By Diana Giraldo | GFC Editor
@dianainspired
Whenever I try a new workout or go to a new gym, I have just one thing in mind – I want to get sweaty. If I don’t drench, I didn’t push myself and that’s just a waste of time.
The Urban Block workout with Katie Ray lived up to my expectations and left me not only sweaty but with sore muscles the day after.
Urban Block, located on 2141 W. Shaw Ave. Clovis, CA, is a co-ed gym that integrates all fitness levels, from beginner to advanced, in their exercise classes. Their trainers specialize in strength and conditioning, kickboxing/boxing and nutrition. The kind of exercise executed that day depends on the day of the week: Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays are strength and conditioning days, and Tuesdays and Thursdays are kickboxing with cardio days.
Caitie Reeg, GFC founder, and I went to the Urban Block where Ray had set up a strength and conditioning exercise which was adhering to “International chest day,” which is every Monday.
“We have actually been doing a different program every couple months, this was very linear stuff,” Ray. “Today was mostly chest and shoulders with metabolic conditioning at the end to pick up everyone’s heart rate.”
We began the hour workout with pushups and alternating movements using a PVC pipe to warm up our shoulders and chest. After about 2 minutes we moved on to the weightlifting portion which began with a set of 6 bench presses and then another set with no weight and max rep. After 30 seconds of rest, we had to do 12 pushups and repeat the weightlifting portion again. The last part was the metabolic conditioning section where Ray pushed us to sweat. We started with 25 Sumo Deadlift High Pulls, moved on to 25 front squats, then 25 push press then finally we had to jump on a rowing or cycling machine and burn 25 calories.
“The metabolic condition are more complex movements at the end obviously the weight lifting was more static exercises,” Ray said. “Basically you workout hard and get those carbs used up and we hit the fat stores with the cardio.”
Since we were doing the Urban Block workout for the first time Ray stayed around Caitie and I checking up on us to make sure we were doing each exercise correctly. For a new member this can be a breath of fresh air because they won’t be left alone and expected to know how to do everything on their own– the instructor is there to help.
I definitely completed my objective with Ray’s workout, I got sweaty and I felt like I pushed myself.