From Pilates to Punching Bags: A look into sports classes in downtown San Mateo

Fitness has long been an influential part of our culture. Starting in ancient Greece, gyms were the center of the community, and physical excellence was regarded as noble. During World War II, totalitarian regimes promoted exercise programs to better the overall fitness of their population, perhaps in preparation for defense. During the Cold War, the United States, paranoid of the spread of communist attack, urged its citizens to prepare by prioritizing fitness across the country.
Now, advances in technology have shifted how we exercise. Wearable activity trackers and apps, like Fitbits and Apple Watches, motivate users to reach certain goals, such as the 10,000 daily step count. Studies coming out every day convince us to hit the gym, as exercise provides many neurological and physiological benefits to our bodies. Diet culture and societal pressure across mass media influences promote a certain body image and pressure us to spend our money on fitness programs. According to the International Health, Racquet and Sportsclub Association, nationwide, fitness memberships grew to 60.9 million last year.
More recently, the trend of boutique fitness has exploded, adapting to the millennials and younger generation that seeks more specialized, personal experiences, flexible participation and a component of community. Boutique fitness is generally a pay-per-class type program that focuses on one to two aspects of exercise (pilates, cycling, yoga, you name it). These boutique classes tend to have a high price tag, averaging at around 20 to 30 dollars per session. San Mateo alone has many boutique fitness classes — here’s a review of three in the downtown area.

RockSalt Pilates

First Class $20

On the edge of downtown, RockSalt Pilates classes revolve around the Pilates reformer, with adjustable springs of varying resistances, a main carriage that rolls back and forth and long straps with handles for your feet and hands. Located in a small, private, clean one-room studio, RockSalt contains only about eight reformers, providing a more intimate environment for the instructor and students.

RockSalt offers three varying levels of classes: Stretch, Strength and Sweat. I tried the 50 minute Strength class, which includes a melange of cardio, stretching, toning and pilates. Most of the seemingly easy but grueling exercises are done in three sets.

The instructor, Jinna, was upbeat and motivating and helped to correct students moves, which can be modified to an individual’s ability. Though the sweating isn’t as extreme in the RockSalt Strength class compared to the other two sport classes I tried, the session definitely works at parts of the body that are not usually used, especially the legs and glutes. This one left me sore for the next three days. The class ends with a five to 10 minute stretching session, again using the reformer to stretch out the entire body.

RockSalt Pilates, with their clean and modern environment coupled with small group classes, caters well to the current millennial generation and best exemplifies boutique fitness.

B Street  Boxing

First Trial Week Free

Founded by Aragon alumni and professional boxer Eddie Croft, B Street Boxing is a small local boxing gym accessible to people of all ages. Found in a former strip club, the 5,000 square foot space is located underground near the Century Movie Theaters.

The class for teens — consisting mostly of burly high school guys — starts off with a “warm-up,” which essentially is running an innumerable amount of laps around the boxing punch bags. Eddie then goes to explain the basic boxing moves (jabs and hooks) to new members and guides them on how to wrap hands and put on the boxing gloves. The session then starts with pairing off with a partner; there are two people to each punching bag.

It’s hot, sweaty and messy with poor ventilation. The boxing is grouped into smaller intervals where one just goes at the punching bag (it isn’t person-to-person) for two minutes and thirty seconds with a short thirty second to one minute break after. Also, if you are slacking off, Eddie comes around and slaps your face with a pool noodle. Definitely a high pressure, high stakes environment.

This workout is definitely for those that want to work and strengthen their entire body, especially the arms. I recommend going with a friend so that you are paired off with someone familiar and the experience isn’t so intimidating.

SoulCycle

First Class $20

Neon lights and inspirational quotes cover the bright white walls as you walk into the studio. Expect to be happily greeted by front-desk staff decked in SoulCycle gear.

Before the session starts, SoulCycle staff helps with adjusting the bike according to each participant’s height and with how to clip onto the bike with the magnetic shoes (this part took a while). Even on a Sunday morning, all 32 bikes were full with riders of all ages, genders and races. The class is pitch-black, except for the candles near the instructor’s bike and the two red exit signs on the doors.

While it may seem intimidating at first, the dark lighting and amped-up playlist really helps put you in the mood to pedal hard and make the most out of the class. The environment also helps to just focus on yourself and not worry about other cyclers or numbers on a screen. The workout is very tiring, as it is high-impact, but it feels rather energizing afterwards.

I recommend, especially for your first few classes, to get a bike in the middle row near a fan, because it really helps to cool down during a session. SoulCycle is definitely pricey after the first class, piling on additional fees for shoes, but overall, not a workout to regret spending money on once in a while.