Living Well @ Y&E: Surfset TO

July 2nd, 2015

Staying healthy and active in Toronto has never been easier – and we don’t think the privilege is limited to those in the downtown core. Yonge & Eglinton is developing fast, and with the growing population comes a huge selection of gyms, clean eats, and events to keep them all healthy. This is the second in a series guiding you to Yonge & Eg’s best healthy lifestyle destinations.

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If you’ve ever been to a costal city, you’ll have noticed that surfers have some of the best bodies around. Surfing’s physically demanding nature means with each wave, surfers test their strength, balance, and agility, while each lull demands cardio to keep their boards on course. That total-body workout was the inspiration behind Surfset, an American chain of workout studios whose first Toronto location is right at Yonge and Eglinton. Before landing in Canada, they even secured funding from Mark Cuban on the US version of Dragon’s Den, Shark Tank.

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The core of a Surfset workout is the revolutionary board, ambitiously named the RipSurfer X. It mimics the constant moving and swaying normally created by waves, adjusted to your skill level. Workouts are then tailored around your desired results, sometimes incorporating off-the-board moves for maximum punch. At their Toronto location, choose from five classes (or sign up for a personal trainer!):

  • Blend: toning and sculpting
  • Build: muscle building through resistance training
  • Burn: high-intensity interval training to shed fat
  • Balance: Yoga-esque flexibility and strength training
  • Circuit: A mix of everything, adding kettlebells, jumpropes and equipment to a high-intensity interval workout

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This one-of-a-kind workout has quickly become one of the buzziest fitness studios in Toronto, and for good reason. Classes are fun and inclusive – not exactly a SoulCycle level of intensity. Beginners will find the courses and instructors approachable, while experts looking to shake up their routine will find they’ve never exercised quite like this. If you’d like to take the board for a test run without buying a membership, stop by for a Balance Karma class on the first Sunday of every month. Classes are only $10, and all proceeds go to support the WWF.

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Have you ever tried a trendy workout? Would you try this one? Tell us about it on Twitter!

All images courtesy Instagram.com/SurfsetTO.

See the first edition of Living Well @ Y&E, profiling Greenhouse Juice Co.