In the past few years, fitness classes have become increasingly popular; almost every few months, there’s a new fitness trend. Whether it’s Pilates, hot yoga or indoor cycling, people are constantly finding new and creative ways to exercise — and Menlo students and teachers are no exception.
Upper School math teacher Randy Joss has been attending Pilates classes at MPX Strength Studio in Menlo Park for the past year. MPX offers 45-to-60-minute classes using a machine called the XFormer, which features two platforms with a moving carriage in between, similar to a traditional Pilates reformer.
Joss first explored MPX after tearing his calf muscle while running and undergoing extensive physical therapy. At first, he was skeptical. “My impression of Pilates going in was that it was sort of like an old peoples’ exercise class, and it was not very hard,” Joss said.
However, he quickly realized just how challenging it was. “They exercise every little muscle that you’ve got. It’s kinda fun because every day, you know that you’re gonna get humbled,” he said.
Since starting, Joss has taken around 75 classes and has noticed a significant improvement in his physical well-being. “It’s been great for me. My knees don’t hurt anymore. My shoulders don’t hurt. My lower back doesn’t hurt anymore. I’m just a lot stronger,” he said.
Due to its close location, Joss conveniently attends classes at MPX on his way home from school in the evenings. One of the most noticeable improvements for him has been his ability to perform daily activities without pain. He recalls moving his son into college at Berkeley and handling several large boxes up and down the stairs — remarkably, he wasn’t sore at all the next day, something he attributes to his time at MPX.
While pilates is often viewed as a female-dominated exercise, Joss has observed more men joining the classes. “The great thing about Pilates, and especially these reformers, is that no matter who you are, you can stand there and do one of the exercises and feel incredibly strong,” Joss said. “Then you’ll turn and they’ll have you do something slightly different, and you’re trembling while the little old lady next to you is just crushing it.”
Joss isn’t the only one exploring new workouts. Many Menlo students have also embraced fitness classes, including senior Annika Talwar, who has made hot yoga a part of her weekly routine. For the past two months, Talwar has been attending morning classes at CorePower Yoga once a week. Initially, she joined because her friends were going, but she quickly found it to be a fun and rewarding activity.
Talwar particularly enjoys the hot environment at CorePower. “I like that it’s like you’re in a sauna,” she said. As a track and cross-country runner, she appreciates having an alternative workout on days she doesn’t run. While she hasn’t noticed a significant change in her strength, she has experienced other benefits. “I feel like I’ve definitely gotten a lot more flexible, and I also think I’m less sore now for running,” Talwar said.
Beyond CorePower, Talwar has also tried Barry’s Bootcamp. While she enjoyed the high-intensity workouts, she found it difficult to keep up with them during track and cross-country season.
Lately, she’s noticed more of her fellow seniors participating in fitness classes. “We just have more time now as seniors, and it’s a fun social thing to do,” Talwar said. “TikTok has also definitely popularized workout classes.”
For those new to classes like CorePower, Talwar advises not to feel embarrassed if you can’t perform all the exercises right away. “Everyone’s doing their own thing,” she said.
Like Talwar, junior Sulia Gayle has also recently started taking group workout classes on a weekly basis. After seeing videos about SoulCycle, Gayle decided to try a class with her friends. Now, she consistently takes at least one SoulCycle class per weekend with her friends.
SoulCycle offers high-intensity 45-minute indoor cycling workouts that focus on cardio. According to Gayle, what makes the experience stand out is the combination of the instructors and the overall atmosphere. “They normally turn the lights off and you can choose classes based on the playlist. They tell you what type of music they’ll be playing so you can sign up for the ones you like,” she said.
Gayle finds that the instructors make the experience more engaging than a normal bike ride or workout. While she has a Peloton bike at home and could cycle there, she still prefers attending SoulCycle classes. “I could just ride at home, but I choose to go to SoulCycle and pay for classes because it’s more fun,” she said.
