[SOLIDCORE]

I first heard of Solidcore on Instagram. To be honest, the ad convinced me to give it a try! It was EDM music in a dimly lit room with super-fit people on the reformer. It seemed to me like it would be a challenging yet effective workout from the looks of it, so I figured, why not?

Unfortunately, the only Soldicore I have close to me is about 30 minutes away BUT I wasn’t going to let that stop me. I signed up for my free two week trial and left there with a 12 class pack subscription. (I was SOLD ON IT)

What to know before you go!

If you have a Solidcore near you or are traveling to a place with one, just sign up. Trust me, your body will say “shake-you” – get it? lol

1. Bring a Towel and Water: All movements in Soldicore are slow and controlled, but you will pour with sweat. Every time I thought i didn’t need a towel, I regretted it when I had sweaty elbows on the reformer. The same goes with water; the coaches won’t call out breaks, but having a quick gulp of water really helps in the thick of it!
2. Slow AND Controlled: Soldicore is all about fatiguing all muscles by targeting slow-twitch training with resistance on the reformer. I always say, the exercises “duelen rico” which in Spanish means it hurts deliciously. Your body will tighten, ache, and shake, but it’s all part of the process. The most important thing for success throughout ALL exercises is to breathe. Matching the rhythm of your breath with the slow motion is essential. 
3. Turn on your listening ears! At the studio, the coach will instruct, motivate, and count down the entire class. This is important to know because you will continue to work on the same move while they announce what is to come next. In that explanation, they will suggest the spring load based on how many classes you have taken. The less classes, the easier the spring resistance, and you progress towards advanced. It is important to hear the spring colors and the movement when the coach says it because you will change your springs an start the exercises in “3,2,1…” Literally, that’s how it is in class, so turn on your listening ears OR find a neighbor who’s at your level so you can copy their springs. Remember- NOT everyone will have the same springs as you because everyone is at different levels. (Made that rookie mistake on my second class and homegirl was advanced, tremendous ouch with that one)
4. Sweatlana- the name of the beloved reformer: Two sides of the reformer are referenced in class- the black and grey side. The best way to tell the difference is the “grey side” has a grey strap in the middle of the reformer. The difference is that the added resistance on the black side works with you and the grey side resistance works against you. AKA- the grey side is a complete bear. As mentioned above, each side has different spring loads associated for beginners. Tp help out the newbies, in general when on the black side you will start with a grey spring and on the grey side you start with one white spring. However, this changes depending on the move and plan of the coach, so listen to their first queue for guidance.
5. The Outfit: The ambiance at Soldicore is perfect for a post-workout selfie, with lots of motivational words on the mirrors as well. In general, most people wear the Lululemon or CRZ outfits. Whatever you are comfortable in but I would recommend baggy sweatpants and warm clothing as you will sweat and it may complicate things on the reformer. The positive thing is that the room is dim, so you can sweat with confidence. I personally always rock the sweaty crotch look, its a vibe. Quick reminder that light colors post-workout aren’t forgiving and grey is a bold move.

The Downside to Solidcore

Like all really nice things, the membership is on the pricey side. BUT I would argue that you can work out less often and get results with Soldicore than any other workout. My advice: take a class and give it a try! They have class packs, and sometimes they are on Classpass, which makes it a bit easier to afford.

So, with all of these things in mind, give Soldicore a try! Hopefully, you leave the studio as I always do- tired, accomplished, sweaty, and shaky from the muscle fatigue! At the end of the day, the workout is a challenge, but the loud music, dim lights, and the coaches really help make it an enjoyable experience. As I said before, si duele- pero duele rico! It hurts… BUT it hurts deliciously.