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Run, Tone, Crush, Repeat

Crush Fitness sets the tone with high-intensity treadmill intervals mixed with total-body toning.

Nestled on the popular stretch of South Lamar Boulevard between Riverside Drive and Barton Springs Road is a new fitness studio that promises to help you burn up to 800 calories in a single class. Crush Fitness opened its doors in July, offering a series of classes that mix high-intensity treadmill intervals with total-body toning, but the philosophy behind this effective workout has a romantic twist.

Classes at Crush include four 12-minute sessions that alternate between treadmill intervals and resistance training on the floor (bicep curls, crunches, squats, etc.). For example, the Total Body class starts with a series of two- to four-minute intervals on the treadmill that increase in speed or incline (and sometimes both!), then continues with a variety of arm, leg and core exercises using weights, is followed by another round of treadmill intervals and ends with another round of floor exercises using resistance bands—all with the motivation of a class coach and a curated playlist.

Crush Co-owners Lander Peerman and Noah Wright believe this style of interval training is, by far, the most effective workout method. When they met, Peerman had already owned a fitness studio in Dallas and Wright was training as a professional off-road triathlete (something he still trains for). Sharing a passion for fitness and a healthy lifestyle, the two developed a bit of a crush on each other, as well as an idea for a new and better fitness studio.

“Together, we married our two passions and started creating the Crush brand,” Peerman says. “We both love to run and believe that the most effective style of working out is interval training, so we created our signature Crush format based on that belief.”

Now engaged, Peerman and Wright operate Crush with busy lifestyles in mind. Saving time for eating right and working out is a challenge for most adults. Peerman and Wright both travel often, take care of Wright’s two children, and work and run their shared business.

“Needless to say, we are busy people,” Peerman says. “That being said, we always find time to break a sweat.”

At Crush, classes start as early as 6 a.m. and as late as 6:45 p.m., with plenty of options in between. No matter the time of day, any Crush class provides the after-burn effect that comes from creating lean muscle.

“By building more muscle and toning the entire body, you are able to burn more calories at rest,” Peerman explains, calling the after-burn effect a win-win. Crush’s clients, who range in age from 20 to 60, have lost up to 5 pounds in one week and 5 to 10 pounds in just one month. (Peerman recommends attending three to four classes per week for weight-loss results.) While weight loss is a significant benefit, it’s not the only one.

“Working out is not only the best stress reliever, it also releases crucial endorphins that the body thrives on,” Peerman says. “It keeps you mentally sharp, helps with focus, overall digestion and releases environmental toxins that build up in our body from our surroundings.”

For working adults, the mental escape of a workout is often just as important as the physical output.

Almost 70 percent of Crush’s current clients are women.

“Our a la carte class-package system is perfect for the woman on the go,” Peerman says. “We do not have memberships—that model is old-school and not effective—and we do not have any hidden fees. Clients buy the class package that suits their lifestyle the best and we do not have any expiration dates.”

So whether someone wants to workout twice a week or five times a week, there is a package suited for that need.

With the recent opening of Crush, Peerman and Wright are understandably focused on fitness, but they are also committed to living a balanced life.

“Life is about enjoying yourself,” Peerman says. “Part of that is finding the balance between having fun and staying committed to your goals.”

With the holidays coming up, there are plenty of opportunities to lose that balance. To maintain moderation, Peerman recommends starting now and planning ahead.

“Don’t wait to start working out on a consistent basis during the holidays,” she says. “That way, once the holidays are upon us, you are not trying to fight an uphill battle.”

Additionally, Peerman recommends packing healthy snacks as a way to be prepared for those holiday parties and festivities.

“If you know you are going to a holiday party where you might have a few cocktails,” she says, “make sure you eat clean the majority of the day.”

Whether it’s the Total Body, Core Crusher or another of Crush’s many classes, Peerman and Wright’s workout methodology is making people sweat and picking up steam along the way.

Plans to open an Austin-based sister location in the next year are in the works.

 

Crush Fitness

Pricing: Single class, $25 (but $15 a class for first-timers only); five classes, $110; 10 classes, $200; 15 classes, $285; 20 classes, $360; 30 classes, $510

Location: 300 S. Lamar Blvd., Suite O (Free parking is available in the Cole building.)
512.480.0077
info@crushfitness.com
crushfitness.com

 

What’s in Her Bag?

Crush Fitness Co-owner Lander Peerman is often on the go, from workout to work meetings to picking up the kids. See what she keeps in her bag at all times to handle life’s busiest moments.

1. Burt’s Bees Facial Cleansing Towelettes
“They are must, not only for wiping off sweat before I head to my next appointment, but handling kiddo spills or dog messes, which every mom out there knows about.”

2. Face hydration mist
“For a little mid-day pick-me-up.”

3. S’well water bottle
“I always carry water with me. Dehydration is the cause of a lot of ailments.”

4. Tinted lip balm
“This is good for so many reasons: hydration and SPF protection for lips, and a little tint if I am going straight from a workout to meet a friend for lunch.” 

5. Crush hat
“Because I never know when I’m going to need a hat to tame some wild hair. Plus, it protects my face from sun throughout the day.” 

6. Mints
“These are great when I feel like I’m going to have a mid-day snack attack. Peppermint has been shown to be an appetite suppressant, so…give the body time to figure out if it’s really hungry or just snacking out of boredom, tiredness, etc. Plus, minty-fresh breath never hurts anyone.”

 

A Day in the Life of a Fitness-studio Owner

Lander Peerman, co-owner of Crush Fitness, makes it her goal to break a sweat every day while still fitting in work, friends and family. She tells us how she makes it all work each and every day.

7 a.m.: Wake up and drink a large glass of water or coconut water, which is super effective to get your body up to proper hydration and get your digestive system going.

7:30 a.m.: Breakfast and coffee with my fiance (and fellow co-owner of Crush Fitness, Noah Wright) and our pup, Taz. Coffee: Black or with a splash of non-GMO vanilla soy creamer. Breakfast: Greek yogurt with berries and honey or a homemade fruit smoothie. We are also big on bacon. It’s a great source of protein and good fats if you eat one piece of lean bacon.

8:30 a.m.: Crush Fitness Total Body class

11 a.m.: Meeting with Crush Fitness Manager Jess Clark

1 p.m.: Lunch: gluten-free turkey and/or veggie wrap or sandwich, or a brown-rice-and-veggie bowl. Lean protein is super important to eat after a hard workout to aid your body in recovery. Drink lots of water. This is when I’ll drink electrolyte water or a drink with some sort of recovery electrolytes. Coconut water is the best choice for a post-workout recovery drink.

2:30 p.m.: Crush meetings: water supplier, retail vendor, marketing outreach, anything that needs my attention that day, which changes often when running your own business.

4 p.m.: Afternoon snack: a handful of nuts (raw almonds, walnuts or cashews), or if I’m on the go, I’ll eat a gluten-free Luna bar, and of course, more water.

5 p.m.: Check on Crush evening classes. Some days, I head to yoga to relax, stretch, reset or meditate.

7 p.m.: Dinner with my family and recap of day with my fiance. Our favorites: gluten-free spaghetti with vegetables mixed into the meat sauce—a great way to disguise veggies for kids, parents will understand; pork chop with brown rice or purple potatoes and lots of veggies; taco Tuesday with gluten-free turkey, lean chicken or bison tacos with all the fixins. We try to cook at home most nights, but we definitely like to enjoy a nice glass of red wine or a margarita out on the patio of La Condesa as the weather gets cooler. Again, our number one rule of thumb: Balance and moderation are key.

10 p.m.: In bed. Some days are easier than others for this when you have two kids, a dog and just launched a new business.

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