Spotlight on: Aerospace NYC w/ Michael Olajide Jr.

Happy Saturday!

I hope you're enjoying your weekend so far! Looks as though we've dodged what were shaping up to be some pretty threatening T-storms cuz the sun's a-shinin' here in Brooklyn! Sorry to have been a bit MIA lately; hopefully I'll make up for it with a fun post.

Last Tuesday, I headed to my last free summer fitness meet up (sad, I know). The guest fitness guru was none other than Michael Olajide, Jr. of Aerospace NYC. Olajide is a former middleweight boxer who brought his skills and background as a fitness instructor to the table when establishing Aerospace NYC along with former ballet dancer Leila Fazel , a "revolutionary" gym that eliminates machines and engages participants in workouts that emulate that of a pro boxer; think: quick energy-boosting circuits of intense exercises; punch combinations; and intervals of jump rope, squats and push ups. I was expecting intensity, but presumed that the workout would emulate MMA more than it actually did. I was anticipating TaeBo, and got something entirely different...but much more up my alley.

We started off with an active warm up which I love because it preps the body for lots of dynamic movement and burns more calories than just static stretching. Then we moved into some planks, squats, and push ups, interspersed with periods of punching sequences. My heartrate went up and stayed up throughout the cardio portion, even once it was time to come down to our mats to work those abs. I'll be the first to admit that after an intense cardio session, the last thing I want to do is roll out an ab workout,  but man, it really puts the icing on the cake of a great workout. I learned some great core-stabilizing moves that improve balance while hitting all those little problem spots in the tummy area.

This workout gets major points for being a stellar aerobic--and anaerobic, for that matter--challenge. I didn't sweat as much as I have during previous workouts on the pier, but this workout was no less intense. I love that boxing techniques played such a significant role in the workout, and that definitely upped the fun factor for me because who doesn't get enjoyment from throwing jabs and upper-cuts at whatever's bothering you in the moment?! I find it pleasantly cathartic.

I'll definitely be incorporating some of the ab moves I learned into my regular routine, so that gives this workout points for being routine-ready and portable: everything can be done in the comfort of your home, gym, hotel room, etc! After completing this workout, I learned that the sport of boxing is about so much more than weaving around a ring and throwing punches: to be a good boxer, you have to be agile and quick on your feet, on top of being strong and coordinated. I think we're all seeking to improve upon these elements in our quest for our best fitness, so boxing is certainly a great conditioning tool.

Check out all the cool classes Aerospace offers here!!!