The BodyLab is no stranger to 303 Magazine. Laura Standley (previous Editor-in-Chief) spent eight months shredding her body at Matt D’Amico’s fitness cathedral.
I decided to check out The Bodylab because I drive by it a few times a week when I-25 North is excruciatingly painful going all the way up to my 20th St. Exit. I always thought, “What a legit urban space they have to work with.” I decided to “like” their Facebook page to get an understanding of what image they project to the social media generation. To my surprise, I was their 10,000 follower and won a week of classes at The BodyLab. I never win anything so my excitement probably annoyed everyone around me as I told them the story hundreds of times.
After getting the “sign my life away” paperwork complete, I scheduled my first class at The BodyLab for Saturday morning at 8:30am. I know what you are thinking, “Why the F would a young professional schedule a workout that early on a weekend day.” Trust me, I should have thought about that too because the remnants of the Ballpark District bar scene added an additional challenge to the Shoulders and Legs onslaught that my trainer Heidi Sarche had planned for me.
First impressions…
Maybe it was the urban feel of the space or probably the déjà vu of seeing a bar (yes they have a liquor license) and DJ booth, made myself extremely comfortable. I decided to get there a bit early to watch my trainer in action with the earlier class. I am not going to lie, this mighty mouse of a woman scared my hung over brain into seeing my future of dry heaving over the wastebasket.
The workout…
The clock strikes 8:30am and Heidi yells “Shoulders and Legs class lets go!” Just to give you some reference, The BodyLab’s “workouts are entirely comprehensive and designed to provide unparalleled intensity, variety and results for all skill levels, including even the fittest of athletes. A strong emphasis is placed on functional, muscular endurance, and cardiovascular training.” My workout consisted of 30 minutes of nonstop exercise that pushed my body to the brink of failure. I am sort of a masochist when it comes to workout out so I wanted to get my ass kicked and Heidi did an amazing job to do that and push me past any perceived thresholds.
The clock struck 9:00am and the torture is over. I walk my battered body to the water fountain and try and catch my breath for a few sips. After talking to some of the clientele at The BodyLab, I left struggling to walk up the stairs and press the gas pedal on my SUV without my leg shaking violently.
Moral of the story…
After just one workout, I can say with complete confidence that this place is a legit workout mecca for Denver young professionals. I always say that you should look for three things in a gym; variety of equipment, location, and culture. The BodyLab passes these tests with flying colors.
The BodyLab is located at the cross streets of East 8th Ave and Lincoln St in the Governor’s Park Neighborhood.