Culture / Sporting Life

River Oaks’ Hottest New Gym is a Real Knockout: Boutique Studio’s the Rare Boxing and Cycling Mix

BY // 06.29.18

A new boutique fitness gym is coming to River Oaks, and it’s shaping up to be a knockout. The state-of-the-art Vortex Studio offers a one-two punch with a couple of distinct exercise arenas.

Dedicated half to fierce boxing workouts and half to intense cycling classes, Vortex is scheduled to open at 1707 West Gray in late July.

The boxing and cycling studios are separate formats, but they offer a game-shifting synergy for fitness junkies who want to try out both.

Vortex aims to be a luxurious gym to ride, rumble and refuel, co-owner Casey Weeks tells PaperCity. Weeks and business partner Shein Armaan bring diverse athletic experience to the table, with Weeks’ trained in Insanity, Indo-Row, Keiser Indoor Cycling and Les Mills, and Armaan’s certified as a personal trainer and trainer in Camp Gladiator, Group X and F45.

“I believe that as an instructor, my main goal is to challenge, energize and most importantly, inspire,” Weeks says.

Both the boxing and cycling studios are cutting edge and big on the multi-sensory vibe, with flashing lights and pulsing music.

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Each high-energy, 45-minute class has space for 48 people. Vortex is focusing on early mornings and evenings, with classes staggered by 15 minutes. Mondays through Fridays, you can spin into cycling at 5:30 am and box at 5:45 am, or 4:30 pm and 4:45 pm, respectively. Weekend hours will start off a little later.

Whether you box before or after work, come prepared to duke it out with your demons.

“The boxing is basically an all-out war for 45 minutes. Our motto is ‘Head down, gloves up,’ ” Weeks says. The trainer calls the beat-driven light show an action-packed workout with a little chaos thrown in the mix.

“You’re boxing out everything. Our thing is you leave with your demons on your bag,” Weeks says.

The class is a fast-paced blend of traditional boxing combinations, body weight strength training exercises and cardio with eight rounds. The Muhammad Ali-style footwork and plyometrics may have you on the ropes, but the instructors are dedicated to helping you push through.

“It’s 45 minutes of back work but you walk out the same way you walk out of a spin studio. It’s so much fun, but you’re shaking,” Week says.

The Spin Vortex

Boxing may sound more hardcore than a spin class, but you’d better not dismiss Vortex cycling as mere cardio. It’s a toning, full-body workout complete with core exercises, hand weights, movements that work shoulders, abs, obliques, biceps and triceps.

“All while your lower body is constantly challenging the beat of that song,” Weeks says.

“My thing is there’s something about whenever you’re on a bike riding and all of a sudden, the music’s going, the sweat starts dripping down your face. You look up to the crowd of people with all that power in the room — that beat. Everybody’s on the same beat.

“The best compliment I could say for a ride or a rumble is when somebody comes in and says ‘I hated that song, but the way you played it and the way you pushed me through it — now it’s my favorite song.’ ”

Houston Vortex gym
Houston’s new Vortex Studio opens in late July.

Vortex is geared for people of all fitness levels to challenge themselves. “It’s new for everybody. It’s a new format,” Weeks says. The trainer expects a lot of overlap, with men and women both working out in each discipline.

The Vortex experience includes a cafe which offers a curated menu of protein shakes, developed by nutritionists. You can have it your whey with a protein shake, protein bowl, energy mush or energy bar in different flavors for $8 each.

You can beat others to the punch by buying a founding membership if you’re already intrigued. Single classes are also available for purchase. Class packages range from $25 to $200 and memberships run from $195 to $250. The first class is free.

We’ll soon find out if Houstonians are up for knockout workouts.

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