Author Archives: Ben Sweeney

About Ben Sweeney

Ben Sweeney is a trainer in New York City who has been helping people reach their goals since 2009. He has a bachelor's of science degree in exercise science and certifications with ACSM and NASM.

Get Surfer Ripped Without the Waves at Crunch’s SurfSET Fitness Class

Crunch Gym is known for their unique group exercises classes, and their newest offering Surfset is no exception. The class is described as “the world’s first total body surf trainer designed to mimic real surfing.” And after seeing creator and former pro hockey player Mike Hartwick’s pitch it on the hit Fox show Shark Tank, I knew I had to check it out.

All in all, this class is genius. Half of it takes place on a custom-built indoor surfboard called the RipSurfer X. The other half is spent using sandbags, imitating the common movement patterns used in surfing.

crunch surfset

According to the official Surfset website, the RipSurfer X is designed to get participants a surfer body that is “lean without looking weak, and muscular without the bulk” and designed to simulate real life surfing. Think of it as a surfboard balanced on small stability balls. In order to remain standing, you have to find your center of gravity and keep your core muscles (i.e. abs, back, and upper legs) active in order to remain standing. You may not feel it that day, but come tomorrow you will feel sore in muscles you never knew existed! (more…)

Posted on November 5, 2023 by Ben Sweeney

Just Do the Nike Training Club for a Challenging, Safe, and Fun Workout

Nike is an obvious leader in the sports industry, running the game from shoes and apparel to tech gadgets and major league sponsorships. Now they are not only dressing you in the gym, they’re meeting you there with Nike Training Club. In addition to being an app available on Google Play and Apple’s App Store, Nike Training Club, or NTC, is a group fitness class featured in a variety of universities and gyms across the US, with one of the biggest gyms being 24 Hour Fitness.

nike training club
Nike’s idea for the class is amazing: Get a variety of trainers to put together a killer 45-minute routine with a variety of functional movements and athletic drills, using simple equipment to get everyone moving. Some of the tools employed are dumbbells ranging from 2 pounds up to 15 pounds, medicine balls, body weight, and common equipment used in any sports practice (e.g cones, small hurdles, and agility ladders). The instructor uses all of these elements together to come up with a unique exercise experience.

The quality of the class, while founded on Nike’s principles, will vary by trainer. Nike only wants its name to deliver the best of the best and they constantly send in representatives at random for quality control, but still, some instructors unfortunately fall under the radar.

I’ve experienced one great class where the instructor gave simple modifications to accommodate those who needed them, but were still able to work the same muscle groups targeted in the original programming. When I checked back later that week, I was greeted with new choreography to match the same high intensity I experienced the first time around. (more…)

Posted on October 31, 2023 by Ben Sweeney

Les Mills’ RPM Cycle Classes are Worth the Ride

Les Mills is a fitness regimen that covers what the company believes is needed to give gym goers an overall fit body. Within the Les Mills family is an indoor cycling class called RPM, which can be fun. Like other indoor cycling classes, it depends on the energy given by the instructor. We check it out so you know what to expect on your first, or subsequent, visits.

lesmills rpm

What is Les Mills RPM?

Choreography is already in place, so every instructor teaches the same tracks and gives the same overall workout. Unlike more traditional classes, RPM has its own positions. Instead of first, second, and third position it uses “ride easy,” “standing climb,” “power climb,” “aero racing,” and “standing attack.” These positions allow the rider to better utilize both the quads and the hamstring muscles while keeping the core active.

Anyone who has ever been to an indoor cycling class can probably testify that the first time they were told to “engage your hamstrings” in second position it was very challenging! (more…)

Posted on July 23, 2023 by Ben Sweeney