Powder Blue Productions

My review is for the Hip Hop Hustle Training and class format.
I took the teacher training back in April with Doris Estremera in Palo Alto and I have to say that I’ve fallen in love with this format! The routines are pre-​choreographed, much like other popular dance fitness classes, but what I like about this one is that it’s accessible to people who have little to no dance experience as well as those who are seasoned dancers. Even with years of dance experience, I often have a hard time following the instructors in most danced-​based classes.
The training itself was an all-​day intensive that really kicked my butt. I must have burnt a week’s worth of calories! We learned two Hustles, including one «Show,» which is really the highlight of Hip Hop Hustle. The show uses many of the dance moves learned during the aerobic/​dance portion, stylizes them, and speeds them up for a real hip hop experience. We performed and recorded the show and then were able to watch ourselves dancing afterward :) haha
After that, we had an exam where we had to demonstrate the basic movements we learned during the workshop and add our own flare to them.
If you pass and decide to teach this format after the training, you can purchase Hustles from their website to teach during class. There are currently 24 (and counting) available to learn and teach at your leisure.
Especially helpful for beginning instructors.
The training is quite affordable too. Take advantage of the early bird special for an extra discount. I did!

I’ll go ahead and say it — I love Turbo Kick. I am one heckuva lazy person, and this is one of very few things I will come to the gym for. I admit it’s not for everyone. If you’re not big on a dancey sort of workout, with choreographed movement and lots of people, skip it. if, on the other hand, you’re like me and you feed off the energy in a room and love having choreography to force you to keep going, then check it out. But please make sure to give it a few weeks… it takes some time to learn the basic moves (3 or 4 classes in and you’re golden).
Chalene Johnson and her team have created a group exercise culture that is both fun and funky, and makes your workout just zoom by. New «rounds» (read: routines) come out 6 times a year, so roughly every six week to two months. Good instructors also have old rounds, mixes, etc that they use when they know their class is getting bored with the current options. So make sure you find a good instructor! There are many of them — just find a personality that motivates you. Classes are available at many gyms, but the big partner in this area is 24 Hour Fitness. Check their schedules online at:
. And try a few different classes to find the combination of instructor and classmates that works.
In the interest of honesty, I am a Powder Blue certified instructor (TK only, have not yet tried Hip Hop Hustle or PiYo), though I’ve never taught… I just liked it so much I figured I’d get the training. :)

Powder Blue Productions = masterminds of Piyo trademarked exercise routine.
What is Piyo? According to the Powder Blue Productions (aka TurboKick) website it’s: «an athletic blend of Pilates, Yoga, and so much more.»
Don’t you love the «so much more» part? I’m here to tell you what that ‘so much more’ is… I call it: Karaōke Exercise. (Hmmm. Maybe I should trademark that before the folks at Powder Blue beat me to it.)
What is Karaōke Exercise?
Well, imagine a teacher reciting a memorized speech/​routine to the verses of pre-​set, licensed music played at each class — just like karaōke. Imagine the same exact speech and music every week… week after week after week.
That’s it, that’s Piyo (and I imagine TurboKick as well).
My issue with this type of mass-​marketing of dance routines called excercise is that anyone could memorize the Piyo karaōke speech, say it over the matching music (bought from Powder Blue) and give the «class» regardless of exercise and physiology know-​how. And that’s exactly what’s going on out there in the world. The MacDonalds-​ization of group exercise (only it’s called Piyo). You could literally go to a studio on the other side of the continent and get the same class. Same music, same karaōke speech. That’s just creepy. Like Stepford exercise.
One time I took a Piyo class and I was the only one there. The teacher was so focused on reciting her memorized speech she never looked at me. No joke. Just she and I in the exercise room together for an hour, she recited the Piyo karaōke and didn’t look at or interact with me. But she kept apace with that licensed Piyo karaōke music. She didn’t seem to have a sense for the underlying theory of Joseph Pilates or of yoga or yogic breathing, but she knew the words of the karaōke per the Piyo script.
My suggestion to Powder Blue: If you’re gonna have someone recite a speech and call it ‘excercise’ I think having William Shatner recite the routines on tape would at least make it more entertaining.