Head of the Class: Group Exercise at Crunch
Crunch, which pioneered pole dancing as exercise, has built a reputation in the industry for launching outrageous and inventive classes. Over the years, the offerings have ranged from Cycle Karaoke (Spin and sing!) to Bar Hoppin’ (a blend of trampolines and body bars) to What You Knead (a self-massage workout). “We try to merge fitness and fun,” explains Washington general manager T.J. Spence. “Not everyone is jumping for joy to be in a gym. So, we make it a get to, not a got to.”
There are more than 100 Crunch class formats, but only a handful of those are on the schedule at Chevy Chase — and at the second D.C. Crunch, which opened a few weeks ago near Metro Center. “It’s a process of unleashing them all,” Spence says. Still, there’s quite a selection available for members already. Here are three notable options.
2. Dance Steps
Members can’t always figure out from the name that this is a step class that really boogies, rather than a straight-up dance class (since Crunch offers plenty of those, too). So, instructor Vivian Thurman eases any fears by breaking down her inventive choreography into easy-to-learn combinations that have the room turning and bouncing in unison in no time. Each week she brings in a different theme — Latin, hip-hop, swing — to change it up, which, she says, is encouraged by Crunch’s philosophy of fostering creativity among staff. “We’re entertainer instructors. It allows us to be a little crazy,” she says.
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3. Million Dollar Knockout
Christian Davila doesn’t tone down his Golden Gloves-caliber workout just because this is a class meant only for the ladies. It’s a brutal 45 minutes of boxing conditioning, including hundreds of jumping jacks, an endless variety of crunches, and push-ups galore. On a recent Saturday morning, Farah Pampillonia, 50, was lifting weights but couldn’t help but notice what was happening on the other side of the exercise studio’s floor-to-ceiling windows. “I looked in and I thought, ‘I have to get in there,'” said Pampillonia, who was soon sweating with a circle of classmates.
» Crunch, 5100 Wisconsin Ave. NW; 202-621-7622. 555 12th St. NW; 202-600-9522, Crunchdc.com.
Photos by Kristoffer Tripplaar
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