We caught up with the founder of Elements Fitness Studio at 66 Newtown Lane in East Hampton, Andrea Fornarola Hunsberger, and discovered that she has moved from the barre to beach. While vacationing in Hawaii, this fitness expert developed a deep love of paddle boarding. Now, she is transitioning her clients to the water while teaching brisk paddle movements. She explained to us that she is using the board as a mat. Bonus, if you take her class, she'll provide the board and bug spray!
How are your clients responding to SUP? Are they willing to move beyond the the studio and onto the water?
Yes! They are thrilled, we have had a great response so far from all of clients. They are excited to try new and exciting summer classes!
When we think about SUP, yoga always comes to mind. How are you incorporating barre moves into this workout?
Fusion workouts are my speciality. We are teaming with SUP guru Jon Ball to bring our SUP barre class to the next level! I adapted my signature formula for work on the board. We simulate the board as a mat and the paddle as our barre and weights. It's similar sequencing and timing to our barre class. It's paired with a brisk paddle to keep the heart rate up and add a cardio component.
And there's also a cardio SUP class. What's that like?
Our paddle fitness classes have a huge cardio component. We get the heart going by doing a brisk paddle which gets the heart rate pumping! We add burpees, push-ups, planks, mountain climbers and other types of strength building exercises to continue to build as your burn.
What are the biggest challenges for newbies?
We ask newbies to start with our sup style class allowing them to understand proper paddling technique prior to the taking a SUP Fitness class. All of our newbies thus far are standing up on the board holding their balance and paddling like pros.
Let's talk logistics, do you need your own board? Or, is one provided?
All you need is a towel. Elements has a fleet of paddle boards, and paddles. We even supply the bug spray, all you need is the towel.
What about clothing? Should we be rocking a bikini or a rash guard?
Rash guard. I wear vie active Tanya shorts and a sports bra that we sell in the studio.
And, of course, we want to know about the numbers. Can we expect the same type of calorie burn from a SUP session as a traditional barre or cardio class?
The same, if not more! Imagining burning at the barre while on a Bosu ball. The water creates an unstable surface. And using the paddle board as a mat creates both a stability and strength training experience, while at the same time your paddling enjoying the outdoors.
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