Weights and Treadmills: Shred415 Review

Some of my fittest friends in Chicago swear by Shred415 and I finally got a chance to check it out last week! I of course wanted to do a class with amazing trainer and friend Kate Hiipakka. Her mantra is the a one-hour workout is just 4% of your day, well, Shred415 is definitely the toughest 4% of your day. The studio was conceived by Bonnie Micheli & Tracy Roemer, friends who wanted a workout class with  body work, weights, and running. Check out their recent interview on Maria Shriver's website, you know I love a good entrepreneurship story!

Shred415 is a 1-hour high-intensity interval training class. The studio is divided into two sections, the floor and the treadmills, or "treads." The class is also divided in half, so you can start either on the floor or treadmills. It was suggested to start on the floor if you're a runner so you can end on the treadmill and go all out. So basically you do 15 minutes on the floor, 15 on the treadmill, 15 back on the floor, and 15 on the treadmill. You get a little bit of rest in between sections and sometimes between the exercises, but not much, you're pretty much working the whole hour! I went at night so it was too dark in the studio to take pics, but here are some pics from the website:

I normally don't like full hour-long workouts but Shred415 goes by really fast because of the 15-minute intervals. On the floor, we did things like lunges, squats, push-ups. There was also some intense ab work on the step. Each station has a variety of weights so you can choose. The treadmill part was really fun for me because I've never done a workout class with a treadmill! I've been running all winter but I haven't done any speed work or track workouts so pushing myself to go fast on the treadmill was great. Actually, a really fantastic way to get some sprints in when the sidewalks are too icy in the winter. Again this part is also very scaleable because you choose your speed on the treadmill so no worries, you won't fall behind!

I was pretty exhausted after an hour and my legs were sore the next day. The mix of weights and cardio is really a great workout and much more effective than a slower run on the treadmill or just doing body work. Also, Shred415 employs some of the best trainers in the city. I'm amazed at how Kate was able to manage both sides of the class, I would get so confused. 

Shred 415 is a one-of-a-kind high-intesity and fun workout in Chicago. I went to the Lincoln Park studio but they also have locations in Old Town and North Shore and a new studio opening soon in Wicker Park! Follow Shred415 on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and let me know if you decide to check it out!

*Disclaimer: This post is not sponsored by Shred415 but they did provide me with a complimentary class in exchange for a review on my blog.