If you haven’t been to check out FITRow in Rockville, I suggest you check it out ASAP! Not only do they have three great boutique fitness studios, but they also have a super cute lobby that is selfie-ready and has great vibes.
The three studios that are located inside FITRow are Orangetheory Fitness, Pure Barre, and CorePower Yoga.
Yes, I teach fitness classes six days a week in addition to training, running, volleyball, and other activities, but I still like to throw some boutique fitness workouts into the mix- even if it’s just once a month – to keep me on my toes and shake things up a little. These three studios are a great way to accomplish that! Let me tell you a little bit about each of them:
Orangetheory Fitness
According to their website, “Orangetheory is a heart-rate based HIIT total-body group workout that combines science, coaching and technology to guarantee maximum results from the inside out.” Think of it as a group fitness class where you rotate between cardio machines and free weights/bodyweight workouts.
I love that Orangetheory incorporates the row machine into their workout. It’s actually the first place where I used a row machine!
The first time you go visit, they run an introductory training session that teaches you how the workout will run, how to set up and use various pieces of equipment, and they explain the heart rate monitors and how you earn points for being in a specific heart rate zone. They host lots of challenges and many people love Orangetheory because of the feeling of community mixed with the competitive spirit. The class structure is pretty consistent, but the workouts change from day-to-day.
Orangetheory offers a free first class! Learn more here.
Pure Barre
Pure Barre (pronounced “bar”) describes itself as, “a total-body barre workout that transforms you physically and mentally. Our musically-driven group classes focus on low-impact, high-intensity movements that strengthen and tone your body in 50 minutes or less.”
Think about barre as being a mixture of pilates, yoga, and ballet (hence, the barre). It helps improve your posture and strengthen your core, which, YES!, includes your glutes.
I’m a certified barre teacher, and what I love about it is that it’s low-impact while also being challenging. I don’t know that I’ve ever taken a barre class and said, “well, that was easy!” Usually, I leave knowing that I worked out my booty (holy cow, those glute exercises introduce you to parts of your muscles you didn’t even know exist!), my arms have gotten stronger, and my core is fired up!
Pure Barre also offers a free first class.
CorePower
CorePower is “a proprietary form of athletic, heated yoga in modern, welcoming, and spa-like studios.” Essentially, they offer a variety of workout formats that are rooted in yoga and are done in a heated room.
They have lots of classes hosted in the studios as well as on-demand classes. One of their most popular classes is the Yoga Sculpt class which incorporates weights, but they also offer vinyasa-style classes, meditation, and more. Their C1 class is the style that is recommended for beginners, and I would say that they are still challenging for people who have been practicing for years!
In this particular location, they have two classrooms that hold about 15-20 people. They also sell lots of CorePower merchandise.
They’re offering free classes in the month of July, so check their schedule for community classes, or call the studio for more information.
Mixing and Matching Workouts
Could you take all three workouts on the same day? I would not suggest it. Could you mix and match? Sure! I think CorePower Yoga and Orangetheory would be a great combo, and CorePower and Pure Barre would be another good combo, but I’m not sure that my glutes could handle an Orangetheory and Pure Barre on the same day.
Final Thoughts on FITRow
FITRow is a great addition to the area! It’s in a great location, and I love that the shopping center itself has a little bit of everything. On an ideal day, I could go pick up some workout clothes at Athleta, grab a coffee at Starbucks, get my sweat on in FITRow, and grab some post-workout food at Fresh Market or Taco Bamba – or any of the other restaurants in that block! On a weekend, you could even walk over to Matchbox for their brunch after getting all sweaty and working hard! Shoutout to the studios for having changing areas and showers to help you transition between activities!
Take a look at my Instagram reel below to see my visit to FITRow!
If you’ve visited FITRow, I’d love to hear what your thoughts are. Send me a message on social media @flecksoflex.
By day, Alexis Reed (she/her) is a marketing professional in the DC Metro Area. By night, she is a group fitness instructor, yoga teacher, youth volleyball coach, and healthy lifestyle blogger on Flecks of Lex. She hosts The Sweat Fearlessly Podcast and is Co-Founder of DMV Fitness Fam, a local group that promotes diversity in fitness and the great outdoors. Her philosophy is to “Sweat Fearlessly” – having fun and enjoying fitness without worrying about how you look or what other people may think about you. You can follow Alexis’ daily adventures on her Instagram @flecksoflex.
