“Start in a plank position, shoulder blades down the back, tap your left hand to your left shoulder, then extend left arm toward the ceiling opening the chest, as you extend the left arm roll to your outer right foot and inner left foot (side plank position), return to starting position by using the obliques to square the hips to the floor, return left hand to floor.”
In life, there are those rare, unicorn-like happenings that manifest into an out-of-body experience. Like when you get your hands on that #veryrare CHANEL icebox bag. But what if there was a way to get a rush of euphoria on cue, and not solely a side effect of our retail-fueled indulgences? Oh but guys, we’ve found something: the class. Emphasis on the lowercase. Taryn Toomey’s exercise method has legions of fit New Yorkers—ahem, and Naomi Watts—flocking to her Tribeca studio to experience her fitness catharsis for a reason.
The class is challenging to classify; something born out of a collaboration between the athletic prowess of a hardcore boot camp and the om-ing philosophical teachings of yoga. “The class is as much, if not more, for the mind and clearing as it is for the physical body. Targeted muscle-sculpting moves are mixed with bursts of cardio, challenging your body and building an intense fire that transforms every muscle group. Throughout the entire class, your heart is pumping, your muscles are screaming and change is happening,” explains Toomey. With movements like the tap and lift, and jump squats, you see what we mean. It’s also about the time a surge of endorphins hit your cerebral cortex—it hurts so good.
Since the class hasn’t made it beyond Manhattan just yet, we had to get our fix by having Toomey break down some core movements for us to do at home.
We’ll be doing it today. Tomorrow. Forever.
Move #1
MOVE #1“Start in a down dog, bend knees deeply, explode up, bring your hips over your shoulders, keep your navel engaged and the front rib cage drawn in, be mindful not to arch in the lower back. Work to find the moment in flight.”
“Start in a down dog; bend knees deeply; explode up; bring your hips over your shoulders; keep your navel engaged and the front rib cage drawn in; be mindful not to arch in the lower back. Work to find the moment in flight.”
Move #2
MOVE #2“Fold over your legs, tent your finger tips around your right foot, soften your right knee and move your hips back, stabilize right leg, be mindful not to rock the hips as you draw the left knee up toward a lengthened chest, and extend the foot back out to tap on the ground.”
“Fold over your legs; tent your fingertips around your right foot; soften your right knee and move your hips back; stabilize the right leg; be mindful not to rock the hips as you draw the left knee up toward a lengthened chest, and extend the foot back out to tap on the ground.”
Move #3
MOVE #3“Same action in the right leg (as in previous excerise), lift left leg on a count of 2, keeping the left hip bone square to the floor. Continue to engage the abdominal wall, extend the chest forward through tented fingertips. Don't forget to keep the hips stable and navel engaged to avoid loading the lower back.”
“Same action in the right leg (as in previous excerise); lift left leg on a count of 2, keeping the left hip bone square to the floor. Continue to engage the abdominal wall; extend the chest forward through tented fingertips. Don’t forget to keep the hips stable and navel engaged to avoid loading the lower back.”
Move #4
MOVE #4“Start in a plank position, shoulder blades down the back, tap your left hand to your left shoulder, then extend left arm toward the ceiling opening the chest, as you extend the left arm roll to your outer right foot and inner left foot (side plank position), return to starting position by using the obliques to square the hips to the floor, return left hand to floor.”
“Start in a plank position, shoulder blades down the back; tap your left hand to your left shoulder, then extend left arm toward the ceiling, opening the chest; as you extend the left arm, roll to your outer right foot and inner left foot (side plank position); return to starting position by using the obliques to square the hips to the floor; return left hand to floor.”
Move #5
MOVE #5“Lay on your back, place right foot flat on the floor, lift your hips, extend your left leg long and point your toes, press into your right heel to lift your hips, left left leg two inches off the floor, keeping hips lifted, lift the left leg 6 inches higher and then again 6 inches higher. Return left leg to starting position while keeping the hips off the floor.”
“Lay on your back; place right foot flat on the floor; lift your hips; extend your left leg long and point your toes; press into your right heel to lift your hips; left left leg two inches off the floor, keeping hips lifted; lift the left leg 6 inches higher and then again 6 inches higher. Return left leg to starting position while keeping the hips off the floor.”
Move #6
MOVE #6“Bend your knees deeply bringing your hips back but be mindful not to extend knees forward over your ankles, explode off the floor as high as you can go, pressing your arms behind you, as you land, make some sound to unpack the body and move the heaviness out.”
“Bend your knees deeply, bringing your hips back, but be mindful not to extend knees forward over your ankles; explode off the floor as high as you can go, pressing your arms behind you; as you land, make some sound to unpack the body and move the heaviness out.”
Move #7
MOVE #7“Stand, soften right knee, draw left knee up toward your chest, as you hinge at the right hip, keep navel engaged - drawing in toward spine, reach the arms forward as you extend the left leg straight behind you, keeping the hips square. Return to starting position.”
“Stand; soften right knee; draw left knee up toward your chest; as you hinge at the right hip, keep navel engaged, drawing in toward spine; reach the arms forward as you extend the left leg straight behind you, keeping the hips square. Return to starting position.”