Spinning Round And Round: Bobbi Brown's Studio Offers Energy-Fueled Classes

Several years ago, Montclair resident and makeup guru Bobbi Brown took Mark Cohen's spin class at a local gym. The rest, as they say, is history. "About three years ago, Bobbi, her husband Steven Plofker, and I started brainstorming about possible ways to bring spin to Montclair," said Cohen. In 2008, 3Sixty cycle at 131 Glenridge Avenue was born.

I was excited to check out their studio. I have taken many spin classes at my gym and was curious to see the difference, if any, at 3Sixty. "One big difference between our spin studio and a regular gym,' said Cohen, "is that we don't charge a membership fee. You pay per ride. Our class packages don't expire and you can even freeze them." Another cool option is the ability to register for classes online.  The very best part is that the first class is free.

The studio offers about 30 different classes during the year, although during the lazy summer months the schedule changes to 24 classes taught by a dozen teachers. I opted to take Cohen's Thursday morning 75-minute class called 3Sixty Strong. The class description states "This 75 minute ride is the ultimate. Your ride begins with a 50-55 minute cardio trip of various speeds, resistance levels, and intensities targeted at raising your heart rate, burning those calories while toning your lower body. Leave after a full 3Sixty Core, keep riding, or go up top and include the use of light weights. Here you will focus on your upper body for muscle toning and increasing your bone density while maintaining flexibility and balance. You design your 75 minutes by riding or going up top, your choice! Pedal on."

Even though I have spinned — or is it spun? — before, I was still apprehensive about taking a 75-minute class.

I was pleasantly surprised at how large and airy the two-floor studio was. I forgot to bring a towel but they had 3Sixty towels for sale for $6. They also had water and other beverages for sale as well. I walked up the stairs to the spin studio to get my bike ready.

Even though I was about 10 minutes early, there were already a handful of people on their bikes. As more students walked in, Cohen greeted everyone by their name.  He later revealed that he makes an effort to get to know every single person who walks inside the studio. Considering that they've had close to 3,000 students in the past two years, he must have a good memory.

I will admit that I was hoping to spin next to Bobbi Brown, but alas, she wasn't in class. Cohen said she does take classes but apparently she was busy traveling to Paris. Sigh…

As I began warming up on the bike, I checked out the other students. The class was composed mostly of women although there were a few men. There seemed to be a wide range of ages as well. I appreciated the fact that Cohen took the time to tell us what to expect during the workout and the number of hills we were going to be climbing.  I was also very impressed with the quality of the bikes — Star Trac Spinner NXT bikes. They had Spinning Computers that measure cadence, distance traveled, and heart rate, although you must wear own heart rate strap.    

I picked a bike near the large windows. The studio is right across the street from Pathmark Grocery Store. Ironically, I kept on seeing large trucks delivering goods such as Edy's Ice Cream and Entenmann's Coffee Cakes. Oddly enough, seeing that kept me motivated.

The hour sped by as the music played and Cohen yelled out encouraging words and phrases. At the end of the hour, spinners could either leave (which a few did), continue to spin, or lift some weights while on the bike. I have never lifted weights while on a spin bike and I really enjoyed it. It was the perfect workout.

I was dripping in sweat as I thanked Cohen for a great class. He informed me that they are in the process of expanding their studio and taking it to a whole other level. "We're moving right across the park to Lackawanna Plaza. It's going to be 4,000 square feet. We're going to feature 40 bikes and offer other fitness classes that are complimentary to spinning like Power Yoga and Boot Camps," said Cohen.

The new studio is set to open in October. I can't wait.

For pricing and class schedule, please refer to their site http://3sixtycyclingstudio.com.

Do you have ideas for upcoming columns, know an athletic enthusiast, want to ask a question, or can put me in touch with people who are inspiring or creating a healthier Montclair? Post a comment or email Judie Hurtado. Hurtado is an enthusiastic fitness and wellness expert with years of experience. She blogs about her health and fitness adventures at www.judiesjuice.wordpress.com. Her articles have been published in magazines such as Time Out New York and Park Place.