Studio 8 Fitness
Do you think you can handle a rigorous workout?
If you answered, “Yes” to the above…. you might want to rethink your answer before you try a Studio 8 Fitness class. Scratch that. You WILL rethink your answer.
Located in a little corner off main street lies the studio that made me feel muscles I have never felt before. Studio 8 Fitness, run by Sally Torreggiani, brings a hard-core, unique workout experience focused on combining the important elements of physical training — cardio, strength, endurance, body composition, and flexibility.
We live in a society filled with a plethora of workout outlets, whether it be Soul Cycle, SLT, Orange Theory, or your average workout class at the gym, like pilates or Zumba. But why this one?
Studio 8 teaches the Lagree Fitness Training Method, created by Simon Lagree, to provide people with a more amplified version of pilates that is high intensity, while still being low impact on connective tissue, joints and spine. It is a total body conditioning method that burns up to 700 calories and makes your muscles shake like never before (beauty is pain people!)
The Lagree method incorporates a Megaformer M3S machine to the workout, which, as Sally describes, is like a “pilates reformer on steroids,”…. And I can attest to that statement. This is a dynamic machine that allows the instructor to choose a diverse workout filled with so many moves that ensures users with specific muscle targeting of areas, such as twitch muscles, that are hard to strengthen in your typical type of workout (Warning: you will feel the burn for days!).
As one who goes to the gym five to six times a week, I can honestly say the Megaformer is truly a more ideal way to get a well-rounded workout in one shot. Typically, my trips to the gym involve using five or more pieces of equipment, while the Megaformer just in itself targets multiple areas of the body that we are all looking to tone — arms, core and obliques, legs, etc. The Megaformer has a carriage to support your body, and can move you from one end of the machine to the next, allowing mobility as an option to diversify the moves. The Megaformer also contains bungees, bar handles, and springs at the bottom to control the resistance of your workout (Seriously, this machine can do it all… if only it could do my homework too…)
Another unique aspect of the class, which was one of my favorites, is that there are only six Megaformers, allowing a small, intimate class. With less people, the instructor can really assist everyone individually and give out pointers. During the class, Sally was able to alter everyone’s workout by providing either a more rigorous or a more modified version of the move, and change spring resistance based on one’s level of strength. It really felt like a personalized experience.
“This is a workout for people who want toning, strengthening, and leaner looking muscles — that pilates bod that the Victoria Secret Angels have, and they actually use this fitness method,” says Sally. “Yes, it is hard, even for people who are very physically active, because nobody uses the certain little muscles everyday that we target here; it’s hard for people to move all their body weight in very slow counts.”
While this was single-handedly the TOUGHEST workout I have ever done, it was so different and exciting compared to a conventional gym day. The pain is equivalent to body change, and I will be sure to make another visit soon.
With a passion for fitness and her dedication, Sally was able to bring her dream to fruition, bringing a unparalleled experience to those hungry for a more complex and effective workout.
To learn more and to book a class, visit https://www.studio8fit.com/
