher is obvious.

On the class:

This was my first TRX class. It. Was. AWESOME. We worked every little muscle in a way that threw my body for a loop. Believe me, you will be sore tomorrow. Here’s the structure:

• Legs first. We did lots of lunging and squatting, using the TRX holds to maintain our form and also to engage our upper body. Lots of variety in speed – mix of fast reps, slow reps, and static holds.
• Arms second. Holding the TRX handles, we did pushups, pull-ups, bicep curls, tricep moves, and shoulder work. This section was surprisingly long. My arms/back were ubersore the next day.
• Mat last. We extended the straps to maximum length and looped our heels into them, so that our feet were only a few inches off the ground. We did bridges, pull ins/ pushouts, and a host of other painful abdominal work. This section was pretty hard on the tendons running down the backs of my legs.

On the crowd:

Two out of eight were men. A diverse group in terms of both race and age; everyone was friendly. A nice perk to the number 8. 

From the PhysicalMind website: Ryan is the co-founder and General Manager of Physicalmind Studio. He has been featured in Shape magazine, Fitness Rx, MetroNY, and Gotham magazine. He has also been a contributing writer for Women's Health magazine. Clients include everyone from professional athletes, celebrities, seniors, dancers, and people with injuries and special conditions.He has been teaching pilates for ten years and holds multiple certifications from Stott Pilates, Power Pilates, Pilates Method Alliance, and PhysicalMind Institute. He is an instructor-trainer for PhysicalMind Institute, and co-creator of the Smart Workout Reformer Certification Program.

Find out more about PhysicalMind Studio at http://physicalmindstudio.com

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