Why Julianne Hough's Kinrgy Workout Class Will Bring You to Tears
Originally appeared on E! Online
Julianne Hough's fitness program is a workout for your body and brain.
"This whole concept really came from my own transformation," she told E! News in March at the grand opening of her Kinrgy Studio in Los Angeles. "To be able to find that trifecta, which is mainly dance-based, breath-work and visualization, is almost like a Tesla supercharger. You can get into a flow state from each one of those things, but when you combine all three, it's powerful."
As the lifestyle editor at E!, I was not only intrigued during my interview with the Dancing With the Stars cohost, but curious to test-drive the workout for myself. So, I booked the Kinrgy Connect session, which the website says will "recalibrate your system with a collection of harmonizing practices of breath-work, meditation, sound and mindful movement."
I'll admit, I went in thinking it all sounded a little woo-woo—and I wasn't too far off. After all, I walked into an aromatherapy-scented studio that featured mood lighting and music reminiscent of sound bowls.
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Similar to a yoga class, we were asked to take off our shoes and do the workout with either our socks on or barefoot. This not only gave us a sense of grounding but allowed for free-flowing movements during the 45-minute sweat session.
What also struck me by surprise were the cream-colored shades covering the floor-to-ceiling mirrors. This, instructor Alissa Tucker said, would not only create a judgement-free zone, but help us get out of our heads when doing the dance-based movements.
"It's not about perfection," she repeated during the session, almost mantra-like, "it's about expression."
The dance class was also intimate, as there were about 10 people total, including myself and the instructor. Despite feeling anxious over the class size as, I feared people would stare at my awkward moves. But when I spoke to an attendee before class started, she reassured me I'd get lost in how it made me feel, that I wouldn't care how I looked. She was right, of course.
After all, the workout session isn't about enhancing your body. At its core, the fitness program is designed to work out your mind and re-center your energy.
In the Connect class, the movements were inspired by nature's elements: Earth, fire, water and air. This system, according to the website, encourages a combination of balance, clarity, connection and self-expression.
The class kicked off with the fire element, as we rubbed our hands together to create friction. As our instructor put it: "Feel the life force energy coming from the inside out." My eyes sparked as I felt the heat flowing between my palms. I drank—no guzzled—the Kool-Aid.
After waking up our bodies, we swayed our arms back and forth and then did a blend of lunges and dance movements. We then transitioned into an Earth-based movement, pounding our palms into the floor and raising the energy back into our chests and releasing it out again.
Once we entered the water phase, we became more in-tune with our bodies, creating wave-like movements by dangling our arms and rolling our hips and stomachs the same way belly dancers do.
Then came the air section, which, please excuse my candor, sounded like an orgasm rather than faint breathwork. And this is where I understood the importance of making a judgement-free space. Because we all released loud screams and huffs, as we pushed our hands toward the ceiling and worked it down to our toes.
At one point, the group also gathered around in a circle, swaying our arms and bouncing our legs together, like witches chanting around a fire pit.
By the time the cooldown came, I could feel my heart beating out of my chest and the sweat dripping down my back and forehead. I hadn't noticed it beforehand because I was consumed with emotion. I'm embarrassed to admit, but I actually started crying!
It was as if my body shook off all the pent-up energy and negativity I carried with me into class. It felt both like a relief and release.
Overall, the class offered an interesting juxtaposition of waking me up while keeping me calm—kinda like drinking a triple shot latte while doing meditative journaling. The way I see it, Kinrgy isn't a physical exercise—it's a spiritual one.
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