Sassy Mama Loves: The NYLA Method

Twelve months after giving birth to my youngest, my resolution to get fit and lose the postpartum paunch has been a (slow) work in progress.  As a working mama of 3 under 4, ‘me time’ is hard to find and the odd hour I get is quickly filled with a mad dash to the supermarket or a last minute and long overdue waxing appointment.   I flit from yoga to cardio with no real plan and even less of a clue as to what works, every exercise class I have tried to commit to is either half way across town or at a really inconvenient time and I’m just not a gym kind of gal – left to my own devices I zone out to MTV and catch 20 winks on the cross trainer.

So when I heard of an innovative new workout combining disciplines including dance, Yoga, Pilates, weight training and physiotherapy launching in the UAE I jumped at the opportunity to try it out.  Promising to deliver results in only 2 weeks, the NYLA method is a 60 minute session that specifically targets women’s problem areas, tones every muscle group and boosts metabolism to enable sustainable weight loss.  I was skeptical – I’d heard it before – but I went along, tried it and loved it.

The brainchild of Andrea DeBellis, NYLA has been perfected in studios from New York to Los Angeles and the method is already taking Dubai by storm.  Rather aptly meaning ‘one who succeeds’ in Arabic, the NYLA method uses the ballet barre, light weights, a stability ball and resistance bands in a hybrid class that’s both fun and challenging.  Our instructor Liz  – an LA goddess who has danced and shared the stage with some of entertainment’s greats, including Will Smith, Diddy, and Def Leopard as well as starring in commercials for Playstation and Pepsi led us in a sweat -inducing workout with big smiles and even bigger energy.   After a quick stretch/warm-up, Liz turned up the tempo and the beats, working our muscles to fatigue with weight training, cardio blasts, ballet barre interludes and core strength focus with even a little twerking in between.   At times I didn’t know whether to laugh or cry but Liz expertly pushed us through with promises of bikini worthy abs and tank top toned arms – pausing for regular stretches to minimise the pain but maximise the workout and most importantly to assist fitness without gaining bulk.  Each of the 5 NYLA Method instructors bring their own unique mix to the classes but all of them are consistent with the brand promise, delivering every class with passion, smiles and an energy that is simply contagious.

In just under an hour I felt like I had exercised more effectively than ever before – exhausted but exhilarated I signed up for further classes on the spot – NYLA is the perfect mama workout combination in an achievable time slot and Sassy Mama guarantees you’ll be hooked (and too sore to reach for the cookie jar!). The NYLA Method is more than an exercise class, it’s an entire lifestyle package with access to all aspects of health and wellbeing via an excellent blog on the NYLA website that shares tips on everything from meditation to natural hair and skincare tips and also through talking to the team themselves who are always eager to reveal their secrets.

Set to open a state-of-the-art studio in a beautiful villa complete with spa and organic café in the upcoming weeks, NYLA is currently popping up in various locations including Emirates Golf Club, Dubai and the Monte Carlo Beach Club and Ritz Carlton in Abu Dhabi.

Classes start from AED 115 but your first one is free
tel: (+971) (0) 4 454 9880
www.nylamethod.com