John Di Bartolo’s House of Step

According to Shine (a magazine run by Yahoo!), step aerobics is one of “The Top 6 Calorie-Burning Workouts.” Here is the list, in order of calories burnt per hour:

Kickboxing – 800
Jumping Rope – 780
Biking – 700
Running – 650
Step – 600
Zumba – 500

I wouldn’t take this list too seriously, since there are so many factors that go into determining the effectiveness of a workout. I’m just excited that step is enough on the radar to even be considered!

Oh yeah, and we beat Zumba.

Thanks, Nonie, for the link.

It was only a matter of time before the Crowne Plaza renovation eventually spread into our beloved studio. Starting Thursday, 1/27, all classes in Studio 1 will be moved downstairs to Studio 2. It is anticipated that this change will last a little over a week, so on Monday, 2/7, we should be back home in Studio 1.

I hate to turn people away, but Studio 2 is significantly smaller than Studio 1, so I may be forced to put a limit on how many people I let in. To minimize the chaos, please try to show up to class a little earlier and form a line.

This renovation is working my last nerve, as I’m sure it is for all of you. The one thing keeping me going, though, is that the club is indeed going to be significantly nicer when all this mess is done. I hope you agree that the much needed facelift to our studio makes it worth the inconvenience of being displaced for a few classes.

The rat alone would have been enough for me to jump out the window of a moving train. This takes the nightmare to a whole new level. Those of you who make fun of my fear of rats, witness this horror.

Although there’s a modified schedule on MLK Day, both my step and conditioning classes are on, so please show up if you’re around!

TUESDAY: I called West 16th St., and all seems to be back to normal. Please check back closer to class time. If this message hasn’t changed, classes are on.

MONDAY:UPDATE: 49th & Broadway is closed this evening!!! I’m so sorry for those of you who got this message too late and headed in to class, but I specifically called this morning to make sure that the club would be open and that my classes were on. Apparently I was misinformed.

Many thanks to one of my loyal step children, Lisa, who decided to shoot me an email to let me know what was going on.

Good news, everyone. We’re cool again! According to the New York Times, “this seemingly faded fad from the 1990s is far from dead.”

You have to hand it to NYSC. One thing it has gotten right over the years is that it offers many more step classes than other gyms in the city, and instead of calling them gimmicky names like “Climb-Max” and “Snow Bunnies,” it calls them “Step.” NYSC has been loyal to step over the years, while other clubs have been fair-weather friends, offering a handful of step classes only when they’re supposedly in vogue. The article, however, mentions only these other clubs and leaves NYSC out. Where’s the love, New York Times?

Thanks to Lukas for the heads-up on this article.

I flip my latkes in the air sometimes sayin ayy ohh spin the dreidel.
Just wanna celebrate for all eight nights singin ayy oh, light the candles.

(Sung to the tune of Taio Cruz’s “Dynamite,” which you might recognize from the music in class.)

I’m not sure, but I think this video kicks ass. Thanks, Barbara!!

Be forewarned. Next time I turn down the music after class to make an announcement, something like this could happen to you….

Congratulations to a very brave Sam and a very surprised Lisa. Thanks to Lukas for the footage.

UPDATE: For a different angle of the big event, check out Jamie’s video as well.

We’ve all seen some version of this guy in action. This gym claims that their locations are meathead free, thanks to their “Judgement Free Zone” philosophy. In other words, “members can relax, get in shape, and have fun without being subjected to the hard-core, look-at-me attitude that exists in too many gyms.”

It’s hard to tell how much of this idea is a gimmick and how much is actually enforced. The douchebag in the commercial is, after all, signing up for a membership as the stunned woman sits and stares.

By the way, I’ve been to one of their locations out on Long Island. It appears that there is some policing of their members, as evidenced by their “lunk alarm.”

Thanks to Daniel for the video link.

“Power Balance is based on the idea of optimizing the body’s natural energy flow, similar to concepts behind many Eastern philosophies. The hologram in Power Balance is designed to resonate with and respond to the natural energy field of the body.”

That’s the quote from the Power Balance website. The product of which they speak is a rubber bracelet with two mylar holograms on it. The claim is that wearing this thing helps improve balance, strength, and flexibility.

Well MY claim is that this product is a pile of horsecrap. There is absolutely no solid scientific reason why this piece of junk would have any effect other than that of a placebo.

If you have $20 burning a hole in your pocket, do yourself a favor and pick up a couple of these instead.