Workout of the Stars

Get fit with the latest celebrity fitness craze

by Catherine Holland

Whatever name it goes by, the workout combines elements of Pilates, yoga, ballet barre work, stretching and light weights. The point is to get your rear into gear and bring out your inner dancer—or at least her body. While relatively new to the exercise spotlight, Karve and its brethren find their roots in the Lotte Berk Method, an exercise method created by a German dancer nearly 50 years ago in London. Lydia Bach refined the technique and brought it to the U.S., and Kendra Jordan carried it onto Scottsdale.

Jordan, founder of kPilates Studio in Mesa and now Karve Studio in Scottsdale, discovered the workout she dubbed Karve while visiting family in San Francisco about five years ago. Already a Pilates instructor, Jordan fell in love with the exercise approach and completed an apprenticeship with Jill Dailey of The Dailey Method. “I named my class Karve because it really does carve all the muscles in your body from head to toe,” Jordan says. “It’s very intelligent exercise.”

SMALL AND INTENSE

Intense but not jarring or hard on the joints, Karve is made up of many small movements, most of which are no more than an inch in any direction. The focus is on form and control with high repetitions, and classes are kept small so instructors can help each individual as needed. The idea is to work the large muscle groups and then stretch them out; rev the heart rate up and then bring it back down. As intense as Karve is, you don’t have to be a dancer or in top physical shape to do it.

“You really can modify it for any level,” Jordan says. “You can still be fit and do something that’s not going to hurt your joints. You don’t have to be perfect and 100 percent ‘on’ the whole time to get a good workout.”

Instructor-in-training Michelle Altergott agrees. “I think this is great because it’s really challenging, but it’s not hard. Anybody can do it, and it challenges your muscles. It can totally change your body in an hour a day.”

The workout’s main attraction is variety. Rather than a typical treadmill-weightlifting routine—or even old-time Jazzercise—Karve offers something new. “It’s not 100 sit-ups,” Altergott says. “It’s five minutes of 10 different kinds of sit-ups, so it’s not the same thing over and over again.”

Gina Fabiani, also training to be an instructor, sees Karve as an unconventional way of exercise. “It’s not like going to the gym,” she says. “It’s gentle, but you still get a vigorous workout at the same time.”

Jordan says camaraderie is another important element. “People seem to bond when they’re in here.”

STRETCH MEETS CARDIO

The combination of Pilates, cardio and stretching seems to be the key. The flexibility and core training at the heart of Karve intrigues Dr. Emily Zaragoza-Lao, medical director of family medicine at St. Joseph’s Hospital. “Core strength decreases back pain and stabilizes the whole midsection, reducing the risk of injuries,” she says.

Zaragoza-Lao also believes in the effectiveness of peer pressure during group exercise, but she cautions against starting a workout program without first talking to a doctor and doing too much too quickly. “You work too hard, you get sore and then you stop,” she says. “You can lose consistency.”

She adds that wearing a heart monitor or at least checking your heart rate regularly can help ensure you’re working in your fat-burning zone.

“For those who exercise regularly, this might be a great thing to try—something different to increase their challenge.”

A challenge is certainly what Karve offers. Brittany Maclaughlin, who was more into jogging and hiking than exercise classes, heard about Karve and decided to give it a go.

“I feel like my muscles really got worked. It was intense, and I’m not used to working my body to that kind of limit,” she says.

But Karve’s creators say the intensity is what delivers visible results. Located in Old Town Scottsdale, Karve offers affordable single classes for $20 and unlimited monthly packages for $100. Karve also provides on-site childcare at a reasonable rate. Be sure to wear comfortable, breathable clothes that aren’t too baggy and remember to wear socks. Don’t miss out on this fun, star quality workout!

Catherine Holland is a Freelance writer and Internet Producer for azfamily.com.

Karve Studio
480.247.6725