Here's What You Need To Know About Flywheel's New FlyFIT Class

You probably know Flywheel Sports from their performance-based spin classes or maybe even their barre classes, but just last week they added a new class to their lineup - FlyFIT. The FIT in FlyFIT stands for functional intense training and the class is just that. It focuses on a variety of exercises that work your muscles hard and then get your heart rate soaring. Much like similar high intensity interval training (HIIT) classes, FlyFIT is designed to keep your body burning calories 24-36 hours after class.

FlyFIT is offered in a variety of classes either focused on certain muscle groups or total body. I took the Upper Body & Core class with Arnie and it was awesome. 

If you're considering taking FlyFIT, here are a few things to know before you go. 

1. Wear sneakers.

Unlike spin or barre, you'll definitely need to wear sneakers for class as you'll likely do some sort of plyometric/cardio exercise where sneakers will be necessary. (With that in mind, don't forget a water bottle either!)

2. Class goes fast!

The class that I took was a series of three circuits, each consisting of three exercises and repeated twice. The first two were focused on upper body and included two weight-focused exercises (e.g. hammer curls, tricep kickbacks) and one cardio exercise (e.g. jump squats). The combo of the two worked out great because you had enough energy to push yourself on the cardio exercise and they went fast enough that no exercise was ever too difficult. That was followed by another circuit of ab exercises and then a Tabata-esque cardio circuit of three cardio exercises for 45 seconds each, repeated just once (thank goodness).

3. Be ready to push yourself. 

One of things I appreciated about the circuits in FlyFIT was that the second circuit was always your "push" circuit where you either grabbed heavier weights or tried to do the exercises faster to challenge yourself. This extra oomph really gave FlyFIT an edge over other classes or doing exercises on your own. 

4. Your instructor is basically your personal trainer. 

My instructor said it best when he said that FlyFIT is a combination of both group exercise and personal training. He was great about assisting all of us with our form and consistently pushing us to keep going, while keeping the class lighthearted and offering modifications as needed. Your instructor will definitely be there to keep you motivated and make sure you get the most out of your workout. 

5. Pair FlyFIT with your regular workout routine.

Flywheel discourages taking FlyFIT two days in a row so it really is the perfect complement to whatever cardio or other workout you typically enjoy.

All in all, I found FlyFIT to have all the features of a great HIIT class. It had a fun quick pace and worked muscles that need extra love, AND had the added benefit of the Flywheel brand - great instructors, facilities, music, and energetic people in class. I would definitely recommend checking out the class if you're looking to feel stronger and get your heart rate up. 

(And as a Sweat Smarter tip, if you've never taken a Flywheel class, new members typically get their first class for $15 but if you check out Flywheel instructor bios on Instagram, they often have codes for a free class for first timers! DM me if you get stuck finding one ;) )