Laura Posse

When I hear the word co-op, I think about the pre-war real estate rat race up in NYC or farmer co-ops. So, when I found out that South Florida was getting its very first Yoga co-op, I had absolutely no idea what that even meant. But I love yoga and the communities that yogis build when they get together, so I was excited to learn more from co-founder Danielle Lepore - a passionate yogi of over 10 years.

*Read - Where to Sweat in Broward: 6 of Our Favorite ClassPass Picks*

Having visited yoga co-ops in other parts of the country, Lepore dreamed of bringing such a place to her home town of Fort Lauderdale. She partnered with Rachel Raab, founder of Buddha Pants, to create a space designed to not only create such a community, but to also promote the success of both yoga instructors and their students alike."What's unique about the co-op is that all instructors of the co-op have a vote in the running and decision making for The Buddha Farm," says Lepore.Instructors work like independent contractors - they set their class schedules themselves and have the freedom to teach their classes in their preferred style of yoga. The teachers also keep proceeds from the class, minus a flat fee of $50 that goes towards the operating costs of The Buddha Farm.

*Read: Miami's Best Yoga Studios - Where to Practice in 2017*

Students benefit from the co-op's style of operation as well, as class prices are able to be competitively priced. A single class costs $15 and a class pack of 10 is $120 with classes offered daily. Ranging from beginner's classes to the more challenging, The Buddha Farm's instructors have backgrounds in various yoga practices, including pre-natal and acro yogas.The Buddha Farm's facilities also feature an outdoor courtyard - a space available to its members want to hang out, relax, and to connect with other members. It's also available to be reserved for special wellness & holistic events, which are frequently hosted.

It's no secret Miami is packed with tons of Pilates studios. Each neighborhood boasts a variety of choices, allowing you to pick and choose based off time, class and instructor. With a menu of options, we've rounded up some of our must-try Miami Pilates Studios in 2017.Club Pilates

• Location: Brickell
• Classes to Check out: CP Barre/ Reformer Fusion, CP TRX/ Reformer Fusion, CP Boot Camp F.I.T.
• Read: Club Pilates Opens Newest Studio in Brickell

Breathe Pilates

• Location: MIMO District
• Classes to Check Out: Reformer Cardio Jumpboard, Reformer/Springboard
• Read: From Dreams to Reality For MIMO District's Breathe Pilates Miami

Climb Cardio Core

• Location: Coral Gables
• Classes to Check Out: Climb & Core, Classical Reformer
• Read: Climb Cardio Core is South Miami's Newest Boutique Fitness Studio

House of Movement

• Location: Brickell
• Classes to Check Out: Pilates Machine, Pilates Mat, Pre-Natal Pilates (Privates)

Polestar Pilates

• Locations: South Miami, Biscayne
• Classes to Check Out: Align the Spine, Prop it Like it’s Hot
• Read: Polestar Pilates Biscayne: An Alternative Happy Hour

JetSet Pilates

• Locations: Miami Beach (SoFi, Sunset), Wynwood, Coral Gables, North Miami
• Classes to Check Out: JetSet Body, JetSet Arms & Abs
• Read: JetSet Pilates Taps Into The Fountain of Youth With High-Intensity Cardio Class

Pilates on the Beach

• Location: Miami Beach
• Classes to Check Out: Pilates Reformer (All Levels), Pilates Boot Camp (Advanced)
• Read: Pilates on the Beach: The Neighborhood Pilates Studio That Will Keep You Coming Back

Pilates in the Grove

• Location: Coconut Grove, South Miami
• Classes to Check Out: Pilates Allegro, Barre-Set-Go, Pilates Fusion
• Read: 4 Ways Pilates Can Help Prevent Injuries

Pilathon

• Location: Wynwood
• Classes to Check Out: Pilates Circuit, Da Vinci BodyBoard, PilaRyder, AbsOhGlutely, and Pilates Fitness

Pilates Body

• Location: Miami Beach (Inside Anatomy at 1220)
• Classes to Check Out: Pilates Abs & Stretch
• Read: Quick 10 With Miami Pilates Instructor Amanda Christodoulou

Pilates One

• Location: Coconut Grove
• Classes to Check Out: Circuit, Burn, Brolates
• Read: Burn - Pilates One's Newest Cardio Class Featuring the VersaClimber

Pilates ProWorks

• Location: Coral Gables
• Classes to Check Out: Pilates Pro
• Read: Pilates ProWorks Open in Coral Gables

Gretchen Wagoner has loved and practiced Pilates for over 15 years. After seven years of practice, Wagoner became certified to teach Pilates through Dance New Amsterdam in New York City in 2008. Two years later, she continued her Pilates education though Polestar Pilates where she focused her training in a variety of areas from Scoliosis to Women’s Pre & Post-Natal Health to Pilates for Multiple Sclerosis.What started as private in home sessions has since grown into a boutique studio in the MIMO district and Wagoner has also welcomed three more instructors to her team. Offering both group and private sessions, Breathe Pilates Miami offers a combination of mat and equipment classes designed to give each student, whether in a small group class of up to four or in a private session, focused attention in order to perfect form and promote growth.Group classes are offered Monday – Thursday mornings and evenings and in the mornings on Fridays and Saturdays. Because of its grand opening, Breathe Pilates Miami is currently offering new clients a special introductory rate on springboard classes. They are also available on ClassPass and the studio offers plenty of free parking.For more information, visit www.breathepilatesmiami.com.Breathe Pilates Miami is located at 715 NE 79th Street, Miami FL 33138.

You've made your New Year's resolution, now it's time to put it in action. Check out these spinning studios in the 305 that will help you meet your goal.RedBike StudiosRedBike is the perfect studio if you like a spin class that feels like a dance party, with fun lighting that changes to set the mood for each song. Here, you ride to the beat of the music and classes include choreography and work with hand weights for a total body workout. Thursday nights are themed nights, so be sure to check their schedule for extra fun classes.

• Amenities: Complimentary shoes, towels, smoothie bar, showers, changing rooms, L’Occitane toiletries, digital lockers
• Locations: Brickell, Aventura (Opening Soon)
• Read: RedBike Studios to Open It's Second Location in Aventura's Town Center

FlywheelOne of the most famous names in indoor cycling, Flywheel has opened 3 locations in South Florida. This is the perfect studio if you’re feeling competative. Whether you’re competing with yourself or with others in class, the TechPacks on every bike help you track your resistance, RPMs, and the work your putting out in every class. Opt in to the TorqBoard, to see where you rank in class and live stats. Your stats are stored after each class, so you can work towards tangible goals and new personal bests.

• Amenities: Complimentary shoes, showers, digital lockers, towels, changing rooms, Bliss toiletries, hair dryers
• Locations: Miami Beach, North Miami, Boca Raton

SoulCycleSoulCycle is another big name in the indoor cycling world and one of the OGs of spin classes as we know them today. High cardio and focused on fat-burning, these classes are like a cross between a dance party with pumping music and a spa with candles burning as you ride. Riders pedal to the beat of the music and choreography and hand weights are used to target your core and arms.

• Amentias: Shoe rentals, showers, towels, digital lockers, toiletries, hair dryers
• Locations: Miami Beach, Coral Gables

VirtuRide

This is place you go for a full immersion experience. Want to ride the streets of Miami without having to worry about sharing the road with cars? This is the place for you. VirtuRide is a unique concept in that bikes are placed in front of giant screen, where custom ride videos are projected as you ride. Bikes are on a platform that moves with topography of the “road” as you ride. Fans make it feel like the wind is blowing in your face and the resistance changes (you can also manually adjust it) as you ride up and down bridges and hills in the ride videos. Videos combine not just the video of the street, but are also combined with fun music videos that keep your energy up and a smile on your face. Heart rate monitors link up with the leader board in front of class and to an app on your phone so you can see the calories you’ve burned and your heart rate.

• Amenities: Complimentary shoes, towels, heart rate monitors, free parking
• Location: North Miami Beach
• Read: Miami's VirtuRide is the Future of Indoor Cycling

WynWheelsLocated within the same studio space as Crossfit Wynwood, WynWheels is a boutique indoor cycling studio with a tight-knit family feel. The studio has just 15 bikes, and because of this, instructors are able to give students more one-on-one attention. High-energy music and motivational instructors get you in the zone and sweating in no time. This studio prides itself on being a “no-frills” type of studio and on being one of the most affordable studios in town.

• Location: Midtown/Wynwood
• Read:

Speed HouseSpeedhouse is a brand new, state-of-the-art smart indoor cycling studio located in the heart of Downtown Miami. This is another studio that is great for people who get motivated by a little competition. Live leader boards show real time stats and riders can track their results and improvement overtime.

• Amenities: Showers, towels, free parking
• Location: Downtown Miami

WaterBiking Studio

WaterBiking Studio is a must-try experience for indoor cycling enthusiasts. Located in Coral Gables, dip into this temperature-regulated pool for a spin class that can burn up to 800 calories in an hour! WaterBiking Studio offers a variety of classes that includes WaterBiking, Water Circuit, WaterBoxing and WaterZumba, making it one of the most unique places in Miami.

• Amenities: Showers, towels, shoe rental
• Location: Coral Gables

With over 74 locations nationwide and 220 more in the works, Club Pilates has opened its latest location this month in Miami’s Brickell neighborhood. It’s easy to see why Club Pilates has experienced such explosive growth. The club’s philosophy to make sure that every member receives the best training so that they maximize their results is the key to their success. Classes combine Pilates, barre and TRX techniques using state of the art equipment, so that you get a full strength training work out every time.Classes are available 7 days a week and class packages, unlimited monthly memberships and single classes are available at the studio for purchase.To learn more about Club Pilates Brickell, visit clubpilates.com/location/brickell/.Club Pilates Brickell is conveniently located right next to the metrorail/mover Brickell stations at 17 SW 10th Street Suite 103.

If you follow Lebron James on Instagram, then you’ve probably seen him call the VersaClimber his “girlfriend.” And after trying Pilates One’s newest class “Burn”, I totally get the love that LBJ has for this machine. “Burn” is designed to be a high intensity, high calorie burning 30 minute cardio class. The great thing about the VersaClimber is that it isn’t just your traditional cardio. The machine simulates the movements of climbing and works out your entire body, building strength in your upper body, lower body, back and core for a fully rounded work out.https://www.instagram.com/p/BHm1pkeh299/?taken-by=kingjames&hl=enI took class with Dani Ohayon. We started class with a few minutes of mat Pilates to warm up and then hopped on to the VersaClimbers for our choreographed cardio. Strides alternated from short, quick sprints to long, reaching strides - working I different areas of our bodies, all while keeping our cores engaged. We also alternated our grips, with underhanded grips working out our biceps and overhanded grips working out our triceps, shoulders and backs. We then lowered into squats to make sure that we rounded off our workouts by targeting our lower bodies. The VersaClimber also allows you to adjust the resistance so that you can change the intensity of your workout.Once our workout on the VersaClimber was complete, Dani led us in a cool down on the Pilates Reformers, focusing on stretching the muscles we'd just put to work. The class is short, but definitely sweet. And by sweet I mean effective. This is a class that you come to burn off the pounds.Pilates One is located at 2640 SW 28 Lane in Coconut Grove. Special pricing is available for new students and class packages and unlimited monthly memberships are available.For more information, visit www.pilatesone.com.

Founded in 2010 by Ariana Cherin and Jillian Lorenz in Chicago, The Barre Code’s mission is dedicated to helping women become their strongest, fittest selves – not just physically, but mentally and emotionally as well. Using principles of cardio, strength and restoration, The Barre Code Miami offers a wide variety of classes, from their “cornerstone” Barre class to HIIT and kickboxing classes to classes that focus on stretching and vinyasa flows. The Barre Code Miami strives to offer a class that meets the needs of everyone that walks through their studio’s doors.Since their first opening in Chicago’s River North neighborhood, The Barre Code has expanded to nearly 40 locations across the U.S. Miami’s studio opened in January of this year in Edgewater. The location features amenities like private changing rooms, automatic lockers, and primping stations for a post-work out spruce up. A wall of “props”, as they are called at The Barre Code, is located just outside the studio and the props needed for each class are written on a white board.

I visited the studio and took The Barre Code Miami class for a total body workout. The staff at the front desk were very friendly and when they saw that I was new, they happily gave me a tour of the studio and showed me to the props wall. My class required free weights and a resistance band, so I grabbed my props and headed into the studio for my class with Alison.The studio is spacious and since the barre runs along all four walls of the studio, there is plenty of space for everyone to workout comfortably. A padded floor eliminates the need for mats and cool lighting sets the mood for a fun workout. And while you know you’re going to work hard, the lighting combined with great beats makes the 50 minutes of the class fly by. The aim of the class is to lengthen and strengthen and the class was broken down into segments for arms, core, and legs/glutes. Alison was very friendly and helpful and when things started to get tough, she was positively encouraging. Those shaking legs are a good thing!The Barre Code Miami offers both class packages and monthly memberships, with promotional pricing for new members. First timers can take a class for $10 and the studio is also part of ClassPass.Pro Tip: The Barre Code Miami is located on the third floor at 2063 Biscayne Blvd, with the entrance located on NE 20thTerrace. Use the call box to get buzzed in and take the elevator to the third floor. Also, make sure to remember to bring your non-slip socks to class.For more information, visit www.thebarrecode.com.

Sometimes we cheat...on our diets. It happens. If you’re like me, maybe you had a sub with the works on white bread (not scooped) for lunch instead of that grilled chicken and broccoli you brought with you to work. Now you feel guilty and you’re looking for a high intensity work out to “even things out” and pretend like that cheat meal never happened. That was me last Wednesday, so I decided to take a boxing class at The Cage Boxing & BootCamp in Brickell.Located on the mezzanine level at 1060 Brickell Avenue, The Cage Boxing & BootCamp offers high intensity boxing, kickboxing, and boot camp classes that use a variety of techniques including Muay Thai, Karate, Krav Maga and plyometrics. Every class provides a full body work out and personal training sessions are also available. Classes are led by instructors with backgrounds ranging from boxing professionals to professional MMA fighters.My class was taught by Gail Gensler, who's been teaching boxing classes for 30 years. The class was welcoming to all levels. Gail was there to make sure every student, new and experienced, had the proper technique while executing each boxing combination. The workout started with a warm-up that consisted of running laps around the room, lateral shuffles and sprints up and down the stairs. Following the warm-up, we went straight into our boxing combinations. Each combination targeted several muscles groups, including upper body, core and lower body, so that by the end of class we’d gotten a full body work out. It was intense and empowering and by the end of that class, not only did I feel like a total bad-ass – I knew that sub had been worked off!The Cage offers complimentary valet, wraps and gloves. Showers are also available. When visiting The Cage, make sure to enter through the lobby of 1060 Brickell and then either take the stairs or the elevators to the mezzanine floor, where you’ll find the studio.Classes are available Monday – Saturday and your first class is free. The Cage offers competitive memberships and individual class rates. You can also find them on Class Pass. From now until October 15th, Stay Fit 305 readers will receive 15% off new memberships. Just mention this article and promo code THECAGE305. Purchase memberships in person at The Cage Boxing & BootCamp in Brickell.For more information on memberships and class schedules, visit www.thecageboxingclub.com or call (305) 395-8676.

The Olympics in Rio may be over, but your new love for all things Brazilian doesn’t have to be. If you’re looking to add a little Brazilian warrior energy to your fitness routine, check out Capoeira; a blend of Brazilian martial arts and dance. The physical and mental benefits of Capoeira are endless and include full body muscle tone and strengthening, flexibility, endurance, agility, coordination, improved focus and faster reflexes. Just one hour of Capoeira can burn up to 500 calories.Capoeira’s history is extensive and was developed by West African slaves brought to Brazil as a means to escape, survive in the jungle and avoid recapture. For most of history, the marital art was suppressed or banned in Brazil and was forced to be practiced in secret. In the 20th century, attitudes towards Capoeira became less stringent, and in the 1930s, Manoel dos Reis Machado, best known as Mestre Bimba, having convinced government authorities of the cultural value of Capoeira, opened his school and taught his style of Capoeira called, "Capoeira Regional." The martial art gained in popularity, and as a result, Capoeira was legalized in 1940 and has become a cultural symbol of Brazil.

Capoeira is referred to as a "game," and this game is played within a roda, a circle formed by Capoeiristas who sing traditional songs and play musical instruments. Within the roda, two Capoeiristas simulate combat and display their attack, defense and acrobatic skills. The winner is then determined by the musicians observing from the roda. In some Capoeira groups, students may be ranked with cordas or cords, similar to the belt ranking system in other martial art practices. Each instructor, called a mestre, may determine his own system of ranking, but the cords usually adopt the colors of the Brazilian flag.In recent decades, mestres have begun teaching capoeira in other countries. Ruben Lopez is one such mestre. Better know by his Capoeira name, Mestre Vagalume, Lopez became interested in the practice after observing Capoeiristas in a park as a young teen. For the next fourteen years he would train and become a capoeira mestre himself. Three years ago he opened his Capoeira school, Nago Academy Miami. Capoeira classes are offered for students of all levels, including kids' classes.If you're interested in taking a Capoeira class at Nago Academy, the first class is free and there is no experience necessary. Just make sure to come dressed in comfortable athletic clothing as you will be moving a lot! If you find that Capoeira is for you, you'll want to make sure to get a Capoeira uniform that consists of a white t-shirt and white pants. With practice and patience, you can soon be on your way to becoming a Capoeirista.Nago Academy Miami also offers dance classes, after school kid care and camps.For more information visit www.nagomiami.com.Nago Academy Miami is located at 2656 NE 189th Terrace, Miami FL 33180

I took my first Pilates class during my senior year of college. I needed to add a few credits to my schedule in order to graduate, so I decided to pick-up a fun elective and chose Pilates. I enjoyed the class, especially the part where the final consisted of demonstrating two to three Pilates exercises in front of the class, but I didn’t pick up anymore classes after graduation. Fast forward three years later and I found myself with a severely sprained ankle after what probably wasn’t the best combination of wine, heels that were way too high, and goofing around with friends on a slippery dance floor. I wound up in an aircast, crutches, and physical therapy three times a week.

The physical therapy helped strengthen my ankle and get my range of motion back, but after the sessions allotted to me by my insurance company were finished, I still found my ankle to be weaker than the one that hadn’t been injured. I was given some exercises I could do at home, but then I remembered that Pilates was a low impact fitness method designed to improve strength and flexibility. I started to take some classes as a way to build on what I worked on in physical therapy, so that I could continue to work on getting my strength back and get back into the workout groove after not having been very active for two months.

It was a similar experience that led Aliza Bixon to add Pilates to her rehabilitation program after a back injury and surgery. Transformed by the benefits of Pilates, the dancer and choreographer found a new career path and, along with her friend Shana Kruger, decided to open Pilates on the Beach in 2008.

A neighborhood boutique studio, Pilates on the Beach has attracted a wide range of clientele including high profile athletes, Miami Heat dancers and Dolphins cheerleaders, and clients of all fitness levels and ages. Both private rehabilitation and group classes are offered and with only eight reformers in the studio, group students still get hands on training from instructors. “It’s a great compliment to any sport and physical therapy” says Bixon who sees athletes from golfers to swimmers to dancers, coming to take class.

Every instructor at Pilates on the Beach is certified in Pilates and instructors frequently take continuing education and specialization courses through the Pilates Method Alliance. Specializations include Pilates for Rehab, Pre & Postnatal Pilates, Pilates for Athletes, and the Pink Ribbon Program – a specialization designed not only to help to breast cancer patients regain their range of motion following surgery, but to improve strength, self-esteem, and quality of life.

With over 500 exercises in the Pilates system, classes are offered to cater to all levels and preferences. Bixon recommends the Jumpboard class to those looking for a more cardio intense workout, while the All Levels class can be great for both beginners and experienced students. The studio’s goal is for students to bring the elements they learn in class, like body awareness and posture, into their everyday lives.

Classes are offered mornings, lunchtime, and evenings. Both group and private sessions are available for purchase online and the studio is also part of Class Pass.

Pilates on the Beach is located at 712 W 51st Street in Miami Beach. There is free parking available.

For information on class packages and schedules, please visit www.pilatesonthebeach.com.

If you’re an indoor cycling enthusiast like me, chances are you’ve tried studios all over the 305 like I have. What keeps me going back is the energy – the enthusiastic teachers who encourage you with their positivity, the amazing music and darkness of the room that makes you feel like you're in your own zone, and the sense of accomplishment you feel from yourself and everyone else in the room when the class has come to an end. While there are common elements in every indoor cycling and class, each one has its own unique stamp. And with so many indoor cycling options in Miami, you can try new studios until you find your perfect fit.This week I went to WynWheels. Founded by Nina Zevallos and Lisa Gaylord, it’s a no frills boutique studio designed to give each student that one-on-one feel. Most indoor cycling classes are usually big. It’s not uncommon for studios to have 30 or 40 plus bikes, so it’s easy to let yourself slack a bit if you’re in the back (It’s OK…we’ve all done it!). But with just 15 bikes at WynWheels, the intimacy of the room pushes you to give the workout your all. Instructors keep the energy high and they make sure that each student is able to maximize their workout and keep proper form for optimal results. The studio works with Polar H7 heart rate monitors linked to an app on students’ phones (this is optional and not required in order to take the class). Through the app, instructors will ask students to hit specific zones for a set amount of time. There are no leader boards in the room and the goal of this is for students to focus on themselves and their own results.First timers to WynWheels must take a free, 30 minute METHOD class. In METHOD you’ll be introduced to proper cycling form, the proper way to sit on the saddle, and the four levels of resistance used in every class. The levels are: One – recovery, One Plus – sprinting, Base – where most of the work in class is done, and Max effort – highest resistance for maximum effort. The class is really an intro to that personal touch that this studio is all about.Once students have been to METHOD, they are free to sign up for classes or purchase memberships. One of the many benefits of WynWheels is how affordable it is. Single rides are $18 and packages start at $55 for 5 rides. To me, the best value is the month to month unlimited rides for $89 per month and student specials start at $70 per month. If you’re a CrossFitter, you can purchase the WynWheels + CrossFit Wynwood combo pack for $175. They’re also on ClassPass and are currently running a special on GroupOn.One of Zevallos’s favorite things about her studio is the fact that it’s small and personal. It was an element that she and her partner Lisa found to be missing at other studios and something they knew they wanted to be an integral part of WynWheels. “It’s become like a family and we always go to brunch after Sunday’s class” says Zevallos. The studio’s chalk board walls are covered with the personal goals of students and encouraging messages. It’s a place to go and get your workout in, but it’s also a place to forge friendships and that’s a hard thing to find in the Magic City.Conclusion: If you are looking for an indoor cycling studio that is affordable, gives you one-on-one coaching, forms bonds with peers and instructors, and are unconcerned with the amenities found in pricier studios, WynWheels is definitely the place for you!What to bring: Water and shoes (can either be regular sneakers or clip-in cycling shoes). Towels are provided, but you can also bring your own.WynWheels is located at 56 NE 29th Street in Wynwood, in the same building as CrossFit Wynwood and Triple Threat Fitness.For more information and class schedules, visit www.wynwheels.com.

Ever spend a weekend dancing at a music festival, only to wake up the next day with your body feeling as if you’d actually been to bootcamp instead? The best part was that you didn’t even notice that all that fun dancing was actually a workout because you were too busy enjoying the great music and vibes.This exact realization was what sparked Gabriella and Giuliana Leone to create the newest dance fitness craze after they attended their first music festival in 2009. With backgrounds in professional dance and a love for electronic music, the sisters decided to combine their passions and redefine the way millennials workout by creating Bass Bodies Electronic Fitness. Their mission? To unite people through electronic dance music and to create a workout program where “no one should have to sacrifice fun to achieve a healthy lifestyle.”https://youtu.be/zfLE3p-ENKsWith their main motto being “Burn to the Beat™”, the program is all about taking the best parts of electronic music festivals – the fashion, vibes, and beats - and bringing them into “rave-like” workouts that are a combination of aerobics, cardio and dance. Every class features high energy and fun choreography that will have you growing strong and powerful, while learning new moves to show off, along with your new bass body, at the next EDM festival you go to.In person classes are currently offered at All Around Fitness Training in Kendall, with new gym locations coming soon. Online workouts are also available on their YouTube channel and the sisters frequently post workouts and exercises on their social media channels. More personalized training is also in the works with fit guides, nutritional plans, live-streamed classes, specially recorded workouts, and personal chats with Gabriella and Giuliana. You can also catch a free class at the Women’s Empowerment Expo at the Broward County Convention Center in Fort Lauderdale on October 15th.For more information on how you can get your bass body, visit www.bassbodies.com.

Whenever I take an indoor cycling class, the instructor always tells the class to increase the resistance so that we can “feel the road” beneath our stationary bikes. Now, that takes a bit of imagination, because I don’t really feel the road, I just pretend that I do. Just like I imagine that I’m cycling uphill as I add resistance and that I’m sprinting downhill as I turn my resistance to the left. All while I’m staring straight ahead at myself in the mirror. But at VirtuRide, that imagination is no longer necessary.“I didn’t want to imagine climbing the mountain, I wanted to see the mountain” says Omer Cohen, founder and CEO of VirtuRide. Frustrated with the typical and static indoor cycling studio, the former Israeli Special Ops and IRONMAN triathlete wanted to create a studio where cyclists could enjoy the feeling of riding on the road, without having to worry about the weather or safety on roads where there is often little to no separation between cyclists and cars. He’d spend the next three years perfecting his vision and VirtuRide, a first-of-its-kind full immersion indoor cycling studio, was born.Bikes are fixed to patented motion platforms with wind simulating fans and airbags under each platform to absorb shock and protect the knees and ankles. A mega screen features ride videos with roads from around the country, spliced with music videos and a playlist specially curated by a DJ for a fun packed ride. The motion platforms’ movements match the road topography in each video and incline and tilt for a realistic resistance and ride that also helps create a great core workout. Riders are given a heart rate monitor at the start of every class and screens display each rider’s heart rate and calories burned. Clip in shoes are also available.

My ride was South Florida themed and had us riding through Indian Creek, Coral Gables, Aventura, the MacArthur and Rickenbacker causeways, and the Overseas Highway to music from artists like Bruno Mars, Calvin Harris and LMFAO, with the very apropos song “Welcome to Miami” opening the ride. It felt like a party where I worked up a great sweat and had a blast while being challenged.Cohen believes that VirtuRide’s model is the future of indoor cycling. New ride videos are constantly being created in partnership with Burbank, CA based production company EMZ Productions. With plans to bring VirtuRide studios to South Beach, Las Olas, New York and Los Angeles, the future of indoor cycling is looking pretty great!VirtuRide is located at 2293 NE 164 Street in North Miami Beach. Classes are offered in the mornings and evenings and your first class is free.For more information and class schedules visit www.virturide.com.

The South Florida VegFest is heading to Fort Lauderdale's War Memorial Auditorium on Saturday, December 3 from 12 - 6pm. The festival will be celebrating plant-based living and will feature free samples from over 125 vendors. There will be fun for the whole family with chef demonstrations, yoga and fitness classes, kids' activities and live music.

Tickets are only $15 and can be purchased here.

For more information, visit http://southfloridavegfest.com/.