Working Out with Sweat Play Live

There’s something to be said about a good workout. I’ve always loved a workout that gets my heart pumping, my body sweating, and leaves no doubt that I’ve pushed myself. So, last week I decided to mix up my workout routine and check out two exercise classes that Shanti Tilling, owner of Sweat Play Live, teaches, and many Sayulita locals and tourists rave about.

Monday morning at 8:30, I headed to Playa de los Muertos for Shanti’s Hit the Beach class. If you’ve never been to this beach, it is very close to the main beach, but yet more tranquil. At this time of day, we had the beach to ourselves, with the exception of a few paddleboarders that could be seen in the distance.

We spread our towels out on the sand, and since it was still early, we were in a wonderful shady spot. The sand felt soft on my bare feet and I noticed that I could hear the waves lapping up against the shore. There was a good mix of males and females in attendance and everyone placed a resistance band around their thighs, which was optional, for a more intense workout.

From the get-go, this class got my heart rate up, starting with a series of warm up exercises, such as squats, running in place, and lunges. From there, we split into twos for buddy work, which was a great way for me to push myself even harder. For instance, as I held a plank, my partner jumped over my legs. My body was shaking and I wanted to release my plank to alleviate the burn, but I also didn’t want to look like a wimp. We also did a circuit of individual exercises, which worked the entire body. I was winded, the burn was intense, and sweat poured off of me as I did push-ups, ab work, and a variety of other exercises.

When the class was over, my muscles felt like jello. I joked that I wouldn’t be able to walk the next day, but I felt incredible, like I had just finished a good, hard six mile run.

On Wednesday at 10:00 a.m., I attended one of Shanti’s other classes, Move Your Asana. This is an indoor class that is held at Ginger’s Dance Studio on Miramar. While the class does incorporate some yoga movements, such as downward dog and child’s pose, it is not a traditional yoga class, by any means.

We put yoga mats on the floor and again, starting with the warm up, my heart rate was up. Throughout the class, we moved through a series of movements, incorporating small movements with larger ones, such as doing lunges while raising our arms. We moved at a good pace, but were encouraged to make it our own pace, and did push-ups, planks, squats, and balancing exercises. Again, I felt the burn in my muscles, and it made me smile knowing that I was getting a good workout.

In both classes, Shanti knew everyone by name and offered encouragement and praise to each of us. She stressed the importance of using correct posture and would reposition us as needed or direct us to make slight adjustments for better positioning. With over 18 years in the fitness industry, Shanti clearly knows how to push her clients to get the best workout possible.

If you would like to experience Shanti’s Hit the Beach class, Move Your Asana class, or Body Shots Cardio Boxing class, contact Sweat Play Live for class days and times.