We’re letting a secret out. B/SPOKE TRAIN is where it is at. B/SPOKE, the studio that is known for its beat driven cycling classes and beautiful studio spaces has added another class offering to their growing empire. TRAIN is a high intensity boot camp, matched to the beat of the music. Trust us on this one, this is NOT a glorified aerobics class. Its aerobics-meets-boot-camp-meets-RAVE. So, if you are into toning your body (yes, all of it – upper, lower, and core) we’d suggest getting your ass out to Wellesley. If you don’t have a car, find a friend, get an Uber, hell walk—no run. Run as fast as you can. And if all those modes of transportation fail you, then we suggest that you sit at home and pray that this studio brings TRAIN to the city. Because one thing is for sure we will be standing on the curb when the doors open.
Enter the LAB room and go find your mat station, it’s time to TRAIN. We made the mistake of thinking that because we were bound to the confines of a 2’ x 6’ mat that getting our heart rate up was a far off dream. WRONG. As soon as the first beat dropped we were off to the races. The class started with a warm-up that was a combination of movements that jacked our heart rate (think running in place, high knees, squats, mixed in with various stretches to make sure we were warmed up properly.
After the warm up was complete we moved right into lower body. Multiple variations on squat movements with and without dumbbells, mixed with lunges and remember everything is to the beat of the music. And the beat was fast which meant that we were squatting fast and often.
Then it was onto our core. Finally we got to lay down on our mat. Hooray! Not so fast, no rest for the weary. We completed sit ups, obliques, bicycles, and more sit ups. Our abs were on FIRE! Instant six-pack.
Next moved onto our upper body where we planked every which way. Traditional planks, shoulder taps, side planks, you name it. We also used light dumbells for pressing, tricep extensions and then the fan favorite of boxing punching sequences.
When the music slowed we knew the end was near. We closed out class just the way we started. With a fast heart rate spike and onto a cool down stretch.
You know that feeling when you walk into a class and you just know the instructor is going to take you for a ride? And no, we don’t mean spin ride. With no bikes in sight, Jen Nichinello blew us away. From the moment the lights went down and the first song came on, Jen put on a SHOW. Jen’s style was a commanding drill sergeant meets a no-bullshit peppy cheerleader.
One of the most impressive things about Jen was that she NEVER stopped talking, which is no easy task in a 50 minute class like TRAIN. There are a lot of moving parts. Movement commands, cueing form, staying on beat, keeping the energy high, all the while working out right along with us. You’ve got to be fit and dialed in to make all the moving parts sync up and Jen did just that. At the end of the class we weren’t quite sure if we should get up and clap, hug Jen, or ask when the next performance was. She put on a show and we loved it.
When you enter the studio off Central Street you walk into an open space and descend down a grand staircase to the main lobby. (Note: There is also a back entrance off of Church Street. But if you are a first timer to the studio we suggest getting the full experience and enter off Central). The front desk staff greets you as you check in with complimentary shoe rental. Also in the main lobby is a retail store that has all the latest apparel from some of your favorite trendy brands.
As we continue through the space we are greeted by a water station that looks more like a beer tap room then a water fountain. The locker rooms are top notch with plenty of space to spread out, sit down and not get bumped by 10 people in the process. Details, details, details. The die cut metal bathroom gender sign may have been our favorite part… or maybe the Matouk shower curtains??? Wellesley residents, you’ll feel right at home. There are 2 bathroom stalls and 4 showers. Aesop products are spread throughout – mouthwash, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner and body wash.
We’ve been to our fair share of workout spaces, and on more than one occasion we’ve found ourselves trapped in a studio space feeling like Jane Fonda’s lair circa 1970. And no, we are NOT a fan of feeling like we’ve been time warped. It’s 2018 people! Enter B/SPOKE LAB room.
Damn B/SPOKE, we don’t know what kind of drugs you are on but that room is L-I-T. The room is dark and sexy with the most amazing lights you’ve ever seen. At one point mid sit-up we couldn’t help but to forget where we were and watch the light show surrounding us. The room is intimate (read tight). There are 19 mat workout stations that are packed in. At times we were rubbing dumbbells with our neighbors, but come on we’ve all been there before. If anybody is looking for their next spot to shoot a music video or maybe an underground club, we’d suggest this spot. Now that we think about it, Wellesley could use an underground club scene.
50 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02482 Suburbs HIIT $$$
B/SPOKE Studios Wellesley TRAIN
Suburbs HIIT, Bootcamp $$$
50 Central St, Wellesley, MA 02482
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B/SPOKE StudiosHIIT, Bootcamp
Enter the LAB room and go find your mat station, it’s time to TRAIN. We made the mistake of thinking that because we were bound to the confines of a 2’ x 6’ mat that getting our heart rate up was a far off dream. WRONG. As soon as the first beat dropped we were off to the races. The class started with a warm-up that was a combination of movements that jacked our heart rate (think running in place, high knees, squats, mixed in with various stretches to make sure we were warmed up properly.
After the warm up was complete we moved right into lower body. Multiple variations on squat movements with and without dumbbells, mixed with lunges and remember everything is to the beat of the music. And the beat was fast which meant that we were squatting fast and often.
Then it was onto our core. Finally we got to lay down on our mat. Hooray! Not so fast, no rest for the weary. We completed sit ups, obliques, bicycles, and more sit ups. Our abs were on FIRE! Instant six-pack.
Next moved onto our upper body where we planked every which way. Traditional planks, shoulder taps, side planks, you name it. We also used light dumbells for pressing, tricep extensions and then the fan favorite of boxing punching sequences.
When the music slowed we knew the end was near. We closed out class just the way we started. With a fast heart rate spike and onto a cool down stretch.
You know that feeling when you walk into a class and you just know the instructor is going to take you for a ride? And no, we don’t mean spin ride. With no bikes in sight, Jen Nichinello blew us away. From the moment the lights went down and the first song came on, Jen put on a SHOW. Jen’s style was a commanding drill sergeant meets a no-bullshit peppy cheerleader.
One of the most impressive things about Jen was that she NEVER stopped talking, which is no easy task in a 50 minute class like TRAIN. There are a lot of moving parts. Movement commands, cueing form, staying on beat, keeping the energy high, all the while working out right along with us. You’ve got to be fit and dialed in to make all the moving parts sync up and Jen did just that. At the end of the class we weren’t quite sure if we should get up and clap, hug Jen, or ask when the next performance was. She put on a show and we loved it.
B/SPOKEHIIT, Bootcamp
The workout is broken out by body part, with each new song prompting a new movement. The general structure of the class is: 2 warm up songs, 2 lower body songs, 3 upper body songs, 2 core songs, “baby weights” (we’ll explain) and stretch. The warm up was all body weight movements, including air squats, jump squats (ugh), lunges, curtsy lunges, mountain climbers and a mini plank series.
After our legs were sufficiently shaky from the warm up, we grabbed two sets of weights – a heavier set and a lighter set. Once we got back to our mat, it was ON. We didn’t stop moving for the remainder of class. We began with squats holding our heavier weight and continued through a series of weighted lunges and curtsy lunges. OH – we can’t forget to mention the “cardio bursts” throughout class. After every few movements, the instructor would have us drop our weights and perform a quick cardio movement, just enough to have us swearing under our breath.
Ok, moving on to arms. Here at SC, we’re big fans of an arm series. And this one did not disappoint. We hit all the good stuff – shoulders, biceps, back, triceps. We mixed up weighted movements with good ‘ol push ups. After 3 non-stop songs of upper body, our arms were on FIRE. Thank God for the core series. We rolled over on our backs and were guided through basic crunches, bicycle crunches and that thing where you try to reach your toes which are in the air. And of course….plank. The “encore” of class included a quick cardio series, followed by “baby weights” and stretching. We used 2lb weights to cool down our arms, stretch and get our heart rates down. By the time class was over and we collapsed on our mat, we felt depleted, but accomplished.
Ashley is a little ball of energy. She kept our class running smoothly, efficiently and NON-STOP. Her direction was clear and easy to follow, even through all the choreography changes. She is super friendly, outgoing and personable. Bonus – Ashley also gives an impressive spin class.
