Ah, I remember it like it was yesterday…living in Southern California and enjoying the beach just about every weekend. The sand, the waves, the digging for crabs and screaming immediately upon finding them… DAMN IT WHY DID I END UP IN CALGARY?!!!

That’s a whole story in itself.

BUT.

I was lucky enough to test out SURFSET at Illume Hot Yoga with the Blog Squad this past weekend and I thought it was pretty darn fantastic. Have you ever heard of Surfset? They basically brought boards to land (think of a surf board balancing on 3 bosu balls. But strapped together so you don’t break your neck) and incorporate moves that surfers do– because they have hot bods. So much is incorporated in the workout: you’re working your shoulders and arms and legs and most of all.. you’re working your CORE. The balance in no joke. And when you throw in some plyometric exercises or really anything that involves movement while trying to balance, you’re just reaping the rewards of strength and calorie burn. YASS YASS YASS I love it.

PS: We all got pretty sweet shirts from Chase This Skirt to represent our Instagram/Twitter hashtags!

Ok, so that was my lay-man’s explanation of how it goes. Here’s their fitness mission:

We don’t believe in isolation. We can’t isolate our muscles from one another, or our bodies from their environment. SURFSET® is a full body approach inspired by one of the world’s most athletic sports, and the benefits are not limited to one field of fitness. We draw from the real movements of surfing to create workouts that build balance, core strength, stability, agility, aerobic conditioning, power, lean muscle & coordination. SURFSET® classes are structured for optimal fat burn, muscle build & improved balance. 45 minutes of surf-inspired movements structured in intervals to push past plateaus. Imagine combining the cardio benefits of Spinning® with the muscle benefits of TRX® training & the core benefits of working out on a Bosu® ball. Now throw in some waves & make it fun!

The best part is that they offer 4 different styles of classes so you can pick based on what you’d like to focus on.

We’ve designed 4 Signature SURFSET® Programs to deliver maximum results for all fitness levels. SURFSET® Balance, Burn, Build & Blend are each structured in custom intervals to shock our body systems and create real change. Whether you’re interested in improving stability & body control, burning fat, building lean muscle or achieving total body fitness, there is a SURFSET® program for you.

Balance is yoga-inspired; Burn is high-intensity, high-tempo; Build is focused on strength & definiton; Blend is our interval-based core session that combines it all.

Ok, wait. Let’s be honest. The best part is that you’re doing stuff on a surfboard for an hour. It almost doesn’t matter which you choose, because just taking a fitness class on a SURFBOARD in general is pretty sweet. Way better than sitting on a bike or just doing regular ol’ pushups. #amiright

I’ve got two words for you: surfboard burpees. Holy Moses were those my favorite. I’ve been doing what feels like infinity burpees lately (through my current workout program) so these were a really cool changeup. Only scary part for me was that I didn’t feel the board was long enough (I’m 5’11”) so I jumped back with caution.

Talk about core strength.

We did a blended class just to get an idea of the variety and the instructor demo’d each set prior to starting. The entire class was accompanied with upbeat music and there was a projection along the front wall that showed surfing clips throughout the class. All that was missing was a mai tai at the end <–my mind always goes to booze. I can’t help it.

We were all pretty beat by the end of the class and spend the last 5 minutes stretching.

If you’re in a fitness rut and are looking for something new to challenge you, I highly recommend checking this studio out. PLUS- they have an introductory offer that ranges from $40-$50 for an unlimited month of classes. You even have the option of trying out their hot yoga as well.

I didn’t snap any photos of the change rooms, but they are very nice and equipped with plenty of toiletries you may need. To be honest, I would have loved to have tried one of their hot yoga classes that day because *spoiler alert* I did a strength workout earlier in the morning and I just felt tight all over.

More reason to go back!

Thanks Illume Hot Yoga for the private class, it was great!