Body Movin'.

Push The Limit At Beyond Studios.

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 Studios.

Fast Facts on Beyond Studios.
• Degree of Difficulty Scale For Beginners: 6 out of 10.
• Calories Burned in One Hour: 400-600.
• Muscle Soreness After The Fact: 7 out of 10.
• Location: 4348 Lovers Ln. Dallas, TX.
• Classes Offered: PilatesRemix and SweatRemix
• Introductory Offer: $15 for your first class.
• Price: $30/session, $80/three Sessions, $99/two weeks unlimited, $249/monthly unlimited for all Beyond Studios.

Overview.
After experiencing Beyond Studios' amazing Beyond 500 workout, it was time to check out the original idea behind this program. The Beyond Studios started out as a Pilates program using reformers in a boutique-style gym setting.

This isn't your average Pilates workout, though. This program truly takes you beyond what you can do anywhere else — pun intended.

Pilates is a low-impact workout that consists of a series of controlled movements that help build strength, flexibility, balance and control. Repetition is key in Pilates; the workout isn't designed to wear you out with heavy lifting, but to increase strength by repeating certain movements in a slow and precise way.

But there's only so long that this kind of workout can make a difference in your fitness journey. Reformer beds are a way to continue your Pilates practice, by adding resistance into the mix. Instructor, Brittany Grignon explains it perfectly.

“Without the bed in Pilates, you're mainly using a lot of your body weight, which is great, but the thing about that is that you will peak at a point,” Grignon says. “You will plateau. This pushes you beyond that. But because you have the resistance from the bed, you can add strength training and weight training to it. It gives you a little bit more of a challenge as you work against the weight.”

This full-body workout at the Beyond Studios will help shape your body into a lean, mean, super flexible, machine.

Class Structure.
There are only two classes at Beyond: their PilatesRemix and their SweatRemix. The PilatesRemix is a 50-minute, full-body workout entirely on the reformer. Class begins with a quick warm up of a minute-long squat session and then jumps right into moves on the reformer.

The reformer is slightly intimidating for a beginner because it's difficult to judge exactly how it will move with your body. The bed allows your body to move naturally, but adds an extra element of resistance to each typical Pilates move you know and love. After I got the hang of it, it was easy to see how beneficial it is to your workout. Every move becomes slightly more challenging, but still very do-able.

The SweatRemix is a combination of time on the reformer as well as cardio using the resistance bands hanging from the ceiling. Grignon describes the moves in class as “dancer-esque” as you start moving and get your heart rate up before beginning your strength training on the reformer.

Getting Started.
Although Grignon says all fitness levels, and ages, can walk in as a beginner, it's probably best to have somewhat of a Pilates background before starting out with Beyond. While the studio provides an incredible workout for anyone looking to take the next step in their fitness journey, but the reformers can be a little distracting and confusing for a beginner.

The Beyond Studios, as a whole, provide multiple workout levels for their members with the PilatesRemix, SweatRemix, and their new Beyond 500 classes. If you're looking to join a studio where you can plan to grow and move forward, this is an awesome place to try.

Grade.
Overall, I'll give Beyond Studios a B+.

Previous Body Movin' Grades:
• CorePower Yoga: A+.
• Exhale Spa: A+.
• Flywheel: A.
• KravMaga DFW: A.
• Summit Climbing Gym: A.
• Indo Row at Crowbar Cardio: A-.
• Beyond 500: 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.