The Class by Taryn Toomey 4+

I’ve wanted to try The Class for years, and I was so thrilled to hear that this app was finally available to the masses! The subscription is quite a bit more expensive than the average workout app ($40/month or $400/year), but it’s soooo worth it to have access to so many amazing on demand classes as well as live classes and the community Facebook group. I really can’t say enough about Taryn Toomey’s method. For those who have a hard time expressing their feelings, voicing their needs and wants, and have a general tendency to swallow their emotions and bury them where no one can find them, The Class works wonders in excavating those buried feelings and examining them. All while getting a great workout that will make you sweat bullets! The movement includes classic aerobics exercises like jumping jacks and bicycles, yoga and Pilates type movements, intuitive movements (aka shake it out!), and isometric exercises, and is set to the beat of some truly amazing music. Low and no impact modifications are always given, and the instruction teaches you not to judge yourself if you need to use a modification, take a break, or just do your own thing for a minute. The app offers a 14 day free trial, which is plenty of time to get a sense of whether or not the workouts do anything for you.

I started The Class on recommendation from my 75 year old friend (a best friend of my mom). I am 41 and love to exercise but have never found a combination of yoga, HIIT and spirituality that I achieve through these sessions. My mindset, particularly during this quarantine, has changed for the positive. I am beginning to assess my greater goals and how to respond with love when I feel angry and fearful, particularly right now sheltering in place. I find that while live streams are wonderful, I still get the same experience from classes already taped. The workout changes even with a formerly viewed session because I have changed - I am stronger than I was and it’s very cool to be able to quantify that growth.
I’m grateful for The Class - for space the instructors create for all of us - they reach us virtually and let us know we are not alone. I’m grateful for the love that I feel for my body after working it, and for the power I am unearthing within myself. Things are difficult. “And then it’s over.” One breath at a time.
Thank you - to all of you at The Class.
Much love from a Marin County, CA fan.

I have always been an athlete - Triathlete, swimmer, runner, etc - and have also developed a consistent yoga practice. But recently, the restrictions of sitting at a desk and having a long commute over the last few years have taken a toll on parts of my body that were unintentionally weakened - legs, hamstrings, etc. I made it a point during this quarantine to strengthen and heal those parts of my body with patience and consistency, especially since I was out of the pool. Here I am, 3 months later, stronger than I’ve ever been and finally feeling mobile and flexible again. I am even starting to run a little bit again! This is such a fun, full body workout, and coupled with yoga 3 times a week, I feel like my body is truly transforming and I can’t wait to apply my newfound strength to my competitive amateur swimming, hiking and just generally having confidence in what my body can do. That being said, as someone who lives in California, I wish there were more classes around “lunchtime” or evening. Also, I find issues with streaming/air playing the app to my TV. I’m not sure if that’s an issue with the app or my phone/WiFi connection, but that’s the reason I knocked my rating down by a star.