What Is It: TruFusion’s 60-minute “Tru Barefoot Bootcamp” tests your mobility, endurance and resilience through a combination of yoga, Pilates, kettle bells and other movement drills in a room that reaches a heat index of 120 degrees.
Who Tried It: Melody Chiu, PEOPLE Staff Editor
Level of Difficulty: 8/10
It’s tough to say what I hate more — heat or cardio. Luckily for me, TruFusion’s bootcamp combines both into one class. But when you’re offered the chance to work out with Jennifer Lopez and Alex Rodriguez, a.k.a the king and queen of fitness, you don’t say no.
When I walked into the TruFusion gym in Las Vegas last month, I was surprised at how tranquil of an environment it is. The space is clean, bright and very inviting and totally helped calm my nerves a bit before class. A-Rod told me he’s a hygiene freak (so am I), and that’s part of why he fell in love with the gym and decided to become a major investor in the chain.
The first thing you notice when you step into the workout studio is definitely the stifling heat. Aside from Rodriguez, Lopez and her dancers made up most of the class that day, and it was a little intimidating to be standing next to these longtime athletes with rock-hard abs and toned arms who take the class several times a week. But as crazy as it sounds, I almost forgot I was working out with these superstars once the class kicked off because I was having so much fun. Let’s be real, though. I couldn’t help but sneak a couple peeks at J.Lo, who never had a hair out of place and was glistening like a goddess. A-Rod, though, struggled a bit more through the class and it was a little reassuring to see one of the world’s greatest athletes huff and puff next to me!
Our instructor Martin had the best energy and encouraged everyone to take things at their own pace. One of the things I loved most was that there was no judgment or competition in the class. I can barely run a mile without feeling like I just ran a marathon and I’m one of the least coordinated people I know, but even I had a total blast swinging my hips to the music and throwing some sandbags around.
It was definitely challenging and I had to cheat a couple times and take a few breaks, but I powered through … and just when I was feeling faint and like I could no longer go on, it was over!
Verdict: I never thought I would make it through a heated class, much less enjoy it. But TruFusion’s boot camp really stands out from other workout classes I’ve taken, and the energy from the staff, instructors and its members is so infectious. They’re expanding soon to Los Angeles, Miami and New York, and I can’t wait to try out their other classes and get just a teeny bit closer to achieving J.Lo’s famous figure.