I'm a Certified Personal Trainer—Here's My Take on Julianne Hough's Fitness Program, KINRGY

Plus, her favorite shoes for everyday.

Reviewed by Dietitian Jessica Ball, M.S., RD

In the realm of entertainment, Emmy® Award-winning dancer, singer and actress Julianne Hough is a household name whose latest endeavor extends beyond the stage. She’s venturing deeper into the world of fitness with her new platform, KINRGY. The Dancing with the Stars (DWTS) host demoed her program with live events in major cities in 2019, and in the coming years set forth an opportunity to establish a widely-accessible, virtual KINRGY.

Not to be confused with the KENERGY—Hough did it first, for the record—KINRGY is rooted in Hough’s experience and philosophy that movement isn’t merely physical but also emotional and spiritual. Its fusion of dance cardio, breath work, meditation and strength training. The program offers a unique approach that transcends other dance-adjacent fitness programs and strives to redefine the way members connect with their bodies, minds and souls with “joyful movement” in a judgment-free space.

Related: What Is Joyful Movement & How Can It Help You Actually Enjoy Exercising?

As a certified personal trainer who’s always up to try a new workout, I jumped at the chance to speak with Hough about her latest milestone, KINRGY’s first brick and mortar location in West Hollywood, California.

The idea originated with fans who wanted to experience DWTS themselves. Hough heard a strong desire to feel confident, free, transformed and reconnected through dance—a journey she told me many DWTS celebrities experience. That’s when it clicked—and KINRGY was born, she says.

“KINRGY was always supposed to be an in-person, real-life experience,” Hough told me. “And then of course, you know, the whole world shut down and we went digital like everyone else, but we were so lucky that we were able to stay afloat. And now finally, it's the right time. I think people in general just want to get back out there and feel connected and be with their community, and grow with their community.”

With classes inspired by the natural elements of earth, fire, water and air, KINRGY sessions aim to encourage balance and clarity, while allowing self-expression, creativity and community connection to thrive.

Whether in person at the new studio or streaming from their personal device, members can choose from class formats based on its signature method, KINRGY X, which include RHYTHM, CONNECT, DANCE, RHYTHM + CARVE, XPRESS and TRANSFORM (a leveled-up version of X). Similar to yoga flows, each workout provides instructor-led routines with intentions of building physical, mental and spiritual strength with names Courageous Heart, Life Force Activation, Unlock your Expression, Supercharge Yourself and Activate the Power Within. “You know, whatever spirituality or connection or energy means to you, we try to use language that's very universal so it doesn't feel intimidating, or something that will connect,” explained Hough.

And make no mistake, KINRGY’s sessions are legit heart-rate elevating, sweat-inducing functional fitness classes, as I discovered when I tried the platform for myself. I left my first sessions sweaty but energized, and feeling inspired and a lot clearer-minded. There’s some scientific backing to this, too. Movement and community engagement have been shown to build new pathways and connections in the brain, boost mood, promote memory and support self-esteem, not to mention improve physiological and cognitive health in several other ways.

In fact, in developing KINRGY, Hough’s team consulted Dr. Wendy Suzuki, Ph.D., a neuroscientist and Professor of Neural Science and Psychology at the Center for Neural Science at New York University, on the science-backed mental health and cognitive benefits of meditation and mindfulness in movement.

“Dr. Wendy Suzuki [...] did a lot of research [with us] for KINRGY,” Hough explained. “She works specifically on the brain, the health of the brain, Alzheimer's and dementia. And she's like, dance is the best thing that you can do for your brain,” said Hough.

Whether guests walk through the physical doors of a KINRGY studio or merely open their app, Hough wanted to create a space that was warm and inviting, inclusive and accessible—or easy to use like the app. Hough certainly exudes a down-to-earth inner calm that promotes the positive vibes you feel in KINRGY’s studio, with its instructors and in the on-demand program. And it’s surprisingly un-intimidating, which if you’re anything like me—a wannabe dancer myself who isn’t super confident performing full-on choreography—is an essential thing.

“It's not supposed to be intimidating,” Hough told me. “Our whole thing is, it's not about perfection, it's about expression. It's the way that you wanna move your body versus doing it right.” The movements themselves are actually really simple to follow, and I find that the more I did them, the more comfortable and confident I felt overall. Plus, if you do want to start with something that's less dance-focused, KINRGY has other modalities, too. Take CARVE, which combines familiar yoga, pilates and strength training. Best of all, KINRGY makes their sessions fun, with cool, element-themed lighting, great music and aromatherapy (depending on the class).

Now that her first studio location is open, Hough said her team is hoping to bring KINRGY to the rest of the country, particularly to her fanbase in Middle America (which was her first vision for KINRGY) along with even more on-demand features, merch and other partnerships to come.

As a side note: I couldn’t resist finding out for EatingWell readers what Julianne’s go-to gear is day to day as a follow-up to when she shared one of her fav health snacks. While Hough said she’s kind of a “less is more” gal in the studio, preferring to move barefoot. “But if I'm going out and have my regular sneakers, I'm a Hoka girl. I love my Hokas,” she said. “And I do love some ankle and wrist weights [like Bala Bangles] too, especially, for CARVE, […] if you want that extra resistance and weight.”

Founding membership to KINRGY’s in-person studio is available at four, eight or unlimited visits per month, with drop-ins welcome, and is open seven days a week with 4 to 6 classes daily and plans for more.

You don’t have to be in Los Angeles to move with Julianne. You can try KINRGY’s on-demand membership (desktop, App Store, or Google Play) for free with its 7-day trial, which includes unlimited access to over 350 dance cardio, fitness, yoga, meditation classes, virtual workshops and Julianne's Wellness Workbook, alongside exclusive discounts on in-person courses and retreats. After the free trial, it’s a reasonable $29.99 per month or $300 annually (17% savings). Plus, for a limited time, members can get 50% off an annual membership—so run (or dance quickly), don’t walk to snag this deal!

The Bottom Line 

If you’re looking to move your body in a fun and welcoming community without the tropes of traditional gyms—or if you love to dance and would like to try it more—you’ll be hard-pressed to find a more pleasantly effective studio experience. It will certainly get you moving, improving heart health and core strength along the way.

So whether or not you feel the KINRGY yet, Julianne’s advice to get active and move in your body doing something you enjoy is always beneficial for health and longevity. From giving Pilates a try to more midway walks, or even dancing in the privacy of your own home, you can find joy and empowerment in movement that you enjoy while supporting your overall fitness.

Read the original article on Eating Well.