Piloxing, a New Exercise Workout

Move over Zumba, there’s a new workout in town, Piloxing.

Okay, piloxing? So you may be saying to yourself,  “What the heck kind of made-up name is that?” Think kickboxing-meets-pilates all in one session. The idea is the brainchild of instructor Viveca Jensen, a Swedish dancer and celebrity trainer who teaches the course in California.

The classes are currently being held each Wednesday morning at the Charles Chrin Community Center in Palmer.  Intrigued, the journalist and former fit girl in me decided to check the class out. So I strapped on my sneakers, grabbed my towel and water and headed to class.

The first thing instructor Wendy Strohl said was that shoes were optional.  Interesting. So I did as the Romans did and took off my shoes. After a fairly normal warm-up, we started.

Punching, dancing, pilates, traditional floor exercises (think leg lifts, fire hydrants and more) and abdominals were all part of the class. It was an hour full of “the best of” in aerobics. 

For that extra push, hand-weight gloves can also be worn during the class. Strohl sells them for $24. 

No formal breaks are taken during the class. Water and towel breaks are at your leisure. The only break is for getting a mat for floor work.

About 75 women in a range of ages attended the class. Even a couple of children with their parents decided to join in on the fun. 

Rheanna Bowers traveled from Nazareth just to take the class.

“I came in last week and it was such an awesome workout that I came back,” she said.

An instructor for the past six years, Strohl has lost some 80 pounds over the past five years after having children. She said weight has always been something she has struggled with.

As an instructor, however, she is able to do what she loves while maintaining her weight.

“I just have such a good time,” she said. “I’m almost addicted to it. I never thought in a million years that I’d be teaching.”

She teaches several classes, including kickboxing and pilates, at the Bethlehem Township Community Center.  After visiting an aerobics convention in January, she discovered the new workout technique and fell in love.

“This [piloxing] was perfect,” said Strohl.

Classes are held at 10:30am Wednesdays at the Chrin community center at 4100 Green Pond Road. Classes can also be taken at the Bethlehem Township Community Center each Monday at 9:30am. Strohl also teaches several other classes at the Bethlehem Township center.

Strohl has been married to her husband, Bob, for the past 10 years. The couple have two children, Thomas, 8, and Olivia, 5.

She also has a website, www.yourfitguru.com/WendyStrohl featuring wellness tips, a list of all her classes and personal training availability.