Fighting flab never ends. Sure, there are moments when both sides relax. You skip that six-mile run. IHOP runs out of ham-and-cheese omelets. But the peace doesn’t last. Soon, the delivery menus find your mailbox and the battle for your body begins anew. And this time, riding the elliptical won’t cut it.
With summer lurking, maybe it’s time to check out a group fitness class. Classes are great for shaking up your routine and motivating you to work harder. Ask yourself this: What are you looking for in a class? Increase endurance? Burn fat? Tone up?
At Play is here to help. We divided the human body into zones and scoured the area for classes that targeted each group, ranking them by effectiveness and appeal, and rating them on a four-barbell scale (four being best and one being worst).
LOWER BODY
Class: Abs & Booty
Gym: Flirty Girl Fitness, 1325 W. Randolph St.; 312-666-2266, www.flirtygirlfitness.com
Cost: $25 drop-in class fee
“Not everyone was at the same level in this class. And so if you are the kind of person who thrives on competition, this may not be your class.” — Monica Eng
Barbell rating: 3 barbells
Class: Below the Belt
Gym: Equinox Fitness, 900 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-254-2500, www.equinoxfitness.com
Cost: Free for members and $25 for a day pass if you accompany a member
“I was sure the half-hour session would be full of big steps and lunges — maybe with the weights in our hands — and that my legs and butt would be very sore in the morning. I was wrong.” — M.E.
Barbell rating: 1 barbell
Class: LAB (legs, abs and butt)
Gym: World Gym, 100-150 S. Wacker Drive (lower level); 312-357-9753, www.worldgymchicago.com
Cost: $20 day pass
“No one really wants to spend 45 minutes doing painful toning exercises for their legs, abs and butt. But the right music and the instructor can make the ordeal seem almost fun.” — M.E.
Barbell rating: 4 barbells
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UPPER BODY
Class: Barbell Strength
Gym: Lifetime Fitness, 5300 Old Orchard Rd., Skokie; 847-470-8600
Cost: $30 day pass
“‘Hell’ was the only way to explain the next 40 minutes.” — Glenn Jeffers
Barbell rating: 3 barbells
Class: Muscle Definition
Gym: Evanston Athletic Club, 1723 Benson Ave., Evanston; 847-866-6190
Cost: $20 day pass
“Thirty minutes into this hourlong class, I already had experienced a full upper-body workout.” — G.J.
Barbell rating: 4 barbells
Class: Full Frontal
Gym: David Barton Gym, 600 W. Chicago Ave.; 312-836-9127
Cost: $25 day pass
“A.J.’s class crammed a lot into 45 minutes, bulldozing through supersets meant to work every muscle that’s out in front. But A.J. took us to the brink a couple of times.” — G.J.
Barbell rating: 4 barbells
HEART
Class: XForce Cycling
Where: X Sport Fitness, 3240 N. Ashland Ave.; 773-529-1461
Cost: Free for members.
“When Jacob came in, his easy banter … was drowned out when I noticed four small silver balls gleaming on the back of his neck. Nape piercings. Pain, I thought … we were in for some pain.” — Fauzia Arain
Barbell rating: 3 barbells
Class: Dance Party
Where: Ray Meyer Fitness & Recreation Center at DePaul University, 2235 N. Sheffield Ave.; 773-325-4555
Cost: $12 one-day guest pass for full use of the gym
“The large studio room felt cramped … and the exuberant dance moves sometimes seemed on the brink of turning into a slapstick comedy of errors.” — F.A.
Barbell rating: 2 barbells
CORE
Class: rockin’ABS!
Where: Equinox Fitness, 900 N. Michigan Ave.; 312-254-2500
Cost: Free for members.
“Jeff instructed us to raise our legs at a 45-degree angle from the floor, continue our crunches and pass the weighted ball from our fully extended right arm to our fully extended left arm. It seemed downright impossible.” — F.A.
Barbell rating: 2 barbells
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Class: Core Fusion
Where: Exhale Spa, 945 N. State St.; 312-753-6500
Cost: $24, $170 for 10 sessions
“Think of it as the combo meal of workouts — you get your hefty ab-work entree with a side of total-body.” — F.A.
Barbell rating: 4 barbells
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MORE INSIDE: To read about the classes we took, see PAGES 8 AND 9.