Cherie Lily is the Lady Gaga of fitness. She's a cheeky fitness diva...a true one-of-a-kind. She'll raise your eyebrows and heartrate with a brand of music that's truly her own, called Houserobics. Cherie defines Houserobics as "a high-energy, dance project blending house [music], fitness culture, and inspirational lyrics." Why house music? Because she grew up in Chicago and like most raging Chi-town hipsters, permeated the house music scene. She eventually moved to NYC as a fitness pro but her love of music never died. Cherie used her musical inspiration (Madonna), fitness hero (Richard Simmons) and life experiences (she fell deathly ill in India during yoga certification but pulled through) to create Houserobics and unleash her onstage alter ego. She puts on a hella good show. Watch the video below for a preview.
Off-stage and in class, Cherie Lily is an approachable and outgoing fitness pro who swears by Lululemon V Bras and Natural Fitness Yoga Mats. Her classes are all about adrenaline and fun. My favorite Cherie Lily class is AntiGravity yoga, taught at Crunch Gym on 59th street. This class is a blast because you'll laugh in anticipation and a bit of fear as you twist and invert with acrobatic silks (attached to the ceiling) into positions you never imagined yourself in before. AntiGravity yoga is all about suspension, concentration and balance. Your feet will touch the floor for yoga-inspired moves but expect to wrap the silk around your legs and dangle upside down a few times. Just relax...the hanging silks (or hammocks) are strong and can hold over 1,000 pounds.
The most challenging part of class is activating your core to hold each position. Flexibility isn't required but will definitely be enhanced as you stretch your muscles using the resistance of the silks. The most important element of AntiGravity yoga is listening. The moves are do-able and safe as long as you follow Cherie's instruction. AntiGravity is a popular class. Get there early, write your name on the sign-up sheet and ask for assistance adjusting the height of your silk before class starts.
ANTIGRAVITY YOGA - Mondays 6PM @ Crunch on 59TH St. NYC
Find all of Cherie Lily's classes and her website HERE. She teaches at Crunch, Equinox and Reebok Sports Club. Catch her next Houserobics performance at Santos Party House on March 27th.
Photo credits: Natasha Gornik (Cherie Lily), Crunch Gym (AntiGravity)