(This story is sponsored by CMMN GRND.)

It’s easy to get stuck in the unexciting routine of fast-walking on the treadmill in your apartment building’s gym for 45 minutes before calling it a day. While it’s a predictable and comfortable way for you to exercise, it’s not doing a whole lot for your body and mind.

At fitness and social wellness collective CMMN GRND, you’ll find a multi-use space where instructors lead spin, yoga, pilates, meditation, and strength and conditioning classes. In this year’s Best of Vancouver awards, CMMN GRND was voted the “Best Spin Studio” by readers of the Straight.

What set’s the Olympic Village fitness studio apart from others is its dedication to real-life human connection and social change. The welcoming space prioritizes radical inclusion and this is demonstrated through its body neutral, gender neutral, and trauma-sensitive practices.

The team at CMMN GRND encourages guests to deeply connect to their bodies, which can be achieved by following a diverse workout and wellness routine.

“For so long, the lexicon that we use in fitness has been about dissociating from your body, ‘I can’t feel my legs after that’, ‘that class murdered me’, and ‘my arms are going to be jelly’,” says Dylan Archambault, cofounder and creative director of CMMN GRND. “Although it can be interesting to explore that level of sensation and intensity, it’s also important to remember that fitness and wellness is about healing. The goal should be coming back home to our bodies and sometimes that means slowing down.”

There are several reasons why incorporating different movements and experiences can be beneficial to your physical, mental, and emotional well-being. 

It’s safer

When your workout routine focuses on one single activity, this can cause you to overuse one muscle group and weaken another. There’s also a higher risk of injury when you’re using the same muscles during a high-intensity workout multiple times per week. Diversifying your routine will make sure your muscles have the time needed to recover.

You’ll be more engaged

If you don’t switch up your workout routine on a regular basis, you’re bound to become bored or hit a plateau in terms of performance. By attending a variety of classes that stimulate different muscles, the chances of you losing interest are significantly diminished.

It can expand your circle

Making new friends as an adult is no walk in the park. By attending fitness classes at CMMN GRND, you’ll have the opportunity to meet instructors and likeminded folks who share your passion for movement and wellness.

For more information, follow CMMN GRND on Instagram or visit www.cmmngrnd.ca/.