Join us this Saturday for a Mother's Day Pre-Game

It's a sweaty, self-care Saturday for anyone (from moms to those who just want a good sweat and spa day before Sunday's family time) produced by us and hosted by our partners at Hotel Zetta in San Francisco. The morning will start with a Pilates Bootcamp taught by MNTSTUDIO founder (and boss mom) Elaine Hayes, followed by Burke Williams manicures and our favorite new rose by Domaine de Cala. 

For details and to grab your ticket, visit Eventbrite. Be sure to use promo code WAblog for $10 off of admission! 

SoulCycle's New HIIT Class is Murder, in the best way

Right after our first set of intervals, as I gasped for air amid encouragement from instructor Laura Crago, I thought well, gym cycling classes are toast. After more than a year in a development by a team of master instructors, SoulCycle launched its new SoulActivate class on Tuesday, February 27. And it is a bitch (but in that I DID IT AND NOW I CAN DO ANYTHING kind of way).

Less about the sweaty playfulness and clubby choreography that put SoulCycle on the map, the hour-long, HIIT-style Activate class is the answer to critics who say Soul rides aren't scientifically optimal training for the cardiac system—a number of competing gyms and cycling studios have long focused on "smarter" programming that centers on increasing heart rate and strength training. Now, with an aggressive studio expansion and a following of veteran riders who could complete the traditional SoulCycle class in their sleep, the company is upping its game with the addition of this endurance-building class in studios throughout the Bay Area, New York, and Los Angeles.

The class begins as usual, with a warm-up song and a series of climbs and sprints with the brand's signature tap-back and push-up movements. At about minute 20, though, things took a more serious turn.

An extended weight-training session gave our legs a break but worked our arms using multiple, heavier weights than Soul's traditional rides. And then our instructor sprang it on us that we were in for some gnarly HIIT.

"This is how Olympic athletes train!" Crago shouted, pumping us up. "Pushing your heart rate as hard as you can, followed by real rest, is proven to make you a stronger rider, make you faster, make you better."

At what would have been halfway through a standard SoulCycle ride, we began a series of six intervals, turning up the resistance on our bikes until it felt like pedaling in quicksand. We spun as hard as we could for 20 seconds, then took a one-minute rest, our legs completely still, our chests heaving. After each run, Crago marked the number of sprints we'd completed on a whiteboard behind her; after the first, my legs felt thoroughly worked, my lungs like they were going to explode; after the sixth and final run, I felt like someone really should be handing me a medal.

After a brief reprieve sprinting on a lighter load, we rolled into a second set of intervals. I think I laughed as Crago announced what was coming—I'd barely finished that last set alive. (At this point in the class, a normal 45-minute ride would be over and I would be halfway down the street grabbing protein waffles at Project Juice.) But she wasn't joking, and we instead embarked on a series of eight sprints, 20 seconds each with just 10 seconds off. I honestly don't know how I made it through, but once we moved onto our final sprint song, I was high on my own oxygen and would do whatever she asked.

It's important to note that this class is definitely not for noobs: SoulCycle recommends riders take at least 10 standard classes before signing up for Activate. For experienced riders who already incorporate SoulCycle into a weekly fitness regime, the brand advises taking the new class about two times per week. For myself, I think once a week, as a way to really test and push my cardio system, is plenty ambitious.

Prices vary per market, more info at soul-cycle.com.

The BEST Spring Sunday with W+A and the COMPANY

Sleep in, brunch up and get yourself over to the Presidio on Sunday, April 24 for Very Vital Sunday! This daytime dance party slash wellness afternoon with Well + Away and new dance-cardio studio the COMPANY will be the most healthy fun you've had on a Sunday afternoon. Sunday's festivities will include a signature COMPANY class, VitalGuides for all, beverages from KeVita, protein bars by Perfect Bar, a trunk show by fashion-forward local activewear company Akrovita and a few healthy surprises. Tickets are $30.

7x7 agrees with us and shared Very Vital Sunday in their weekender roundup of best ways to get your sweat on. Come join us for an afternoon workout, light bites, kombucha and mingling with new healthy friends. 

Grab a gal pal and snag your spot now!

MNTSTUDIO Founder Elaine Hayes On Her Bay Area Favorites

A classically trained instructor with an eye for form and a knack for taking students to the edge of their edge, Elaine Hayes' light, bright SoMa studio is not the place you'd expect your core to be on fire so much you sweat through your Lulu. After a challenging Saturday morning reformer session that somehow flew by, Elaine shared the history of Mint, her SF wellness secrets and the only workout tool you need to bring on vaca.

The Mint Studios Pilates method is equal parts technique and athlete, how did you put it together?

It was my ballet teacher in high school who first introduced me to Pilates after I’d been dancing for 13 years to keep myself injury free and reinforce alignment. I was taking a mat class once a week, but even that helped my dancing form. Once I left for college at UC Berkeley I stopped dancing but I stayed with Pilates, taking classes at studios all over town, and discovering the reformer.

Even after I finished school, while working in finance and through law school I was still taking Pilates and ended up getting certified to teach. My cert is in a classical format, which I loved because I learned about biomechanics, anatomy and rehabilitation, but the stronger I got the more I wanted a more intense workout from my traditional classes. What I had been doing started feeling a bit slow so I started taking athletically geared classes, but I was getting injuries and my form was compromised.

This is where the seed for Mint was planted. I started incorporating athletic elements into my reformer classes to see how I could challenge my clients further. My classes became known for being extremely effective by focusing on proper form, fluid movement, and including athletically-geared moves to offer a full body, killer workout. These classes gained a popular following at my home studio, and I was having to turn away new clients for lack of space in my schedule. When that happened, I realized I needed to open a commercial space, which lead to Mint Studios opening in August of 2013.

What’s your history with the Bay Area?

I was born in the Bay Area but I grew up all over. Part of my childhood was spent on a tiny island in Brazil, then we moved to London and eventually my family came back to the Bay to Grass Valley which is about two hours outside of San Francisco. I went to college in Berkeley, came to SF after I graduated, and just last year my husband and I moved to Menlo Park for his work. I’m still in the city nearly every day to teach and meet with colleagues and friends.

You live in Menlo Park - where do you eat and work out in that part of town?

I’ve discovered Sprout Cafe on University Ave. They have these huge salads that you can throw protein on for the most reasonable price. I do that a lot. Lyfe Kitchen in Palo Alto is also great. I love going for lunch and ordering their Quinoa Crunch Bowl. Sometimes for a coffee I’ll go to Caffe Borrone in downtown Menlo Park. SoulCycle in Palo Alto is my favorite cardio class when I can get to it. I love the Pressed Juicery freezes that they serve at Pressed Juicery Palo Alto, they really taste just like ice cream!

Do you have any favorite wellness spots around the studio?

My favorite esthetician in SF is a woman named Marion Pernoux, who owns the nearby Ensoma spa. She gives the most incredible facials. She calls them cosmeceutical facials and you feel so well-rested afterward. She’s my go-to gal. For nails, I always go to Zaza because it’s near the studio and they’re so nice and friendly. For hair, and this is the thing people ask me about most, I go to Richard at Population for cut and color. He’s so talented and sweet, and a genius at what he does, and anyone I send there falls in love. I don’t think I should even share his name because I don’t want to risk not being able to get in for an appointment!

Where do you work out when you’re not in the studio?

Whenever I’m in Brazil, my aunt and I take Pilates together with her trainer. It’s all in Portuguese and aside from the language so different from how I teach my classes. When I’m home and not in the studio, I’ll do my own yoga/Pilates practice at home in my office slash yoga studio where I’ll also meditate. In the city, one of my favorite yoga teachers is Mark Morford who teaches at Yoga Tree and has been so inspiring with his contemporary approach to meditation. It’s not strict and regimented. He encourages you to let it be your own, even if it’s just for 2-3 minutes at your desk.

When I can get away for a weekend, I love going down to Esalen in Big Sur. It’s an amazing, magical place to reset and be in nature. Further south, I did my yoga teacher training at White Lotus in Santa Barbara with Ganga White and Tracey Rich. I like to revisit every couple of years. Before my teacher training I never thought I could meditate, but they encourage creativity and teach that it doesn’t have to be so traditional, like sitting in a totally blank room for two hours. It’s a beautiful place and the energy is so calming. The nature is stunning.

We hear you’re a runner. What running routes do you take around SF?

Sometimes in between classes I’ll run down Brannan to Embarcadero toward the Ferry building. I love running along the water and think it’s a great way to clear your head during the day. In Menlo Park I run outside. In class I’m always talking and instructing so it’s really nice for me to plug in my headphones and zone out for a little while. Sometimes I take my puggle Zoey with me when I run, too, which she loves.

What other Pilates studios anywhere inspire you?

There’s a studio in New York called New York Pilates that is so different from us in terms of esthetic, but they have a very cool New York vibe. Even outside of the studio I love what they do on social media! A former Mint instructor moved to New York and I encouraged her to check them out and now she teaches there! In LA, there’s a studio called The Studio (MDR). They have megaformer classes and a great community. It’s actually where one of my sisters-in-law goes and she raves about it.

What is your workout when you travel?

When we travel, I usually bring a resistance band in my bag. I always call in advance to see if the hotel we’re staying at has yoga mats. Some great hotel groups like Auberge Resorts provide them in-room. My usual philosophy is that if I can devote 30 minutes a day to just maintenance then I will feel good and won’t worry about it. I’ll usually get in 15 minutes of Pilates, 10 minutes of yoga and 10 minutes of stretching. Then I’ll get cardio in by running or swimming. I don’t really worry about it but I also don’t feel my best if I don’t get it in. My husband is the same way so we’ll normally workout together on vacation which we don’t normally get to do when we’re home. And I love kicking his butt with a tough Pilates workout!

Meet the Ladies Behind San Francisco's First (Best) Dance Cardio Studio

As part of SF VitalGuide launch season, we’ve been talking to San Francisco’s coolest wellness experts to learn where they eat, sweat, shop and escape. This week Lindsay Meyer and Kara Goldenberg of the COMPANY, SF’s newest workout and the city’s very first dance cardio studio. The ladies behind the COMPANY share where to get the ultimate post-workout shake, which athleisure items are worthy of stockpiling and where to get away.

What inspired the COMPANY?

L: I danced competitively growing up and through college, and even as a grownup in SF I was dancing in various forms. Before I found cardio dance I was more into formal dance and then I started teaching barre in Cow Hollow. A mutual friend in the NY dance cardio world introduced Kara and me, and Kara can tell you about her background, but it was such a complementary fit!

K: I moved here 9 months ago from New York and realized there was no dance cardio. I had been doing tons of it at Bari in Tribeca and I got here and there were no options like what I had experienced in New York where I swore by this kind of workout. The owner of my favorite barre studio in New York ended up introducing Lindsay and me and that’s how we started the class!

How did you find your gorgeous space in the presidio?

K: Through a lot of online hunting. We were looking for a studio that would rent us space by the hour and we found this beautiful studio in the Presidio that has these high ceilings with a lot of light. The location is easy to find and there is actually parking, such a rarity in this town.

L: We also felt like there was a dearth of dance studios in this part of town. In the Mission you have the great ODC and Lines. There are others in SoMa. In the Marina we just didn’t have fun dance options for adults!

The choreography seems very ballet inspired, is your workout wardrobe ballet-inspired?

K: We wear sneakers in class, and I take mine very seriously. Dance cardio can be hard on your feet! I like Brooks PureFlow and the Newton brand. They provide the right amount of support which is so important when you’re jumping and dancing. As I mentioned, I like sneakers but when it comes to leggings, I have a sickness. I love them all. I don’t stick to a specific brand but I love Bandier and Carbon 38. I find a lot of new brands on those sites or if I see someone in a class with leggings that I like I ask them where they got them and get a pair for myself.

L: I seriously don’t know anyone with more leggings than this girl! As for me, I prefer to stick with solid colors, so I own a ton of black leggings that I love and wear everywhere. I don’t have one favorite brand although I do have a lot of admiration for a brand called ADAY out of London and I have like four pieces from them. It was started by a friend of a friend and focuses on styles that you can wear to class and then  transition it to other parts of your day. They do a lot of with black and navy, which I gravitate to. I also like things that have just a little bit of sparkle.

What's your favorite pre and post-class bite in SF?

K: I think it’s important to have protein after a workout, and so I try to get in at least 20 grams after a session. The smoothies at Barry’s Bootcamp are great. I always get the Skinny Chocolate with PB. So good.

L: After a workout I like to make my own smoothie with greek yogurt, chia seeds, almond milk, almond butter and frozen strawberries.

What other workouts here in SF and elsewhere do you love?

K: I love Barry’s Bootcamp. I also recently started going to Core 40 which is such a serious core and ab workout. When I’m workout out on my own, I like to bounce on my trampoline at home.

L: I like to do a lot of Pilates, and would probably say my favorite Pilates in SF is Mighty Pilates in Presidio Heights. I used to teach barre and I still do a fair amount of barre when I can at studios like Pop Physique. As far as unique classes, I’ve been seeing rowing classes blow up in New York and there is a new rowing cardio class in San Francisco at a studio called Apex Wellness in FiDi. As far as cardio, I love Flywheel. My boyfriend and I have a lot of friends in the Mountain View area so we’ll stop in Sunnyvale for a class on the way down.

You’re teaching and workout out so much, who are your go-to wellness practitioners in SF when you need to recharge?

L: My boyfriend is a former professional triathlete. He used to get a ton of sports and recovery massages for so many years. So now I just make him give me massages! As far as other pampering, I love to get facials and can’t wait to try the spa at Credo Beauty on Fillmore. The one thing I never do is get manicures, it’s seriously been years. I have a strong belief about the toxicity of nail polish, so in that case I take care of myself by not having a nail routine.

K: I don’t do as much as I should. I’ve done one massage since I’ve moved here in the last 9 months! But I will when I can.

Where do you go to escape the city craziness?

L: When I really need to get away I go as far as I can. I love great hotels - Park Hyatt Dubai, One and Only Bahamas, I can go on. Closer to home, I love Kabuki Springs here in Japantown. For a weekend escape, I like Healdsburg, and we’re wine club members at Portalupi which I love visiting.

K: I’ve recently been making trips out to Marin. All of the Bay Area is so new to me, and we’re actually thinking of moving out there. Otherwise, I fly out to NY for more craziness!

The Bay Area has some great outdoor destinations - do you have any favorite outdoor activities, hikes, paddle board locations, etc?

K: I recently went out to Land’s End and hiked back into the Presidio, that was pretty awesome. I also frequent a lot of playgrounds with my son!

L: I go OnBoard SUP. It’s in Sausalito, off of Marinship way. They have paddleboard Pilates and paddleboard yoga. I enjoy going out to the 7am standup class before going to work. I feel like that is such a special Californian thing to do that you can’t have anywhere else.

How do you get your dance cardio fix when you're on the road?

K: If I have an open space, I will dance. That’s just me. If I’m traveling to NY I can take class there, easy.

L: I use ClassPass so I try to pop into more local and homegrown studios when I’m traveling outside of dance cardio hotspots like LA and New York. I’m from Minneapolis and when I go home I’ll go to a great HIIT studio called Alchemy. It’s not dance cardio, but it’s a great workout. In New York I really love Chaise fitness. It’s a combination of cardio barre and Pilates. You use bungees, a Pilates chair, it’s great and not as well known as it should be!

What are you looking forward to this season at the studio, in addition to the Very Vital Sunday event we’re doing together?

We are planning on adding a weekend class for Saturday early morning by summer. We’ve had so many requests for it. And of course the Very Vital Sunday class with Well + Away on April 24 is going to be a fabulous afternoon.

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For more information and to book the Very Vital Sunday Class on Sunday, April 24 from 1-3pm please visit the COMPANY.

Best New Winter Workouts

Where to Work Out When Home for the Holidays

Going with the family holiday flow of movie marathons, comfort food and red wine should not interrupt your finely tuned fitness routine. In order to stay in the groove when traveling to visit family - either home or somewhere new - I like to find fun, new group fitness classes and fit my workout in first thing in the morning.

By taking a fun class first thing when I wake up, by the time I’m home everyone else is just starting to stir. I can enjoy an interrupted day of family time and feel like I accomplished something knowing I got my sweat in . For some up-and-out inspo when visiting family, here’s a rundown of new and energetic group fitness classes.

Barry’s Bootcamp, San Francisco

Opening December 19, Barry’s Marina is now the largest Barry's Bootcamp on the West Coast (and possibly the US). There are over 50 treads and a killer sound system in a stunning studio with high ceilings, exposed beams and plenty of room for post-class lounging.

Kobox London

The new Kobox is London’s first boutique boxing gym, where the vibe is Fight Club meets nightclub. Classes combine boxing moves with plyo training and bodyweight work for a killer workout. No need to worry about leaving class with a black eye though, all contact boxing is done with bags.

Studio Three Chicago

Three floors, each with its own discipline: yoga, cycling and HIIT. Yoga is a heated Vinyasa flow, HIIT is either tread or rowing machines with strength intervals and cycling is taught on every indoor cyclist's new obsession: Peloton bikes.

Booty Works Studio City

A new fitness co-op, Booty Works is a collective space where instructors launching new methodologies can teach and grow their following without having to commit to their own retail space. Classes include Lotus Flow, Fit Hop LA and Flight.

Orange Theory Chapel Hill

Orange Theory is a toughie interval workout that, conveniently for those visiting family in and outside of smaller cities, seems to have a lot of studios in suburban areas. Workouts combine tread training, indoor rowing and weights, a trifecta for results they call the 'Orange Effect'.

EPIC Miami

An interval-hybrid focused studio that has a full range of classes that give you a week's worth of tough, well-rounded workouts. Max out with KB squats in The Grynd and Tone and Power on your push days, and recover with stretch-focused Versaflex yoga on recovery days.

Portland Rock Gym + Prasad East 

Portland Rock Gym is an old school workout that’s been in business since 1988. Climbing is a killer upper bod workout that’s most fun to do with a partner. What is new at this classic gym is a Prasad cafe located inside of the gym and serving post-workout fare like a cashew cream Glory Cafe and a variety of hearty bowls including Yogi and Urban.

What's your favorite hometown fitness studio? Tell us why you love it in the comments!