pilates Archives - Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength

Posts

How is Hot Pilates Different From Mat Pilates

How Is Hot Pilates Different From Regular Pilates?

At first glance, hot Pilates and mat Pilates may look similar. The movements are controlled, intentional, and grounded in core strength. The difference isn’t in the exercises themselves — it’s in the environment that surrounds them.

Adding heat changes how the body experiences the work.

The Role of Heat in Movement

In a warm room, muscles tend to feel more receptive to movement. This doesn’t mean stretching deeper or forcing range of motion. It means sensation is amplified. You become more aware of where you’re gripping, where you’re avoiding effort, and where breath is getting shallow.

Heat doesn’t make the practice harder for the sake of difficulty — it makes the practice more honest.

How Intensity Is Experienced

Regular mat Pilates builds strength through precision and control. Hot Pilates keeps that same foundation, but the heat creates a different relationship to effort. The work feels immersive. Focus sharpens. Endurance builds in a quieter but more demanding way.

Rather than pushing for more repetitions, the challenge often comes from staying present when sensation increases.

Breath and Nervous System Response

One of the most noticeable differences in hot Pilates is how quickly breath becomes a guide. In the heat, shallow breathing is immediately noticeable. This encourages deeper, more rhythmic breathing patterns, which can help regulate the nervous system even while the body is working.

Many people leave hot Pilates feeling both physically tired and mentally clear — a contrast that isn’t always felt after non-heated workouts.

Why Some People Prefer Hot Pilates

Some are drawn to hot Pilates because it feels cleansing or grounding. Others appreciate that the warmth helps them settle into their body more quickly. The practice isn’t about burning calories or chasing intensity — it’s about using environment as a teacher.

Choosing What’s Right for You

Both regular Pilates and hot Pilates build strength, awareness, and control. The question isn’t which one is better, but which one supports what your body needs right now.

For some, the calm precision of mat Pilates is exactly right. For others, adding heat creates the kind of focus that turns movement into something more immersive.

The foundation is the same — the experience is not.

What Is Mat Pilates?

December 24, 2025/0 Comments/in pilates /by Shannon Austin

Mat Pilates is a form of movement that builds strength, stability, and body awareness using nothing more than your own bodyweight and intention. There are no machines, no heavy equipment, and no complicated choreography. Everything happens on the mat, which allows the practice to feel both simple and surprisingly deep.

Movement Rooted in Control

At its core, mat Pilates is about learning how to move with intelligence rather than force. The movements are controlled, precise, and often slower than people expect. Instead of pushing through exercises, you’re asked to stay connected to your breath, maintain awareness of alignment, and engage the muscles that support your spine and joints.

Strength Begins at the Center

One of the things that makes mat Pilates unique is its emphasis on the center of the body. The practice consistently works the deep abdominal muscles, the muscles around the pelvis and hips, and the stabilizers that support posture. Over time, this creates a feeling of strength that is less about bulk and more about integration — the body begins to move as a cohesive whole instead of in isolated parts.

Intentional Movement Over Momentum

Mat Pilates also places a strong focus on how movement originates. Rather than swinging limbs or relying on momentum, each exercise begins with intention. This helps improve coordination, balance, and overall body awareness. Many people notice that daily activities feel easier after developing this internal sense of control.

Accessible, Adaptable, and Deeply Effective

Because mat Pilates uses your own bodyweight, it is both accessible and challenging. Movements can be modified to meet you where you are, yet they can also become progressively more demanding as your strength and awareness increase. That adaptability is one of the reasons people of all experience levels continue to return to the practice.

Why Slow Pilates Movement Matters

Beyond physical strength, mat Pilates offers something quieter but just as important: a way to reconnect with the body. The steady pace and mindful nature of the movements create space to notice patterns of tension, imbalance, or disconnection. Over time, that awareness becomes a form of self-education — one that supports not only how you move, but how you inhabit your body.

Intensity Can Vary According to Style

For those who enjoy the precision of mat Pilates but crave more intensity, Hot Pilates offers a powerful progression. Practicing Pilates in a heated room adds an element of challenge that deepens focus, increases circulation, and invites an even stronger connection to breath and effort.

Strength From the Inside Out

Mat Pilates isn’t about chasing intensity. It’s about cultivating clarity, stability, and strength from the inside out.

How to balance your fitness week in Grand Rapids

How to Build a Balanced Fitness Week in Grand Rapids

May 17, 2025/in Fitness /by Shannon Austin

Move Smarter, Not Harder

In a city as active as Grand Rapids, it’s easy to feel like you have to do it all. Strength train. Get your cardio. Stretch more. Meditate. Don’t forget core. And while variety is the spice of life (and fitness), too much too fast can leave you exhausted—or worse, injured.

At Fever Yoga Cycle Strength, we believe in building a sustainable fitness routine that works with your body, not against it. Here’s how to create a weekly plan that keeps you moving, motivated, and balanced—without burning out.

⸻

1. Build a Strong Base: Strength Training (2x/week)

Strength is your foundation. Whether you’re cycling, flowing, or pulsing at the barre, it supports joint health, improves posture, and enhances performance across all modalities.

Our group personal training classes in Grand Rapids are designed to take the guesswork out of your workouts. You’ll build strength safely with guidance, structure, and motivation in a small group setting.

2. Boost Your Heart Health: Cycle or Heated Barre (1–2x/week)

Add in some cardio—but keep it smart and sustainable. Our indoor cycling classes in Grand Rapids are high-energy, music-driven, and low-impact, giving you an effective burn without taxing your joints.

Or try our upgraded heated barre classes in Studio B, powered by radiant infrared heat for a sweat that supports recovery, mobility, and skin health.

⸻

3. Balance It Out: Yoga (1–3x/week)

Yoga is where strength meets softness. Our hot yoga and restorative yoga classes support mobility, mindfulness, and nervous system regulation—perfect for recovery, grounding, or a powerful standalone workout.

Whether you’re recovering from a strength session or winding down after work, yoga is your body’s best reset.

⸻

4. Sample Balanced Week

Here’s one sample routine out of many diverse options that many of our Fever members follow:

• Monday: Group FIT Strength Training (30) and Express RIDE (Indoor Cycling) (30) OR Barre Sculpt (50) OR Hot Pilates (50)

• Tuesday: Power Vinyasa Hot Yoga (60 hot) or Slow Flow Hot Yoga (60 hot) • Wednesday: Restore + Sound Bath (60 assisted class) RECOVERY DAY

• Thursday: Hot Barre Burn (50 infrared)

• Friday: Vinyasa Hot Yoga (45 hot) or Hot Pilates (50)

• Saturday: RIDE (Indoor Cycling 30 ) or Pilates (50)

• Sunday: Slow Flow Hot Yoga (60 hot) or RIDE (Indoor Cycling 30)

The key? Listen to your body. Your energy fluctuates. We help you stay consistent while honoring your limits.

⸻

Final Thoughts: Keep Your Fitness Flowing

At Fever YCS we offer flexible, results-focused programming to support your goals. You don’t need to do it all—you just need the right balance of movement, recovery, and consistency depending on what you need that day.

Ready to build your balanced week? Check our class schedule and start strong today.

Do Grand Rapids locals prefer working out in the morning or afternoon?

Do Grand Rapids Locals Prefer Morning or Evening Workouts?

May 17, 2025/in Fever Yoga Cycle Strength, Fitness /by Shannon Austin

If you’re trying to find the best time to work out in Grand Rapids, you’re not alone. One of the most common questions we hear at Fever Yoga Cycle Strength is: “Should I be working out in the morning or the evening?” While both options have benefits, we’ve noticed clear patterns right here in our community—and we’re here to help you discover what works best for you. Building a balanced fitness week is key to a successful routine.

Morning Workouts in Grand Rapids

Many of our members love the sense of accomplishment that comes from getting their movement in early. Whether it’s a sunrise hot yoga class, a focused barre session, or a strength class that jump-starts your day, morning workouts offer:

• A mood and energy boost (thanks, endorphins)

• Better consistency and fewer schedule interruptions

• A sense of community with other early risers

At our Grand Rapids fitness studio, popular morning classes include hot yoga, barre sculpt, strength training and cycle—especially before work hours.

Evening Workouts in Grand Rapids

For others, evening workouts at Fever offer a welcome release after a busy day. Whether you’re sweating it out in a high-energy cycle class, building strength with resistance training, or grounding down with yoga, evening workouts:

• Help release daily stress

• Offer more flexibility for late risers or parents

• Often feel more social and community-driven

We see consistent turnout for evening hot yoga in Grand Rapids, especially among those who prefer to work out after 5 p.m.

Which Is Best? The Answer: It Depends on You.

Whether you prefer AM or PM workouts, we’ve got options to meet your schedule. Our goal at Fever is to support your long-term consistency—so choose the time that helps you show up most regularly.

Looking to build a habit? Start with 2–3 classes per week during your preferred window, and mix in a variety of modalities:

• Barre, Pilates, Hot Pilates and Hot Barre in Grand Rapids for strength and alignment

• Hot yoga for detox, flexibility, and empowerment

• Group personal strength training for guided results

• Cycle classes in Grand Rapids for high-energy cardio

Final Thoughts

At Fever YCS, we offer morning and evening fitness classes because we know one size doesn’t fit all. Your lifestyle, energy levels, and goals matter—and we’re here to support them with flexible schedules, welcoming instructors, and results-driven programming.

YogaLates: The Best of Yoga and Pilates in One Powerful Class

July 5, 2024/1 Comment/in pilates /by Shannon Austin

Looking for a class that delivers the mindful stretch of yoga and the targeted core strengthening of Pilates? That’s exactly where Yoga + Pilates shines.

At Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength, our Yogalates classes merge the best of both worlds: the breath-centered, grounding elements of yoga and the precision-focused, stabilizing techniques of Pilates. Together, they create a dynamic, well-rounded practice that helps you move better, feel stronger, and stand taller.

What is Yogalates?

Yogalates is a fusion practice designed to enhance core strength, improve flexibility, and build overall body awareness.

In our classes, you’ll move through yoga-inspired flows that emphasize mobility and breath connection, seamlessly transitioning into Pilates-based movements to target the deep core and stabilizing muscles. Expect planks, bridges, and subtle micro-movements alongside familiar yoga poses like downward dog, warrior variations, and spinal twists.

Benefits of Yogalates

Stronger Core & Improved Stability

The Pilates component focuses on deep core activation, helping to support your lower back, improve posture, and enhance balance both on and off the mat.

Increased Flexibility & Range of Motion

The yoga element encourages openness in the hips, shoulders, and spine, supporting a more mobile and resilient body.

Better Mind-Body Connection

By weaving together breath and movement, you’ll build awareness that carries into daily life—helping you move with intention and presence.

Low-Impact but Effective

Yogalates is gentle on the joints yet highly effective in sculpting and strengthening, making it an excellent option for nearly all fitness levels.

Who is Yogalates for?

This class is perfect if you want to strengthen your core, improve your flexibility, and enjoy a mindful workout without high-impact strain. Whether you’re a seasoned yogi looking to level up your core strength or a Pilates lover seeking more mobility and stretch, Yogalates meets you where you are.

What to Expect at Fever

At Fever | Yoga Cycle Strength, our Yogalates classes are thoughtfully designed and guided by experienced instructors who emphasize safe alignment, intentional breath, and individualized support. We offer a welcoming, encouraging environment where you can explore your edges and celebrate your progress.

Ready to try Yogalates?

Join us and discover why so many in Grand Rapids are falling in love with this balanced, feel-good fusion.

👉 Sign up for Yoga-lates here: www.feverycs.com/schedule/

Barre vs. Strength Training: What is Best for Your Workout?

February 17, 2023/in barre, Featured, strength training /by Shannon Austin

The vast array of fitness classes and workout options available today can be both exciting and, let’s face it, overwhelming. With so many styles to choose from, it can be difficult to know what workouts best suit our lifestyle and will benefit us most in the long run.

In this blog, we’ll unpack the basics of a few popular workouts, barre and strength training, discuss the unique benefits of each workout, and explain what workout is best for your fitness goals.

Understanding Barre vs. Strength Training

Barre is a form of full-body exercise that combines movements and positions borrowed from ballet with low-impact, repetitive strength exercises, designed to isolate and strengthen muscles. Barre classes often rotate through sections focusing on arms, core/abs, and lower body, repeating small, isometric movements targeting one muscle area until all muscles are fatigued. While barre can be done without equipment, classes typically incorporate a ballet barre and light weights, resistance bands, sliders, and/or exercise balls.

Strength training (also known as resistance training) is a form of exercise focused on gaining muscle mass, building strength, and increasing endurance. Strength training encompasses a wide variety of exercises, using body weight or equipment, with a focus on building muscle mass in all major muscle groups. Bodyweight exercises like lunges, squats, push-ups, and planks are examples of strength training, as are movements that incorporate weights and resistance machines.

Pilates is a form of strength training that focuses on deep core muscular engagement and utilizes different props such as pilate rings, foam rollers, free weights, and bender balls.

For in studio strength training, we prefer SPRI dumbbells lined in vinyl. If the weights are not protected, they will start to peel and shed rather quickly. If you’re new to strength training, start with a low weight of 5 pounds. After curling a few reps, those light weights will feel much heavier. Continue to progress to heavier weights until you meet your new “edge” and comfortability. Typically functional training will allow 10 – 25 pound weights per rep once you reach comfort.

The Benefits of Barre

Barre offers a full body workout, toning your core, glutes, arms, and thighs/legs. Due to its use of small, isometric movements, barre often targets the deeper muscles in the body that are missed in other workouts. And, because barre is low-impact and easy on joints and muscles, there is a decreased chance of injury and recovery is often faster than higher-intensity workouts. Expect to use light weights such as 3 pound weights with a lot of reps to “burn out” the muscle groups.

Barre classes focus on both strength and flexibility, often incorporating stretching and lengthening exercises throughout. These exercises contribute to increased mobility and range of motion that are beneficial in everyday life and lead to better posture and balance, as well.

The mind-body connection and focus required for barre classes help reduce stress and increase mental clarity—not to mention the feel-good endorphins that come after.

The Benefits of Strength Training

The most obvious benefit of strength training is an overall increase in muscle mass and a toned physique. However, strength training also helps build bone density, joint flexibility, and balance—all of which lead to a higher quality of life and a lower risk of injury overall.

Strength training may also be an ideal form of exercise for those pursuing fat loss, as increased muscle mass leads to a higher resting metabolic rate. This means that your body consistently burns more calories when at rest, rather than just during your workout.

Alongside its physical benefits, consistent strength training also contributes to overall health and longevity, better sleep, and mental clarity.

Barre vs. Strength Training: What is Best for Your Workout?

The simple answer is that both exercises can be extremely beneficial for your overall health and what workout is “best” will depend on your unique fitness goals and preferences.

We recommend incorporating a combination of barre, strength training, pilates and other exercises into your routine to increase your overall strength and help you avoid injury, mental boredom, and burnout. Switching up your workouts will continue to challenge your body and help you see more consistent results over time.

However, when it comes to exercise, it’s also important to do what you love—if a barre class gets you excited to wake up in the morning, do that! If a strength training or pilates class plan helps you unwind after a long day, do that! Prioritizing the forms of exercise that you enjoy the most will ensure you stay consistent over time and see exercise as a gift to your body and mind, not a punishment.

Whether it’s a strength class, a barre class, or one of our pilates options, Fever would love to be a part of your fitness journey. Schedule a strength class today.