Spin + Strength + Yoga = SPENGA
It is no doubt that the lifestyle we live now is significantly different from those of previous generations. We are always connected, on--the-go and have an abundance of choices at every turn. As consumers, our generation demands ease and simplicity. With meal-prep services, delivery subscription and our favorite shows saved for when we finally have time to sit down and watch, we believe all this convenience is helping us make better use of our time and even giving us a little time back.
This trend is also trickling over into how we workout. We like variety. Some days, we want to lift hard and heavy. Other days, we want to box it out. On the toughest days, we want to let my aggression go in a dark room with loud music pumping while we spin away. Or, get some relief with yoga. The thing is, we don’t want (or have the means) for five different gym memberships to fit our five different moods.
Have you noticed more studios are adopting an all-in-one format? It’s easier to have our go-to place where we have a choice of workouts for whatever mood we are in, or event we are training for. Therefore you see more services like ClassPass and more unique spaces like HotWorx opening in a suburb near you. Studios are also offer more of a community. The more “boutique” spaces are taking their workouts outside the four walls of the studio, entering races together, embarking on challenges and bringing everyone together to celebrate wins along the way. They allow you to build camaraderie with those you sweat with versus big box gyms.
On a recent trip to Houston, we visited a newer concept that you may see popping up soon in a city (suburb) near you, SPENGA. SPENGA combines three essential elements of fitness aimed at improving your endurance, strengthening your muscles and revitalizing your body. You do it in one 60-minute format. The studio combines spin, HIIT training and yoga in one big space. In one class, you cycle through 20-minutes of spin, 20-minutes of strength training and then cool it all down with 20-minutes of yoga.
There is a lot going on with SPENGA’s vibe, which is why it really may be a good model to reach a wide variety of gym goers. Walking into the studio’s lobby, a bright white and green space, was calming. Heading up the Houston studio’s stairs for the first time, we had no idea what we were walking into.
Entering the spin room, our thoughts were, “Yeahhh…we are ready to rock.” It was dark and everything glowed green. The strength space, lined with dumbbells, TRX straps, medicine balls and more, takes you into a different mindset. Like, “Ok, we are turning things up a notch!” Finally, as you move into the yoga space, all the lights come down, the music changes and you forget the other two areas are just a few steps behind you. You begin to really feel like you can let the day and the workout go and center in the stretch you need.
As a proud members of the 5 a.m. gym crew, it was nice to show up and know we’d get a full body workout without much thought on our end at all. Our trainer (hey Roz, hey!) was key to the experience, as she made sure we knew exactly what range and intensity we should be spinning, how many reps we were aiming for in each set, and the poses we needed to remain loose and flexible.
What’s your preference: big gyms or more specialized offerings? Would you enjoy a format like SPENGA? Let us know in the comments below, or join the conversation on Instagram.