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It is official and it is sad. Winter is here, the holidays are over and if you are like me, you are a bit thicker around the middle after the excesses of the season. Even more sad, gone are the easy days of slipping into running shoes and heading outdoors with little else on other than sunscreen and an iPod to get that heart rate up. If packing on the layers to keep the cold at bay to hit the pavement is not your thing, you may be looking for new ways to motivate yourself to work out, especially now that we have ushered in 2012.
As a long distance runner, I have to say up front I was a sceptic about the RealRyder but honestly, it really is unlike anything I have ever done exercise-wise. As far as I am concerned, indoor cycling (by yourself or in a class) always seems limited to pedaling faster or slower and for an attention-deficit person like me, boredom always sets in, making cycling feel torturously long. What sets the RealRyder apart is the fact that it has a whole range of motions because its frame moves — meaning your muscles steer and turn and that keeps the mind more engaged and the body more active. This was certainly the case for me anyway. On top of that, you get a real kick ass work out. The RealRyder, unlike regular stationary bikes, improves not just your legs and cardio, but also upper body and core muscles groups.
The most effective way to experience the RealRyder is in a class offered at KRX by fitness trainer Rick Gilker. While Rick will kick you into gear on the RealRyder, he also does one-on-one training. Whether your goal is shedding a few pounds, ridding yourself of some post-holiday eating guilt or you are preparing for a marathon, Rick will whip you into shape. (For a full list of his services, visit www.totalfitnessottawa.com.)
KRX Fitness, located at 176 Gloucester Street, is a small gym but it is a great place to get your exercise fix. Owned by personal trainer Kenny Rolland (well known to anyone who works out at the YMCA on Bank Street), the gym offers classes as well as personal training by Kenny or other members of the KRX team.
As for the RealRyder? “More kinds of movement. More muscles used. More calories burned.” That’s the RealRyder promise. Given my sore butt and abs after the class, I am inclined to believe them. Check out the class schedule at www.krxfitness.com.
