Body Movin'.

Test Your Limits At Beyond 500.

Welcome to Body Movin', our recurring feature where, each week, we take a closer look at wherever you'll find health-minded folks jogging, crunching, lifting or otherwise moving their bodies in the name of fitness. Because, listen, we all need to get off of our ass from time to time. Hey: No pain, no gain. Check out this feature's archives here.

This week, we pushed the limits at Beyond 500.

Fast Facts on Beyond 500.
• Degree of Difficulty Scale For Beginners: 7 out of 10.
• Calories Burned in 50 Minutes: 500+.
• Muscle Soreness After The Fact: 8 out of 10.
• Location: 2003 Henderson Ave., Dallas, TX 75206.
• Classes Offered: Beyond 500 Class in three separate formats: Stack, 3-by-3, and Double Dare.
• Introductory Offer: $15 for your first class, $50 for two weeks unlimited or $150 for one month unlimited.
• Price: $30/class, $80 for three sessions, $125 for five sessions, $200 for 10 sessions, $270 for 15 sessions or $249/month with access to their other facilities.

Overview.
Beyond 500 is the latest creation from Brandi Marino, Chris Hudson and the team over at The Beyond Pilates studios on Lovers Lane and in Preston Hollow. They like to call this new 500-calorie burning program, Phitness (The P.H.I.T. stands for Pilates Hybrid Interval Training, by the way.) By combining the use of the Pilates chair, a Woodway Curve treadmill, and kettle bells, this team has created a workout unlike any other.

Hudson masterminded this new concept, because he wanted to offer a next step for those of his students who have plateaued in their fitness journey within the Beyond Studios. Instructor Adria Alcazar, for one, is a believer. After starting the Beyond system, she found her body begin to change after years of no results.

“I've plateaued because I'm a fitness instructor that teaches yoga, Pilates and spin, so I needed this,” Alcazar says. “And it's fun; you get a good crowd in here and it's loud and you whoop it up!”

This high-intensity interval program combines cardio, strength and stretch within a very short amount of time, making it almost impossible to not come back for more after the muscle soreness that results from class one.

Class Structure.
There are three different styles of class: Stack, 3-by-3, and Double Dare. They all consist of multiple parts cardio on the treadmill, and strength on the floor using the Pilates chair and kettle bells. The only differences between the styles are the rotation groups and time shifts. You will never know quite what to expect before walking into a class, making it a little different every time.

The cardio portion of class is spent on the Woodway Curve treadmills. These extremely expensive treadmills run without a motor, leaving your self-propelled pace completely up to you. With the help of the very loud, upbeat music, these treadmills make running feel more like flying. The curvature demands good posture and form, and it also provides a shock absorber that makes it easy on your joints.

There is always a short break between each interval to allow you to catch your breath, but the rest of class is filled with different Pilates moves and strength training, mainly using your body instead of heavy lifting with weights.

Getting Started.
The fact that this work out is focused around a Pilates chair does not mean you have to have Pilates experience to join in. This program is for anyone looking to further their fitness journey — especially those that have found themselves at a plateau point.

Hudson says it best: “Strong functional movement is the same whether you call it Pilates, yoga, CrossFit, weightlifting, etc. Show up with an open mind and a willingness to move and you're all set!”

The biggest perk about their monthly price is that is grants you unlimited access to any of their studios around town! So, if you can't take burning 500 calories or more each time you work out, feel free to head to their Pilates studios for a good stretch.

Grade.
Overall, I'll give Beyond 500 an A-.

Previous Body Movin' Grades:
• CorePower Yoga: A+.
• Exhale Spa: A+.
• Flywheel: A.
• KravMaga DFW: A.
• Indo Row at Crowbar Cardio: A-.
• Pure Barre: B+.
• Title Boxing Club: B+.
• Pole Class at Vertical Fitness: B.
• Bikram Yoga Dallas: B.
• Studio 22: B.
• East Dallas CrossFit: B-.
• City Surf Fitness: B-.
• The Gym of Social Mechanics: B-.
• El Centro Tai Chi: C.
• White Rock Paddle Co.: C.