Meet Natalie!

Natalie Uhling is a leading fitness instructor and entrepreneur shaping the lives of clients in New York City and across the country. Her fitness philosophy resides in the core – a strong core makes you lethal! In all of her fitness disciplines, she is committed to function, compound movements and a relentless focus on form and control. Her clients seek her contagious energy and genuine love for life and fitness. Walk into one of Natalie’s classes and you are instantly immersed in an environment that inspires you to push beyond what you thought possible and ultimately attain your goals.

Natalie is expanding her influence beyond the classroom through her partnership with Under Armour, the originator of performance apparel. Natalie serves as the face of Under Armour Women, participating in promotional events and campaigns, as well as consulting on product development to produce the best fitness gear and consumer experience for women around the world.

How/ Why/ When did you fall in love with Megaformer workout?

I instantly fell in love with the Megaformer after trying the move called “teaser!” HOLY OBLIQUES … I had never felt anything like that before.  The machine helps you move is ways that other machines and classes just cannot do.  You can really feel your body changing after just a couple of sessions.

What are 5 things we don’t know about you?

1. I love to cook
2. I grew up camping and I miss doing that during the Summer
3. Wakeboarding is my favorite water sport
4. I am a huge animal lover
5. I love vintage shopping for anything from furniture to clothes to shoes.

What is your favorite thing to do in New York?

My favorite thing to do is walking along the West Side Highway in the summer and then going to brunch in the West Village.  The Little Owl is my favorite place.

What can we find in your gym bag?

Under Armour headbands, Bose headphones, batteries, microphone, Under Armour water bottle and chapstick.

What songs are you currently obsessed with?

Right now would be … Here 2 China (feat. Dizzee Rascal) Calvin Harris & Dillion Francis.

What makes your class different?

My energy/intensity, dance moves and music!

Want to know more about Natalie? She’s on the interwebs so find her here!

TWITTER: @natalieuhling
WEBSITE: www.natalieuhlingfitness.com
INSTAGRAM: natalieuhling
FACEBOOK: Natalie Uhling Pozatek

by Kate Bratskeir

Besides the music, this class was different from other vinyasa classes I’ve taken in the past because it made me feel strong: If I keep up with the practice, I know I’ll be much stronger — particularly in the ab and arm department. Past yoga classes have stretched me out, but this one focused much more on endurance and strengthening. I, admittedly, neglect most ab-work and any push-up routine, but this class made the moves less of a daunting feat (once I did them, I was on to the next move!).

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/kate-bratskeir/slt-yoga_b_1952264.html

Meet JAY C!

Hailing from West Hollywood, Ca, Jay began his career as a professional musician, touring throughout the U.S., Europe, and Asia. While on tour, Jay trained and conditioned his fellow bandmates along with other artists. This developed into a passion that led him to pursue a career in fitness. Jay has acquired years of experience specializing in SPX Pilates/Lagree fitness/megaformer, Heavy Bag Boxing, Kickboxing, and suspension training, and training and developing young, group fitness instructors on the west coast. Jay is devoted to helping people recognize potential and talent within themselves. He trains with passion, patience, and intensity. His classes are lively, upbeat, and, of course, accompanied by a pretty stellar music selection, if he does say so himself.

How/ Why/ When did you fall in love with Megaformer workout?

Why: The touring lifestyle that I experienced during my music career was taking a toll on my health. I was an out-of-shape, beer-bellied gypsy looking for solid ground. I was floating by, taking random hired gigs playing bass for young pop artists to pay my bills, until, one day, I passed a Petco that was holding a pet adoption. I immediately fell in love with a big, half-Boxer, half-Ridgeback dog and knew I had to take him home with me. I needed a way to support myself and my new son, Barney. So I whipped myself into shape both physically and financially!

How: At the time, I was dating a girl who told me about her new favorite workout: Pilates Plus (what they used to call the Megaformer workout). She suggested I apply for teacher training at a few studios seeking male instructors. I was transitioning away from my music career, and I thought fitness could be an interesting new hobby, since it’s also about making people feel good. So I took a few classes, trained to be an instructor, and fell in love with the machine. I’m happy to say I’m still smitten with the Megaformer machine and workout… but I can’t say the same about the girl!

When: Circa early 2009.

What are 5 things we don’t know about you?

Born in Jersey/raised in Vegas/had first fake ID from Hawaii.
I am double-jointed in my arms and hips.
I am a pretty good fencer.
My favorite movie is Forrest Gump.
My metabolic age is 13.

You recently moved here from LA…What’s been your favorite thing to do/ new discovery in New York?

Walking through Central Park and playing chess in Union Square.

What can we find in your gym bag?

My shaker with protein powder, a pair of hand wraps, a pad lock, my cologne (Vintage by John Varvatos), Men’s Dove deodorant, and some J. Crew Fiber to keep my hair as good as it can get.

What songs are you obsessed with this summer?

Sebastian- Love in motion ft. Mayor Hawthorn (Skrillex remix)
Bag Raiders- Shooting Stars
Jay-z/Kanye- Who gon Stop Me
Frank Ocean- Thinkin’ bout you
Justin Bieber- Die in your arms

What makes your class different?

I like to inspire my clients through great quotes and bad jokes. I also try to choreograph my fitness routines to the songs on my playlist. I think it’s fun and motivating to correlate the exercises with the rhythms—I like pairing isometric holds with the songs’ breakdowns and pairing faster, cardiovascular motion with the songs’ climaxes. You can take the guy out of the groove, but you can’t take the groove out of the guy! (See? Bad joke.)

Lauren Glassberg

Eyewitness News

NEW YORK (WABC) – Want to get more out of your workout? Now there’s a fun routine that can help you reach your goals.

S.L.T. is a three-letter workout that can make a girl cry. The letters stand for strengthen lengthen and tone.

The class is only 50 minutes, but it’s precisely scheduled to get your body working.

Everything is done on or around the Megaformer, an exercise machine similar to something you’d see in a pilates class.

Amanda Freeman opened SLT after taking similar classes on Megaformers in Los Angeles.

Each set lasts a minute, and you work just about everything

There are thousands of moves made difficult by springs in the Megaformer. They create the tension. The more springs, the harder the move.

You can learn more at sltnyc.com.

Thursday, October 13, 2011, by Danica Lo

Last week, in a fit of misguided exercise bravado, we agreed to try out SLT—a.k.a. Strength, Length, and Tone—the latest exercise craze to cross the country from Los Angeles, opening its first New York City studio in midtown a few weeks back. We should have known we were in trouble the minute we walked into class—everyone else, all four other people in the room, were talking animatedly about how they’re Tracy Anderson-devotees. Us, well, we’re better versed at the walk-to-Momofuku-Milk-Bar-once-a-week school of fitness.

http://ny.racked.com/archives/2011/10/13/meet_the_megaformer_the_slt_workout_is_like_pilates_on_crack.php