I decided to try something completely different than most workout classes. City Surf Fitness founded right here in Dallas a few years back, is a workout done on a surfboard to strengthen your entire body while constantly having to balance. The machine was featured on the TV show Shark Tank and was created with the funding from Mark Cuban. The board is balanced on top of three stability balls, so the core is engaged throughout the entire workout. The small studio only has ten surfboards so all class sizes are small which is great with an engaged and hands-on instructor. The Billabong surfing video projected on the side of the wall creates a great atmosphere and brings a beachy vibe to the middle of the city.

City Surf offers classes 35 and 50 minutes long. Each day of the week the class has a different part of the body it focuses on. When I went to the 35-minute, 7 am class Wednesday morning, we focused on cardio + core. During the class, we alternated between doing 3 set of 25 core-based moves on the board, and 3 cardio-based moves in sets of 5 on and off the board continuously for 2 minutes.

Although the concept of this class was intriguing, I didn’t think it was the best workout. If I were to do it again and had more time, I would definitely do one of the 50-minute classes. I felt the burn during the 30-minute class, but nothing after which was upsetting. I’m one of those people that love feeling sore after a workout because then I know I worked myself hard, and thirty minutes just wasn’t enough. Overall, the class was a refreshing break from sculpting and HIIT classes, but not the most rewarding. I would recommend this class if you’re looking for something fun to do with a group of friends, but not if you’re looking to really get your sweat on!