When Jake Gyllenhaal and Adriana Lima need to get in shape, they head to Aerospace High Performance Center, a boxing gym in Manhattan run by former middleweight champion boxer Michael Olajide, Jr. and former professional ballerina Leila Fazel.
The signature workout is equal parts aerobic and strengthening; their website calls it "the most savage and serene workout experience on the planet."
Aerospace has been operating since 2004, flush with celebrity clientele and intensely dedicated students. Hugh Jackman, Doutzen Kroes, Martha Hunt, Shay Mitchell, Linda Evangelista, Iman, and Elsa Hosk are also known to work out here.
Classes are $32 a pop, and they also have streaming video for an at-home workout.
"This gym is people-powered," Olajide said. "It's man over machine."
I put the Aerospace method to the test, attending three different classes over the space of a few weeks. I'm no stranger to exercise classes, and have tried out everything from SoulCycle to Physique 57 to hot yoga, zumba, and dance cardio. I love working up a sweat, and am always game to try something new.
But every time I went to Aerospace, it was the toughest workout I've ever had. In the locker room after class, I started chatting with one of the svelte young women I'd also seen at other classes. She told me she was a model.
"Does it ever get any easier?" I asked.
"Try meditation," she told me. In other words: this is one workout that is a challenge every time.
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Boutique workout classes are currently all the rage. From barre to bootcamp, new ways to whip your body into shape are popping up daily. But boxing, Olajide says, is a whole different ball game.
Elsa Hosk (left) and Martha Hunt (right) are a couple of the Victoria's Secret models that currently frequent the classes. The Aerospace methodology is ideal for those trying to avoid bulking up while staying slim and improving cardiovascular fitness.
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This is me, preparing for class by reminding myself how to jump rope. The Aerospace studio is a massive, brightly lit mirrored space; no candlelight vibes here. Some classes take place in a basement room outfitted with punching bags, but "Aero3" is out in the open.
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