This Movement by NM review is part of Class Action, FLEETSTREET’s workout review series. We get sweaty to give you the low-down on what the workouts are really like.
The brand – Movement by NM
The Canadian fitness company is owned by mother and daughter entrepreneurs Gabriela Schonbach and Amanda June Giannakos. With a combined background in television, film and yoga (and yoga on TV!), the two have created a fitness “movement” that includes a workout video library and photographic magazine.
The workouts – Movement by NM channel
Movement by NM website features a collection of highly produced workouts and motivational and educational videos, with sought-after instructors including World Kickboxing Champion Farinaz Lari and popular Vancouver trainer Adrian Gaskin, even yogi Shayla Stonechild makes an appearance. (We featured Stonechild as a woman who’s making a difference in our world.) Just browsing through the library thumbnails, you’ll see that this is for everybody and every body, as there are a wide range of ages and body types. The list of class types is pretty long, too: Strength training, yoga, high-intensity interval training, combat (boxing), “movement” (a cross between dance and animal flow) and “movement” (stretching and flexibility workouts).
Pilates more your thing? Check out this review of Lagreeing at Home.
The class package – the signature challenge
Tagged “Get moving” this collecting is like a flight of videos to give you a taste of the full collection. There are 10 workouts, each under 30 minutes, focused on any one of the types of workouts listed above. Plus, the workout is paired with a motivational, educational video to dig deeper into the type of workout/practice and the instructor and sometimes even a student who took the class. The equipment required is minimal. But anyone invested in a home gym or who does yoga may likely already have all this: Dumbbells, booty ball, medicine ball, tennis ball, skip rope, bolster, blocks, strap and a blanket.
We tried it
Finding a good workout is kind of like dating. Of course, you want a good time and something that makes you feel good, but shouldn’t it be pretty, too? If you agree then you will love Movement by NM.
Everything about this program, from the instructors to the sets, the accompanying magazine to the video editing, is beautiful. It feels like it’s the Equinox of virtual workouts, if Peloton is Good Life, with its mass appeal. After a Movement by NM workout, I went to my bedroom to change and I expected it to smell like eucalyptus. I joke, but seriously, this feels like the high-end gym I’ve been missing at home.
The only criticism I have is the video – maybe it speaks to now needy I am. There are a lot of closeups, which is inspiring. But I need to see the instructor’s full body to fully grasp the moves I’m following. There’s a quick demonstration, which I found I had to pause and mimic before moving through the instructor-led counts. However, it is pretty on the eyes.
This Peloton bootcamp class is the hardest workout we’ve ever tried.
The verdict
The taste test for each of the workouts seem to be meant for newbies or even anyone looking to get back into the routine of working out. These are not exhausting. These are not hard. It’s something to get you moving and breaking a sweat. I feel like this 10-day challenge would be perfect for someone who is looking for a program to revive their love for fitness, otherwise there are more advanced classes. This is a flirty challenge, for sure.
Movement by NM, channel.movementbynm.com, 10-day 30-minute challenge; $18.99 a month or $159.99 a year; available online and in Google Play and the App Store.