SWITCH IT UP
The latest workout routine from SWEAT 1000 founder Steve Uria
South African-born Steve Uria started his fitness guru journey in the US by sending his adopted city Atlanta Georgia to boot camp. The first of its kind, he’d launched the exercise regime in collaboration with CNN’s medical reporter Sanjay Gupta. The workout craze was quickly adopted by gyms around the country and soon spread
across the world. The concept played right to his strengths; Steve had spent a year in the Special Forces Military programme of the former SADF (now SANDF).
But Steve was not new to the fitness industry: SWEAT 1000, one of his earlier creations, had been the first ever fitness boutique in SA. ‘Everyone said it would never work, but we did it and ended up with eight stores before I left SA,’he says.
‘Springbok rugby players,
Victoria’s Secret models and everyone on a journey to transform their bodies signed up for SWEAT.’
Now Steve has switched things up again with another new concept. Fuelled by pumping music and LED disco lights, Switch Playground is a 60-minute fullbody workout that incorporates strength training, conditioning, cardio, metabolic and functional exercise. It’s a compact regimen that is fast catching on – it’s not uncommon to hear someone say, ‘I don’t exercise, I switch!’
HOW IT WORKS
There are up to 21 stations, each designated for different exercise regimens. ‘Switch “players” work out in pairs, and each station is designed for one core exercise workout,’ explains Steve. ‘Some stations have body weight exercises to improve your strength and flexibility, others have dumbbells, free weights, resistance bands and TRX (suspension training) for core strengthening, etc. You make your way through all the stations so it’s a full-body workout and you get the benefits of strength and cardio training.’ Each session lasts two minutes before you switch to the next station. While you’re between stations, trainers demonstrate the movements.
Players should allow for an hour for each session from start to finish, including warm-up time. The session starts with a sevenminute flow yoga warm-up to kick-start the routine, followed by two minutes at each of the 21 stations and lastly, a five minute cool-down.
‘We start with yoga to centre the mind; get the head in the right space and warm up the body,’ says Steve. ‘Switch is a playground for the mind, body and soul. The yoga is to set your intentions; to think about and focus on what you want to achieve in that hour. What comes after is a full-body warm-up and stretching of the muscles to get both mind and body ready for the full hour you will be using it for training.’
It seems like a lot to remember, but there is someone on the mic to keep you motivated and give out instructions as you exercise (like a hype man at a party). There are also qualified trainers managing the stations.
Switch Playground is for everyone: every body and every age. ‘When people think of circuit training they think of a boot camp, where someone is running behind them screaming: “Come on! Faster! Move!” Well, it’s totally not like that. Our classes cater for people of all fitness levels,’ says Steve.
‘We don’t have a grading system for our classes,’ he adds. ‘That’s why we have trainers to assist everyone and to modify an exercise if a client has an injury, or wants to slow down.’
Steve founded Switch in Cape Town but there are now studios in Bryanston, Greenstone, Menlyn Maine – and New York City! Switch Playground may be a fitness centre but the team also prides itself on creating a fun, vibey workout space. There are four resident DJs who rotate and offer a variety of music: expect anything from Afrikaans tunes and alternative rock through old-school hip-hop to pump-up exercise sessions.
With 35 years’ experience in fitness, Steve is still very much hands-on, designing Switch class routines every day to ensure fresh and vibrant sessions for players. It’s a programme that has worked for many fitness lovers in the Big Apple and here at home. ‘Switch is dedicated to giving clients results – and a new approach to working out,’ he says.
Switch Studios is offering 15% off all Switch apparel in April. Bring this article with you to qualify for the discount!