What It’s Like to Workout At… Solidcore

Everyone always wants to believe that their workout class is soooo hard. Solidcore actually is.  In fact, it may be the hardest class yet encountered in this series — but don’t be intimidated. This Pilates ++ workout is daunting but doable.

Like Pilates, Solidcore is a high-intensity, yet low-impact workout that uses the participants’ own resistance to break down and rebuild muscle fibers and increase metabolism.

We suggest wearing fitted moveable fitness clothing and planning to be barefoot during your workout.

Classes are 50 minutes of slow, repetitive movement that targets various muscle groups.  You’ll start with a core warm-up, planks, crunches, and then probably more core (see a theme?).  Then the workout moves into targeted exercises for specific muscle groups: legs, glutes, obliques, arms… and likely more abs.

All of this happens on Solidcore’s proprietary Pilates ‘reformer’ machines, which they call Megaformers. Like reformers, these machines create tension with loaded springs that create and control resistance. But they have some added features that make them slightly different from the tool you’d see at a basic Pilates class.

Participants use the Megaformer’s stable platform, moving carriage and straps to complete the entire series of exercises.  So — to start — expect a lot of planking, a lot of muscle shaking, and a lot of wondering wait? what’s going on??

One of the cons of Solidcore is that its instructors rarely (if ever) physically show the exercises, so if you’re a newbie, your best hope is that the person next to you is a regular! If you get to class early, your instructor will absolutely take time to show the features of the Megaformer and detail the most common exercises more slowly. But some people need to see to understand.

It can also be confusing that instructors talk out the next exercise while you are still finishing the one before. So while the exercises are each explained, just don’t expect to receive instructions in real time.

The main pro, however, is the undeniable result.  After a single Solidcore class, you’ll feel the difference and be craving more.  Because it may be serious work, but when the effort yields near-instant payoff, it’s 100% worth it.

Furthermore, while the atmosphere at Solidcore definitely isn’t hand-holding and kumbaya, it’s stimulating while still being competitive.  Coaches do not intimidate, they motivate. A Solidcore workout is hardcore, but it isn’t intended to be bootcamp.

Solidcore drop-in classes run $37, though discount multi-class packages are available.