Gym Suedoise à Paris

Gym Suédoise is equal parts amazing and hilarious, a one-hour workout with a jazzercise cheese-factor of 10 out of 10. When two of my copines told me that they did it three times a week, I was like, "WHOA - anyone who works a full time job in Paris and still manages to get to the gym that often has GOT to have found something worthwhile."

And so, two Saturdays ago, I jumped on the Gym Suédoise train.

I can now tell you that it is just about the most organized association I have ever encountered - I mean, look at their website. Classes happen all over the city, at all hours of the day and they can tell you who will be the teacher, who will be the host or hostess, and all of the particularities of any given class (bring shoes that are only for the gym, try to get there early because the class fills up, showers are/are not available etc etc.) 

According to the website, Gym Suédoise movements were elaborated and validated by kinesiologists to be kind to backs and knees - which is perfect for moi and my sad herniated disc issue.

So far, I've been to three classes (one in the 11th, one in the 4th and one in the 20th) and this is what I'm loving about the gym:

1. The website organization rocks my world. It's always updated and tells you if classes are canceled. There's nothing worse than getting the motivation to get your bootay to class, only to learn that it has been annulé.

2. The class plan is unlimited - I paid 120 Euros for access to all classes for four months. Sweet.

3. The schedule - I don't have to commit to one class at one time every week. I can jump around, try different classes, work it around my schedule and not the other way around. If I miss a class at 6pm, there is another one at 7pm, and 8pm and 9pm. If I can't make it near work, then I can go near my house. Ultimate flexibility.

4. I can go looking like hell and it's okay, because pretty much everyone else looks like hell or a version of hell, themselves. I'm talking bed head on weekends, no makeup, old gym clothes, underwear lines - the works. There's no lululemon up in Gym Suédoise. Those folks keep it real.

5. The music. Who doesn't love to jump around to the latest and greatest hits? Sometimes you get a little Queen, sometimes some Frenchie tunes, sometimes it's Bob Marley - chances are you'll know the words and have to remind yourself not to sing along at the top of your lungs. 

6. Getting my heart rate up, feeling sore muscles, understanding that sweatbands can actually be useful, and walking out of class feeling like I've accomplished something - even if it's the only thing I do that day.

I'm already convinced that my copines were right. I haven't gotten to three times a week yet, but on verra, on verra...