Photo from Believe-Fit-Achieve-Fit
Class - PiYo (Yoga and Pilates movement/bodyweight class)
Location - Canalside
What it cost - Free!
Level of difficulty - Medium
Review -
The first part of my experience - getting there. Downtown isn't that bad to navigate, and between the newer signage and gps, anyone can find their way down to the waterfront and Canalside. Slightly more difficult is parking - as this class is 7pm, you're not likely to find a free spot (free parking is after 8PM, and on weekends). There are nearby privately owned lots - their event rate is $3 for the day (so you may as well go for two consecutive classes, and then maybe grab some food and hang out by the water to get your money-worth).
Side note (having nothing to do with Canalside or the fitness folks) - if the Buffalo Park Authority is reading this, you SERIOUSLY need to improve your signage!!! It's pretty unclear for street parking, and a big part of the reason why I don't go downtown much. (rant over)
ANYWAYS...
The PiYo class itself was taught on a wide lawn near the outdoor ice skating rink/gazing pool (where the Aud used to be). Everyone had their yoga mats spread out, and there was plenty of room for the roughly 60+ people there (my estimate). Fortunately, and unfortunately, the lawn itself is sloped a bit - making it pretty easy to get a good view of the instructor (but also making balance a little bit more challenging at times). The instructor had a clip on mic and large speakers, and was easy to hear and understand.
The Pierce Lawn where the class was held
(I was so absorbed in the class that I forgot to take photos during it!)
This class was taught by Marsha Gray-Wilkerson, a local instructor who teaches at a number of venues including Garage Fitness, Longboards at the Beach, and Brierwood. She has been an instructor for over 4 years, and holds over 14 certs (in things like PiYo, Paddleboarding, Piloxing, and TRX). She has a passion for fitness, and it shows in her enthusiastic teaching. She was very high energy and kept everyone going through the rigorous movements, even when glutes and thighs were on fire.
In the class, as promised there was a mix of various Yoga-based asana-style movements. These were done quickly for cardio, and slowly - drawn out - for strength building. One of the most grueling sections was the leg section, in which squat variations burned thigh, calf, and quad muscles. This was definitely a well-rounded lower-body workout with just a few simple, repetitive movement sequences, and I was a bit sore through Saturday afternoon after pushing through this one!
This class is a good intro to fitness class. With a low financial investment (free), little equipment needed (if you don't have a yoga mat, a towel will suffice. No fancy shoes or weights are needed - I would recommend bringing a water bottle though), and no prior knowledge needed, PiYo is a good place to start. You can take it a little slower if you need to break the movements down, and Marsha will also suggest variations or alternatives throughout the class.
That's not to say that this class isn't a good one for more advanced fitness buffs either - the variations that she suggests can sometimes be used to create a more challenging workout, and you can certainly find ways to turn the heat up as you work through the course of the hour.
The skating rink/reflecting pool.
They have paddle boats available, and also around this area there's huge checkers sets, ping pong,
and other outdoor games.
After the class, we headed over to the Liberty Hound to have a bite, and watch the YMCA Senior Line Dance group, who was also at Canalside that evening. I definitely would recommend the Ahi Tuna Nachos - delicious.
More Bell's Oberon for me, and a Shirley Temple for the young'n. We always take the best photos...
View from the Liberty Hound of the Spirit of Buffalo in her berth, and the line dancers on the walkway above
Verdict - great class, varying levels of difficulty for all levels of fitness. Good venue - just make sure to dress appropriately for the heat and humidity, and bring some water!
#buffalove!
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