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Local Experience: The Warehouse Theatre

I have been meaning to write about The Warehouse Theatre ever since we were blown away by their production of “Clyborne Park” back in the fall. If you’re looking for something a little different to do on a night out downtown, I would add Warehouse Theatre to your list.

As they say about themselves on their website, Warehouse Theatre doesn’t shy away from challenging topics and they aren’t afraid to push the envelope. All of which I can say has been true of the shows I’ve been able to see, which have made for good theater and have sparked some interesting conversations after the show is done. The theatre itself is intimate (a converted textile warehouse) and located in the heart of the West End downtown. So go get those reservations at Husk and then walk down for a 7:30 show!

“A Moon For The Misbegotten” is playing now until February 10th, after which is coming the Pulitzer Prize-winning “The Flick” starting March 9th that I’m really looking forward to seeing. If you’re in the Young Professionals crowd, make sure to check the dates for YP Night–$10 off the price of your ticket and a free drink/light hors d’oeuvres.

Find out more about supporting local theater, the current season and more of the awesome stuff Warehouse Theatre does here.

–Courtney

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Local Experience: Studio 17

 

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Lindsey Breitwieser: NY transplant, Cyclebar Instructor and Sweat Enthusiast. Checking out all of the health and wellness options that Greenville has to offer. @getfitgvl
What:

Studio 17 offers traditional Pilates, Pilates reformer, and yoga. There are classes all the way down to personal sessions.

Where:

Studio 17 is right in the heart of downtown Greenville!
17 West North Street
Greenville, SC 29601

Cost:

$15 for group Pilates mat classes all the way up to $65 per private reformer session.

Why You’ll Love It:

• Whether you’re new to Pilates or a pro there is something at this studio for everyone. You can take an intro mat course or work on your skills on any of the reformers.
• There is flexibility in class size. You can take a group class, a semi-private class, private, or arrange a group with your friends.
• The location. It’s right downtown and walkable from a lot of office buildings.

What To Expect:

I took a private reformer session and it was unlike anything I had ever tried before. When I first found the reformer I was dying to try it because it seemed like it would be challenging, I was right. The workout required constant focus and Erin, my instructor, coached me on tiny adjustments the entire time. I can’t imagine being able to do some of the moves that her advanced students are able to do!

The session lasted 1 hour and while I didn’t get that sweaty I felt that I was working deeply into my muscles. For me, this was all about building strength and doing the movements correctly rather than hammering out a ton of reps just to get sweaty. If you’re someone that needs a lot of distraction to workout like music, lights, or a fast pace this is not for you. This workout required constant focus and attention to detail.

As for the space, don’t expect a ton of frills from this studio. The studio is right off of Main Street on West North and you have to buzz to get in. Once you arrive you’ll head to the second floor, where there is a small waiting area outside of the main studio room. The main studio room is the primary space and it’s on the interior of the building so it’s a little darker than some, but on the bright side you can completely lose track of what’s going on outside and focus on your workout.
I do wish there were group reformer classes as the price of personal sessions can be prohibitive to most. As someone that likes to workout multiple days a week $65 per class can add up quickly. If you’re interested in trying a reformer, book a session to see what it’s all about by emailing info@studio17greenville.com.

Pro Tip:

*The studio doesn’t have mind body so currently email or phone is the best method to reserve space for a class.
*The yoga instructor also manages Downtown Yoga Greenville, which offers Saturday morning flows at Topside Pool Club (with mimosas!)

Check out their full site here.

***NOTE FROM STUDIO 17: The group reformer classes are offered for clients who have similar goals and needs. An Intro to Apparatus group class will be starting in January. And for those who want a private class but can’t afford the hour-long class, half hour classes are also offered.***

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Local Experience: Barre3

 

Lindsey Breitwieser: NY Transplant, CycleBar Instructor and Sweat Enthusiast. Checking out all of the health and wellness options that Greenville has to offer. @getfitgvl
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What:

Barre3 is an exercise all to itself. It’s a combinations of ballet barre, pilates and yoga so the are lots of different moves and ways of working the body included in one class. The workout includes a standing component and mat work and like other barre classes small dumbbells and a ball (“props”) are used.

Where:

There are two Barre3 locations right here in Greenville. The Augusta Rd location is the original, but with the second one opening you’re probably not too far from one of them!! (Five Forks – 2815 Woodruff Road, Suite 103, Simpsonville or Augusta  Road – 3014-A Augusta Street, Greenville)

Cost:

$99 for one month (new client special). A la care, membership and flex packages ranging from $23-$159.

Why You’ll Love It:

Most of the moves feel very natural, you won’t find yourself needing to contort into hard to hold poses.

The Barre3 community is much more than just the workout, there are natural beauty products recommendations, an online workout subscription option, and recipes.You’ll get a cardio and toning workout in one, which definitely helps maximize your time.

What To Expect:

When you arrive you’ll leave your shoes and bags in the front and head into the studio. The Augusta studio is a bright and open space with a wood floor. With the floor not being carpeted sticky socks are completely optional. Before picking your space at the bar you’ll grab 1-3 lb dumbbells and a ball.

The biggest Barre3 difference is the inclusion of larger movements. There are large range of motion squats and stretches mixed in with isometric work. The larger movements help increase the heart rate and introduce a cardio component which helps bring your heart rate up. If you’re anything like me, when you’re heart rate comes up you’re going to get sweaty, luckily Barre3 provides towels. As far as workouts go, I’ve never left Barre3 not feeling challenged. The classes are mainly good for toning, but flexibility and core strength are among the other major benefits.

Pro Tip:

They offer childcare (there is a charge), but you can bring the kiddos while you get your class in.

Check out their full site here: http://barre3.com/studio-locations/greenville

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Local Experience: Frigid Cyrotherapy

Lindsey Breitwieser: NY transplant, Cyclebar Instructor and sweat enthusiast.  Checking out all of the health and wellness options that Greenville has to offer. @getfitgvl

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What:

Cryotherapy, or cold therapy, that is used for recovery. The same concept as an athlete taking an ice bath to recover, but much better. Frigid also offers NormaTec compressions services, but I’ve done the cryotherapy so we’ll review that below.

Where:

Frigid Cryotherapy is located on Pelham Road, but also has a mobile location that travels around Greenville. You can check their website for details on mobile locations as it changes frequently.

8540 Pelham Road
Greenville, SC 29615

Cost:

Two chills for $65 (first time clients only)
Additional package options available as well

Why You’ll Love it:
  • It’s fast. Your time in the chamber is three minutes max, so you can do a session and get back to your day. !
  • You’ll have serious bragging rights. It’s pretty cool (*pun intended*) to say that you’ve withstood temperatures that are sub -200. !
  • It’s effective! I felt coolness in my most heavily used muscles the longest following my sessions
What to expect:

When you arrive at Frigid, you’ll change into a robe, socks, slippers, and gloves. Yes, be prepared to go into the chamber without your clothes! The staff will walk you through what to expect, but ultimately the key things to know are: there is a max time limit of three minutes and that staff is in the room with you the entire time controlling the temperature and length of time.
Once the coolness starts and the puffs of ice-cold air start coming out of the chamber, you’ll have two thoughts, “this is so cool” and “oh, that’s cold.” While it’s cold, it’s dry air on your body and is bearable. Immediately after it felt as though I had just gotten a massage. Your body begins to warm up gradually, but for me I felt the coolness in my sorest muscles for a bit longer. I went right about my day afterwards so don’t expect to need any downtime.

Pro Tip:

*Ask them to blast the music in the room, it makes the minutes go by quickly!
*Bring a friend to snap your pic, you’re going to want a photo of yourself in this chamber.

Check out their full site here and Insta here.
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Local Experience: Lindsey Breitwieser

Lindsey Breitwieser: NY transplant, Cyclebar Instructor and sweat enthusiast.  Checking out all of the health and wellness options that Greenville has to offer. @getfitgvl

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Because I have really good intentions when it comes to exercise, but not much follow through, am excited to be regularly including features from local fitness guru Lindsey. She will be sharing her first-hand experience from a variety of local studios/classes over the next few months. Aaaand there will probably be some giveaways over on the Insta, so you’ll want to be following our stories. @thelocal.greenville

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What:

Maya Movement Arts offers a wide array of class types so it’s hard to explain what it offers in one word. If you’re anything like me the first thing you’ll learn about them is aerial, so we’ll go with that. After all, MAYA is Greenville’s first aerial studio! Other class options can be found here.

Where:

The MAYA studio is inside the “Lofts of Greenville”. The nearest landmark is the Swamp Rabbit Cafe, it’s located right behind it. (201 Smythe Street, Greenville, SC 29611)

Cost:

$16 each (classes are a la carte)!

Why You’ll Love it!
  • It’s unlike anything you’ve tried before (unless maybe you’re a trapeze artist) and you can’twalk into any gym and take a class like this.
  • It looks awesome. If you’re living for the insta, you’ll get awesome photos from this class.
  • The classes are a la carte. You can come as you please, which also makes it a fun activity for visitors that may just want to try something different.
  • Beginners welcome. They have a safety net on the website that blocks you from registering for any class that requires prior knowledge or training. If you’re able to book the class, you’re good to go!
What to expect:

A small and intimate class (at least for the aerial class that I took). In my opinion it’s probably the best feature. I had never done anything like aerial yoga before and a small class meant that the instructor could get to every student individually.

Let me tell you right now, the sling can hold you. It can hold a weight of 1,500 pounds, so you know it’s not going anywhere. As far as a workout goes, the yoga class is not a heart pumping, calorie torching workout, but it’s fun to use your body in different ways. Unless you’re accustomed to hanging around upside down, some of it will feel foreign to you. The instructor told us flat out that some of the fully suspended moves just weren’t going to feel that great the first time. To some that may seem crazy, but to me it just meant I wasn’t doing it wrong.

I can tell you what NOT to expect. You’re not going to be doing the fancy stuff you see on their website on day one. That takes a lot of practice and training so be prepared for moves that may seem basic in comparison.

Pro Tip:

*Leave yourself time to find it. The aerial space and dance studio are in two separate locations at the Lofts so finding it for your first time can be tricky.

*If using the slings or hammocks, leave your jewelry at home. The rule of thumb is anything that can snag on pantyhose shouldn’t be worn. So leave those diamond rings and pendant necklaces behind if you have any apprehension over leaving them in your cubby.

*No photos during class, but after you’re allowed to take as many as you’d like. I know it’s tempting since you’re so excited to try and snap a few, but you’ll quickly realize that rule is in place for good reason. Getting in and out of aerial poses and watching the instructor demonstrate takes 100% of your attention.

 

 

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