Sex, stilettos and squats?
A ‘high heel boot camp' inspired by "Sex and the City 2" combines them all.
The free class, offered at Extreme Fitness locations across Toronto from now until mid June, invites women to get in touch with their sexy side while working up one heck of a sweat.
With the much-anticipated movie premiere only days away, I thought what better way to get into the "SATC" spirit than sliding on my favourite pair of black patent heels and giving it a go.
Feeling slightly apprehensive about what I had gotten myself into once I arrived, I tentatively took my spot at the front of the class as the iconic "Sex and the City" theme song blared over the speakers.
The class was divided into four components to reflect each of the characters, beginning with a "Miranda-inspired" warm-up because the politically correct lawyer would never skip such an important step, explained instructor Halyna Natalia.
Taking some deep breaths and stretching out our arms? No problem at all. This high heel thing was going to be a piece of cake. Until it came time for squats. Lowering your body weight down is hard enough on flat feet. Doing it in two and a half inch heels is excruciating. Not only is it double the work for your calves and legs, you also have to worry about your balance.
But wearing heels was not mandatory -- in fact many women in the class opted for sensible running shoes instead.
I was happy when we moved onto the cardio section, which was inspired by Charlotte because she's an avid runner. Halyna, who founded Kama Aerobics, a workout program that connects women with their sexuality, taught us how to do a sexy strut, which prompted plenty of giggles from around the room. She encouraged us to use our arms to caress ourselves however we wanted and to circle our hips. As someone who's taken bellydance classes, I was quite comfortable with all the pelvic rotations but for some of the other participants, it was a move that took some getting used to.
I wasn't quite at home, however, with the next move that required us to spread our legs wide, bend down and slowly make our way to standing. But as we worked our way through a fun dance routine, I channeled my inner "Pussycat Doll" and got into the groove.
"The girls in ‘Sex and the City' are portrayed as confident, independent and sexy," says Halyna. "They know how to dress well and they know how to walk in heels … it's good to do this kind of thing for practice (for) when you're going and strutting your stuff out in the city."
After working up a sweat, it was time to get on the floor to sculpt and tone (minus the heels) because "Carrie" is extremely toned. The leg raises and hip exercises were almost enough to do me in but I endured, thinking how much better my heels would look with such toned legs.
The last component on flexibility was inspired by "Samantha" because "she needs to be very flexible in the bedroom," says Halyna.
After a hard workout, the stretching felt great and Halyna's mindfulness exercises were a relaxing way to end the class.
I left feeling confident and empowered, which was the whole point, according to Halyna.
"Women are afraid to unleash their feminine, sexy side so I think it's good to have these kind of classes … (and for women to) get to know themselves as a female. They shouldn't be ashamed of it because at the end of the day that is where our power lies."
Maybe I'll trade in my runners for heels for good.
