Shake, shimmy, roll
Bike store and area studios offer great alternative approaches for results-oriented conditioning
01/13/2011
Let’s face it; the grind of running and lifting weights is not for everyone who wants to look and feel better.
While going to the local gym and pumping iron for hours on end, then taking to the road or treadmill and logging mile after mile to burn just a few calories at a time is fine for some.
But Pasadena is lucky to have a wide range of alternatives to those traditional routines, featuring everything from bicycling to yoga to dancing — activities that people of all ages can do and actually enjoy while getting in the best shape of their lives.
If stretching, yoga and calisthenics is your thing, Bar Method Pasadena (32 Mills Place, Pasadena, 626/844-7888, barmethod.com) is the place to find perfect fitness program for you and your friends and family members. This hybrid of ballet, yoga and Pilates principles will help improve your flexibility, core strength and muscle tone while shaping the lean look you’ve always wanted.
As one fan of the place wrote online recently, “I can't say I've lost 1,000 pounds and have my dream body. What I CAN say is that I notice results. Even with my über-slow changing body I can tell my legs are stronger, my butt is stronger and for the first time in over 10 years. I can touch my toes again! Instead of just losing weight, I've been leaning out, slowly but surely, and getting stronger and stronger.”
For those seeking artistic expression in movement, the Dance Conservatory of Pasadena (DCP) (496 S. Arroyo Parkway, Pasadena, 877/345-PLIE [7543], 626/396-1744, info@danceconservatorypasadena.com) might be just what you’re looking for. DCP is owned by longtime Pasadena resident and attorney Jennifer Cheng, who is the conservatory’s executive director.
Beginning at age 5, Cheng danced with Yvonne Cusack, then trained with Stanley Holden as one of his first students at the Music Center in Los Angeles, and later at his studio on West Los Angeles. She received her Advance Certificate from the Royal Academy of Dance at age 15. As a young dancer, she performed with the Australian Ballet and the San Francisco Ballet, as well as dancing on various TV shows. Cheng is also a second-degree black belt in karate, and DCP provides a safe and inviting environment for dancers of all ages — kindergartners through adults. Aspiring professionals and those just enjoy the recreational benefits of dance alike can enjoy DCP’s classes — in Zumba, salsa and other types of dance — which are priced to allow students to experience the pleasure of dancing without worrying about their budgets.
Taking off in popularity in the 1990s, Pilates has remained a favorite way to get in shape for millions of people. In Pasadena, there’s no better place to find out what all the excitement’s about than at Zoë: A Pilates Studio (22 S. Oakland Ave., Pasadena, 626/585- 8853, zoepilates.com). Established in 1995, Zoë was the first studio to bring Pilates to Pasadena’s Playhouse District and remains dedicated to teaching the method in its original form on the equipment designed to the specifications of Joseph Pilates.
Located in the nearly 90-year-old Lockwood Building, the studio features high ceilings, natural light and architectural elements of the Spanish-Baroque period.
Bikram Yoga (2089 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena, 626/304-9642, bikrampasadena.com) is another workout studio where participants need to be ready to sweat — a lot.
Designed to work the whole body from the inside out, Bikram Yoga can help reduce the symptoms of a long-term or new injury while improving flexibility, increasing circulation and reducing stress. Remember: Bring a large towel, a bottle of water and a washcloth. As instructors remind students, “Come to class clean, showered and free of fragrance and smoke, with an empty stomach and an open mind.”
For those who don’t want to get their exercise indoors, there’s Pasadena Cyclery (1670 E. Walnut St., Pasadena, 626/795-2866, pasadenacyclery.com).
A family-owned business since 1976, Pasadena Cyclery specializes in custom bike builds, professional fitting and, according to its Web site, “doing whatever it takes to make sure that your cycling experience is positive and enjoyable.”
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