San Francisco - Hiking the Muir Woods and Devils's Slide

San Francisco is regularly ranked as one of the fittest cities in the United States. Oddly enough, it is usually behind Minneapolis and Boston.  I say oddly because if lived in Minneapolis or Boston, I doubt I would leave the house most months out of the year.  I have to wear a heavy pea coat whenever the temperature drops below 65 degrees.  I am assuming those cities get extra health points for all the snow shoveling? 

My husband and I went to San Francisco at the end of December through the New Year this past year.  We went because after the loss of our son, we just wanted to escape life.  Of course, you cannot escape such a horrible event, but I think most people get the urge to leave wherever they are when something goes wrong in their life - losing a loved one, losing a job, the end of a relationship, fill in the blank.  In my opinion, getting away is a bit of a double-edged sword.  Wherever you are, you are reminded you would not be there but for the unexpected event.  Our New Year was supposed to be spent adjusting to sleepless nights with our newborn son.  Instead, it was spent hiking around the West Coast.  And that is something that we had to, and still must, grapple with when we do things people with a new young child do not get to do.

But in spite of the emotional complexity that comes from an escape, is also good to try and distract your focus, if only for a moment here and there.  In this case, San Francisco was a beautiful distraction. That is why we hiked a lot, which in hindsight, I do not recommend to any women who are 7-weeks post-emergency c-section, but to say I was thinking clearly would be a total lie.  And I don't regret it. 

The city in itself is a hike with all the hills.  I vaguely remember the city being hilly from being out there when I was 14, but largely, I only remembered the sea lions.  This time, the hills were extremely noticeable.  The city was great, but even better was hiking around the Muir Woods and up Devil's Slide.

To blatantly steal from Wikipedia (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Muir_Woods_National_Monument), the Muir Woods is an old growth forest 12 miles north of San Francisco.  The tallest tree in the Muir Woods is 258 feet tall, and the trees range from 500 to 800 years old.  One is allegedly 1200 years old.  Most of the pictures don't do justice to the scope of these trees.  I have included the picture of me hugging the tree.  I am 5'8", and I have extremely awkwardly long arms, making my wing span even longer than 5'8".  As you can see, I am barely a blip on the corner of the tree. 

I think Muir Woods is amazing because it provides you with the self-awareness that all humans need every once in a while - the world is much bigger than ourselves.  These trees have been here for hundreds of years and will be here long after we are gone, which is somewhat comforting.  We are little specs in a big and spectacular world and life continues on.  I am not sure exactly how far we hiked. 
There are a number of trails we did not go down that weave through the woods.  It was very quiet.  One added bonus - there are no cell phones - which automatically gives points to any place that I go.

The other place that I have to highlight  is Devil's Slide (on the right).   The hike is relatively short.  I think 3-4 miles round trip (but I honestly cannot recall because the trip was a blur).  

I am including the Wikipedia link again for your convenience (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Devil%27s_Slide_(California)), but there is a sign at the entrance giving you the gist of this portion of hiking.   This hike is up road and gravel that used to be a portion of the Route 1 California Highway until 2013.  This portion of road suffered from tons of landslides over the years that kept requiring this portion of route one to be closed.  In recent years (corresponding with the increase in cell phone usage), people were also accidentally driving off of the cliffs.  Not joking.  Though short, it was probably one of the most beautiful hikes I have ever taken. These pictures are unfiltered.  The water is just naturally that beautiful.   Apparently, if it is the right time of the year, you can see whales on their journey up and down the coast for breeding.  It was the wrong time for us, but it was still stunning.

I cannot recommend San Francisco and the surrounding area enough, especially if you want an active trip that will require some exercise.  It is tied with New York as my favorite city in the US (sorry, DC), and up there as one of my favorites in the world. 

I don't have much else to say because I cannot remember much, nor can I do the scenery justice; therefore, enjoy the ridiculous amount of pictures.

On loss

Harrison, my perfect son, was born On November 11, 2017.  For the most part, he looked like his father, but he did have my crooked pinky toes, which informed me that my toes are not from years of wearing absurd high heels, but just me.   See his adorable toes.  They were perfect for kissing.  He also had a beautiful head of blond hair. Unfortunately, right at birth it was clear that there was something very wrong with Harrison, and we lost him on November 16, 2017.  I won't get into details because those details are both private and sad, and believe it or not, this post is not meant to be sad.

For the purpose of this posting, it is important to note that I had a perfectly healthy pregnancy.  After extensive testing and treatment done at DC Childrens', the best the doctors could figure is that something happened between week 36 and 37.  This is no disparagement of the doctors' knowledge.  The team was amazing.  Every doctor, nurse, social worker and employee there is an angel on earth.  There just simply is no answer.  There is no way we will ever no what happened, and there is nothing that I could have done to prevent whatever happened.  I learned this happens in about 2 out of every 1,000 pregnancies.  I head phrases like "lightning striking" and "one in a million." I can never describe how horrific cliches like that are when you are hearing them referencing your child in this type of situation.

All of that background is to emphatically drive home that life is fleeting.  Everyone says that, and deep down we all know it, but I think we forget how unexpected things that can happen.  Maybe that is for the best.  I don't know.  I am not a psychologist. I am also not an expert on loss, but from what I have gathered encountering it more times than I believe one should have to by my age, loss is so painful because life is so wonderful. 

When you lose someone, you mourn their absence; however, I think for me (and for many), I also mourn that they no longer get to enjoy all the amazing things the world has to offer.  Everyone has experienced something where they wish someone they cared about could also be there to enjoy the moment (whether that person you want there is living or not).  That is because when you love someone, or even like them, you want them to enjoy all of the joys that life has to offer. 

You are mourning not only the loss of someone in your life, but all the experiences that they will miss going forward.  In the case of a newborn child what they will never experience is vast and tremendous.  And at times, soul crushing.  You spend months leading up to your child's birth imagining what your child will experience, especially when it appears that all is healthy and good to go.  You envision everything from Halloween costumes and the first time eating cake, to what they will be when they grow up.  Again, it is crushing.  But it would not be so crushing, but for all of those wonderful things that life offers the living.

Contrary to what news would lead you to believe, this world is a fantastic place filled with fantastic people.  I can think of numerous things that put a smile on my face that don't make the news: 1.  Thin mints in the freezer; 2.  Happy couples snuggling on the couch; 3. S'mores; 4.  Friends spending all day at a winery catching up; 5.  The beach; 6.  Traveling new places; 7.  Traveling home; 8. Sunsets; 9. Sunrises (though I see far less of those); 10.  Fun workout pants; 11. The smell of fresh cut grass; 12.  The smell of newborn babies; 13.  Hearing someone with an infectious laugh.  The list of the little and big things that make me and everyone else happy on a daily basis is endless.  That is because the world is full of so many good things.  The world is undeniably a beautiful, enjoyable, kind and hopeful place.

I remember sitting in hospice with my father when he only had a few hours left.  My mom had to step out to go do something and the nurse came in and spoke to me.  She asked if my dad had any unfinished business, or any regrets.  I confidently said no.  She asked me how old I was, and I told her that I was 29, although anyone who has had a sick parent knows that your age doesn't matter. You are always a child when it comes to them.  The nurse told me that I was too young to understand how fortunate my dad was to be in that position.  And that is true.  Four years later, and I am still probably far too young.  But what I do think I know is my dad was in that position because he savored everyday.  He did not hesitate to experience new things.  He saw, ate, or did whatever he wanted to do.  Not in a gluttonous way, but in a way where he profoundly understood that life was not permanent.  One of his friends approached me after shortly after my dad received his cancer diagnoses, and the friend told me my father had said that no matter what happened, he had lived an amazing life.  And he did live an amazing life, but it wasn't a passive coincidence, it was an active choice.  He always had a smile on his face by choice.

I think about this and I think about the loss of my son, and I ponder how these experiences have and continue to shape me.  I have concluded that each day we are surviving, and I don't mean that in the sad way.  I mean that in the most beautiful way.  Every day that we are here, we have managed to escape the perils that make life so painfully short.   I think the most important thing that I have learned in my life is that you should make an active choice to celebrate surviving every day.  And I don't mean throwing yourself a personal party everyday and going into credit card debt buying yachts. I'm not insane.

I mean truly appreciating that you made it because everyday is such a gift that not everyone gets.  Everyday is an opportunity to watch a sunset, look at the stars, hug someone you love, eat thin mints out of the freezer, or do countless other things that make you happy.  For me, it is savoring time with my amazing friends, family and husband.  I also will continue to make a point to travel to see as much as I can of this wonderful world in however many more trips I get around the sun.  I will also continue to blog about exercise, eat too many baked goods, enjoy fresh air and try to take in every new experience that I can.

I have no recommendation on how you decide to celebrate surviving everyday, but please do so.  If not for yourself because that just isn't you, then please do it for someone else who is no longer here.  You are free to do it for my son.  For all those memories he will not make and experiences he will not have, I intend on doubling down on the memories I make and the experiences that I have in order to honor him.  That is how I can continue to take care of him as his mom and celebrate surviving another day.

Xtend Barre Old Town with Uli - My Favorite Barre Class!

Recently, I was chatting with my lovely friend Uli (on the right), who despite always looking like she is in fabulous shape, has never been particularly into working out (luckily, she is delightful and kind, so you don't get bitter that this woman is effortlessly pretty and fit). To my surprise, she shared that in recent months she'd taken up barre at Xtend Barre in Old Town. https://www.xtendbarre.com/Of course, I wanted to take a class with her asap!

We showed up on a rainy Wednesday night.  The rain put a damper on our pre-barre stroll around Old Town, but the class definitely made up for the raindrops! The delightful instructor, Melissa…looked terrifying - extremely fit, energized and strong.  Great attributes in an instructor, but also intimidating attributes.

Full disclosure - I'm in my second trimester of pregnancy, and I am still learning the things I can and cannot do in barre classes (any exercise classes for that matter).  That is also why I'm now in the habit of using bags to cover my stomach, even though I am no longer in the stage of hiding my pregnancy.  Note awkward picture. Super natural place for a woman to hold a bag, right?  And it makes total sense for her to be holding it for a picture, right?

I've found most studios offering any type of exercise classes can offer me alternatives to exercises that I cannot do, which are exercises involving twisting at the torso and laying on my back.  There has only been one exception to this so far, and that was a very sweet girl teaching a class I will not name at a studio that I will not name.  When I asked for alternatives she said she had no clue what to do, but recommended I just plank for the entire abs section to be safe.   I went with that suggestion.  Never again.

To my delight, I disclosed my pregnancy to Melissa and she handed me an entire alternative exercise book!  With pictures.  A step-by-step picture book.  Thank you, Xtend Barre. She told me that I was free to do any of the exercises in the book as substitutions for exercises prohibited by my pregnancy.  She even let me keep the book next to me while we worked out!  Admittedly, I ended up spending most of the abs section looking at the book with excitement trying to determine what to do and not actually doing anything.  But next time, just wait, I will be a machine...or get super excited looking at the picture book again.  Regardless, it is exciting to know they have the book.

Xtend Barre was a pretty traditional barre class.  You use the barre and ball, as well as body weight.  To me, what set the class apart, and one of my favorite parts of the class, is the use of small, circular resistance bands in creative ways.  See the bands around the participants in the picture for a visual (best picture I could find on Google images of the bands).

For example, we started the class by taking the resistance band and holding it like a bow and arrow.  We would pull back with one arm as if about to shoot. We repeated that motion, and then we switched the stationary hand and the pulling hand. I have no images, but the first thing that came to mind was Katniss Everdeen (because I am a mature adult and she is the closest I've ever come to archery). 

We eventually moved the bands to our lower half.  One of the hardest things we did was put the resistance band around our thighs and do side squats and curtsies. Uli, who is now quite the barre badass placed two
resistance bands around her thighs for the plié squats and curtsies. I only used one, and it was so hard.  Also, who is the person who was like, "I like curtsies, but I think we should make them more aggressive?"  And then proceeded to wrap multiple massive rubber bands around their legs.  Some sadistic genius, thats who. I never really knew the huge advantage to resistance bands until Xtend Barre.  And by advantage, I mean pain they can induce for days.

I really liked the use of the resistance bands because they incorporated exercises you could do independent of the barre. Don't get me wrong I love the barre aspect of barre, but it was really nice to have workouts that if I felt so inclined I could do at home.  Admittedly, I don't own resistance bands, so there is still a major hurdle to doing these exercises at home, but I do love that if it ever strikes me to purchase bands, I can now torture myself with archery and curtsies.

Thank you, Uli. I cannot wait to go back to Xtend Barre!  It is currently my favorite studio in the DMV.

The Bar Method - I secretly own fancy socks

I have a theory that for every cupcakery in the D.C. Metro area there is a yoga studio, and for every donut shop, a barre studio.  This symbiotic relationship to keep these places in business.  It is like my dentist who serves cookies in the office, or the podiatrist I recently went to who told me he owned six shoe stores that sold high heels.

If my theory rings true, then the bar method is the Dunkin' Donuts of barre. It was here first.  I say that based on nothing except that it was the first barre studio I went to after I moved up to D.C. many years ago. My friend Yasmeen dragged me there. She is a barre guru.

Timing and Classpass worked out, so I decided to make my triumphant return to the bar method in 2017.

I must say that everyone at the bar method is incredibly nice, from the instructors to the class participants.  I did have to laugh to myself when a friendly woman in my class noticed my socks (see right) while we were waiting to go into the class and struck up conversation with me.  She asked me if my fancy webbed socks kept my feet cooler. She said she noticed they were in fashion this year and asked me if I was pleased that I purchased my socks.  I politely told her yes and changed the subject.  I kept it short because my socks are probably 6 years old and likely were purchased on super sale at the Reebok outlet.  They probably look "webbed" because they are cheap and faded.  They were chosen because they were the only pair I happened to have in my gym bag that day, and I was not spending $15 on another pair of barre socks. 

It was a delightful surprise to know that I looked incredibly in fashion during class, rather than like some lady who clearly forgot her socks.  After five-second internet search, I determined she mistook my socks for something like these:

The nice lady may need her eyes checked because these are much sleeker.  My five-second Google Images search of mesh barre socks also revealed there are numerous awesome socks out there.  Who knew?

And yes, the bar method requires socks.  The studio is carpeted, so you might want them for your own comfort/sanitation. I know I usually tout free feet, but carpeted studios are the exception for me.   

The workout was great! My butt and my triceps were particularly sore for days after the workout.  All barre workouts are challenging, but not too many leave you sore for days. The bar method has been around a long time, and they obviously know what they are doing.

One of the exercises that I didn't feel so much at the time, but secretly must have been crushing me went like this:

1.  Fold up a thin mat (so it is about 3 inches thick)
2.  Kneel and put your left knee on the mat (hold the barre for balance).
3.  Your right leg is also in the kneeling position and should be hanging about 3 inches off the ground over next to the mat.   Move your right leg forward and backward an inch. Repeat.  Sore. For. Days.

I'm not sure if that makes sense, but that is the best that I can do for a description.  Maybe I should start videoing or photographing various exercises because sometimes my words just don't cut it.

I returned the following week, and I had another awesome workout, but I won't be returning for a while. 

I'm in my second trimester of pregnancy. The first time I attended the class I let the instructor of the class know as soon as I walked into the room. Well, to clarify I let an instructor that was near me taking the class know. I told the actual instructor when she asked my name because she had never seen me before and she wants the name of all new participants, which  is semi-common in workouts.  Both instructors were tremendously helpful to myself and three other pregnant ladies in the classroom. They showed us alternative exercises for everything.

I immediately signed up for the same class the following week.  When I checked in the woman at the front desk informed me she was teaching the class.  I was a little surprised that the instructor was different since it was the same date/time/class as the previous week.  I informed her that I was expecting and would need alternatives pointed out (eventually, I'm sure I will learn them all).  She then asked me for my doctor's note.  I was really surprised.  To date, no workout studio has asked for a note from my doctor.  I'm sure it is just an extra precaution, but I already signed the waiver to workout. The instructor did allow me to workout that day, but was adamant that if I came back I needed a doctor's slip. 


For me, finding time to workout can be difficult.  I am not going to schedule a special doctor's appointment to get a note, or wait until my next appointment in hopes that I remember to ask for a note for a barre class.  There are too many other options for barre that I can drop into  just letting them know I'm pregnant.  I am sure if I was a member of the bar method it would be more worthwhile for me to submit the note, but for someone who might randomly drop in a few times per month, it is not worth the hassle.  I wonder how they monitor those whose medical situations have changed.  I would assume a pregnant woman who is no longer able to take barre would just stop going and not keep it up because they had a dated note? 

I recommend the bar method if you are looking for an exceptionally tough barre workout.  I'm sure I will catch a class at the bar method again when I'm not pregnant.  In the meantime, I will hit up one of the other many studios in the area that are on Classpass for my weekly barre fix.

Flybarre Power 45 - Because everything is bigger in Texas?

The other day my youngest stepdaughter (who is four) said, "step mommies go to the gym." Though I would like to claim this is simply a child's a one-dimensional assessment, it is a actually a very accurate portrayal of how I spend my free time.   Sometimes, I think I should spend more of my free time reading books because my older stepdaughter peppers my husband with questions like, "what was here before gravity? Who made gravity?" While she lobs softballs at me such as, "what is your phone number?" And, "what is your birthday?"  To be fair, I prefer the softballs, but I'm not sure what that says about her assessment of me.  Perhaps the same thing, stepmommies go to the gym.  Period.

Anyhow, I read all day at work, so I don't anticipate adding any more books to my queue in the near future, but the comment about the gym reminded me that I have not taken part in my workout blog in quite a few weeks.  Today, I did Flybarre, so I thought I would take a few minutes to discuss the class.

I've now gone to Flybarre a few times, and naturally, I have some feelings.

The first time I took Flybarre, the instructor (knowing that I was new) told me that Flybarre was like Texas.  Everything's just a little bigger in Flybarre. Though an adorable catch phrase, I didn't understand it at all...until the class started.  Though Flybarre is a traditional barre class in a number of ways, the moves are generally a little bigger and faster than other barre classes.  Not your typical one-inch or half-inch pulses. 

There are a few additional unique things about Flybarre. First, you're assigned a barre mat.  You have a specific station on the wall, just like you get assigned a bike in cycle classes. I have mixed feelings about the mat assignment. I like the freedom to pick my spot in any workout class.  It took me a long time to adjust to having no choice in cycling classes.  Second, the mats are lined up across from each other in a long rectangle, and the room is surrounded by mirrors (All. Four. Sides.).  Con - you feel very exposed (at least I do because I'm mediocre at barre, at best). Pro - you can see everyone's' manicures and pedicures from all different angles.  I'm willing to place money on a bet that regular Flybarre participants are the best manicured individuals in the District of Columbia. 

Third, you don't have to wear barre socks, which I think is nice.  Some people prefer socks, which I understand, but I perpetually forget to pack them in my bag.  So I now own more barre socks than I ever wanted from studios that required socks to workout.  And those stupid grippy socks are usually as expensive as the class.  Stupid supply and demand.

Finally, the ball is also bigger. Or as one instructor bluntly put it, the ball is "massive." Massive. A very aggressive description before asking you to squeeze it between your legs.

Flybarre is one of the harder barre classes I've taken, and I think I've taken just about all of them in the DC area.  The ab work is especially challenging.  For example, today, we sat on the mat with our feet in the air behind the bar. We grabbed a band that was wrapped around the barre and did pulsing crunches.  See the nice picture I found on Google images to the right.   I am sure I looked exactly like those women and didn't repeatedly collapse from weakness at all.

I like the class because I feel like we do a variety of exercises every class, which you don't get at some other barre classes.  Some barre classes have more of a script, and you may even repeat the same song on each side.  Not that there is anything wrong with that. It is just whatever floats your boat.  All of that rambling about variety aside, I haven't had a class yet that has skipped the torturous toes under barre, band crunches.
 Perhaps it is a signature move.  It is definitely a tough one.

The arms are also killer.  They offer some higher weight options; and again, the moves are just a little bit bigger than other barre classes.

I highly recommend Flybarre.  I've only been to the location in City Center, but I'm sure DuPont is also great.  There was a woman in my class tonight who was on work travel from Philadelphia.  She said she loves Flywheel up there, but they don't have Flybarre yet.  Catch up, Philly!

BANG Power Dance at Sport & Health (with Sara) - The best class you will ever take. Period.

At this point, I am dreadfully behind on editorializing about the number of random exercises classes that I partake in around the DC metro area, but today(provided this is still 2/26) I took a class that was so good that I felt like I must shout it from the internet.

My dear friend Sara, who instructs both BarreOne and Zumba, recently started teaching a new class called "BANG - Power Dance." Sara, who loves exercising and is incredibly knowledgeable regarding all things fitness, had wonderful things to say about the class, and she encouraged me to check it out.  Though I am largely only proficient is bad wedding song linedancing, I really enjoy dancing.  I also have complete faith in Sara, so I will try out just about anything she suggests (not just in workouts - I now know way more bands thanks to her). 

I woke up this morning and hustled down the Sport & Health in Old Town Alexandria for my BANG.  Incidentally, I will also take any class in Old Town Alexandria because it is adorable (see picture yanked from google images to your right).

BANG is a hybrid of dance, Zumba, and kickboxing. Sometimes hybrids are an epic fail, but in this instance, BANG has nailed it.

This morning was the most fun I've had in a workout class potentially ever, and definitely in recent memory. Yeah, I know that is a big proclamation, but I am not alone.  Everyone was pumped about the class this morning.  That was evidenced by the fact that the class was jam packed with smiling faces. I started talking to a woman next to me who is a regular to the class, Rachel, and she was beaming while talking about the class before the warm-up.  She admittedly has zero rhythm (I can relate), but she promised the music was great and she just loved all the moving around. 

Additionally, two other BANG instructors were in the class!  I think is also indicative of the greatness of the class. This is a Sunday morning. The instructors can take the class anytime they want, but more than one decided to get up early on their weekend to take the class.  No one is showing up to their job when they don't have to on a Sunday morning unless it is fantastic.

Some of the participants wore one-pound weighted gloves.   Thin, one-pound hand weights that curved around your hand were also available to use during the class, so about half the class, myself included, took advantage of those. The hand weights made me really happy because I love boxing, and I love boxing with slightly weighted gloves, but once you commit to gloves, you are essentially stuck working out wearing paws.  And then inevitably your shoes come untied, or you get an itch.  And then you have to take off and put back on said awkward, giant paws.  The hand weights were easy to pick up and put down.  The curved shape made them easy to hold, ensuring they would not fall off or be dropped while boxing.

The boxing sequences consisted of traditional uppercuts, jabs, and kicks.  During some songs you only boxed, and during others the boxing moves were integrated into dance moves.   The dancing only songs included a variety of dance moves, consisting of both Zumba and what I would probably consider hip-hop dancing.  I've never quite taken anything like BANG. Everyone was having a blast.  The music was really fun. 

I must note that Sara reminded us that Ricky Martin is one of the top five best-looking men on the planet (one of his song's came on - this wasn't casual class conversation, though Ricky easily deserves discussion in any context).  So in case you forgot about him, I've included a picture of him for your viewing pleasure.

I must also take a moment to give Sara must deserved accolades.  The positive energy in the class is due to Sara. She is an amazing human, but also an amazing instructor. I don't just say that because we are friends. She is a teacher by profession, and it shows in her ability to explain things quickly and succinctly, while remaining encouraging and patient. I think this is particularly important in the exercise arena because many people are self-conscious while exercising, and it is hard for them to leave their comfort zone and take a class.  Sara is a very warm person, and her infectious smile makes it very easy to step into one of her classes and feel comfortable. After the class, she was thanked by numerous people who told her how much they enjoyed her class.  One woman complimented Sara because Sara makes the class especially fun with her animated actions and happy demeanor.  Her positive attitude is both constant and sincere while she is instructing. As I mentioned, she's a teacher, which I think is probably one of the most challenging and stressful professions known to man, so I'm sure there are days that she comes in to teach an exercise class when she has already had an exhausting day of teaching and is teached-out.   But you would never know it.  Once she steps into the workout class, she is genuinely excited that people are there to exercise, and she wants to give them the best experience possible. 

If you are a member of Sport and Health, or have Classpass, I encourage you to take BANG Power Dance. I would try and get into Sara's class, but the class is spectacular and fun regardless of who is teaching.  And based on the two other instructors that were there today, they are probably pretty great as well.

On an aside, Danielle (see Orange Theory Fitness) and I periodically take Sara's barre class. Danielle is a marathon runner and does not do much barre, and I am just generally weak.  All that is to say, we aren't star pupils, but we absolutely love Sara's class.  It is incredibly challenging and she plays great music. She also takes the time to explain barre moves and expand on her explanations.  Before I took Sara's barre class, I had taken a lot of barre, but I had to f-ing clue what it meant to "tuck."  Sara also will hang out after class and answer questions, and people stay and ask, which I think also demonstrates her great ability to teach, and more importantly, her incredibly talent for making people of all fitness levels feel comfortable exercising, which probably makes them exercise more.   So thank you, Sara.  You are making the world a healthier and more fit place!

PS -  I didn't have the foresight to get a picture of us at the workout today, and we don't have one of her teaching BANG, so I have included a pic of us at one of the many great concerts she is skilled at finding.  Excuse my red eye.  My eyes are apparently too strong and frog like to be fixed by any red eye filter. 

Cyclebar - Flywheel and SoulCycle birthed something on Columbia Pike

Cyclebar opened roughly two weeks ago on Columbia Pike in Arlington. I have lived on or near Columbia Pike for five of the seven years that I lived in the DC metro area. I have a special attachment to Columbia Pike, but most people know it as an area that is "up-and-coming," rather than filled with a ton of amenities.  It is also sometimes known as that road in Arlington that spent way too much money on one bus stop.  Neither of these descriptions scream destination spot, but regardless, I love the Pike.

In the last few years Columbia Pike has worked to "arrive," or at the very least, be more than an overpriced bus stop. Columbia Pike has acquired a wine bar, a donut shop, and a little to my dismay, a Chipotle and a Starbucks.  As mentioned above, the Pike has most recently acquired a cycling studio, Cyclebar! I'm pretty sure a cycling studio means you've you've made it. I like cycling quite a bit, so I was excited to see the cycle studio pop up right next to my bus stop (I mean, I still have to use the bus stop even if it makes people bitter).

Since opening the studio has offered up free classes, which is awesome.  I arrived for my free class on Thursday evening.  A man who appeared to be the owner, John, welcomed me back as I walked through the door. I have never visited the studio, but I can only imagine that he has had a ton of women roughly my age cashing in on the free classes.  After I let him know that I was brand new to the studio, he asked me if it was my first time cycling. I responded that I have cycled quite a bit and am particularly fond of Flywheel.  This may have thrown John from his script because he proceeded to tell me how to work the bike. I listened politely, because he was obviously very excited (he should be - the studio is pristine).  He told me that I should keep my handlebars low because it made for a great abdominal work out (while motioning to an ab-filled poster). This tip will end up impacting the class more than I expected.

Much like I have my father's blue eyes and my mother's stabby chin, Cyclebar is a hybrid. It has the screens in the front of the room tracking your performance like Flywheel, but the lights and beats of SoulCycle.

As I was warming up on the bike right before class started, the girl next to me informed me that my handlebars were too low. I thought this was a very bold comment given that we hadn't said a word to each other. I politely told her that I was keeping it low due to the tip I received out front. She told me that she has never left a workout where the quality of the workout was dependent on the height of the handlebars.  Although I wanted to say, "hey, don't shoot the messenger, I am just trying something new,"  I kept it to, "thank you.  I am going to stick with it."  I think she would have continued with her unsolicited advice, but the instructor made the announcement that there was no talking in the class.  Point for Cyclebar.

The bike room was very spacious.   Now when I'm in Flywheel, though I can see the scores (speed, power, etc.) of the other riders on the board, I never sign up to have my scores on the board. I prefer to see mine on my bike and afterwards online. I quickly learned that keeping your scores to yourself is not an option in Cyclebar. You can give yourself a nickname if you want to remain more anonymous, but your bike number is also on the screen.  So, I was sitting next to "Serendipity," or Judgey McHandlebars.  Also like Flywheel, there was one song where we used a weighted bar for arm exercises.

Naturally, having the scores on the board and knowing where I ranked (very low at the beginning of the class) incited some competition.  In retrospect, I don't think forced competition two days after rather divisive election was a good idea. That said, I think myself and Serendipity were biking quite hard due to the screen and our differing opinions on handlebar height.

Now, the SoulCycle aspects thrown in were the lights and the musically synchronized movements.  I'm not into a multicolored light show when I cycle, but that is just me.  I have nothing against studios that do it.  If your're into that kind of ambience, you will like Cyclebar.  The instructor also got off and on the bike and danced and acted like a disc jockey at times.  He was very proud of his playlist. He said we would get the playlist at the end of class.  I did not follow-up on how that was done because I didn't have any interest, but I guess that is a cool option.  I don't know if that is a Cyclebar service, or just a service of an instructor who is really proud of his musical selection. Also like SoulCycle, we did some bike push-ups to the beat.

Cyclebar also threw in a touch of Zengo.  Specifically, we took one song to close our eyes, sit in darkness and reflect.

Cyclebar was truly a blend of everything.  If you want to smattering of all the different major cycling studios in the DC area, then this might be a good class for you.  And according to the owner, 300 more are opening nationwide, so chances are you will have the opportunity to try it if you live remotely near any city in the country.

I will return the Cyclebar because I think it is a nice facility and the class was a good workout. Most importantly, it is close to where I live.  I would say the class is most similar to Zengo or Soulcycle and least similar to Flywheel.  My favorite cycling in the area will probably always be Flywheel, but I encourage everyone to give Cyclebar a try.  While the classes are free, it certainly can't hurt. 

Also, Serendipity beat me, but only marginally, and it was probably not due to my handlebars.

PS my perpetually out of storage phone didn't have space for a ton of pictures, so check out the website https://cyclebar.com/