[Caption: From left, Instructor Mikella Van Dyke of Stamford, Co-owner Annabel Marisca of Darien, Instructor Samantha Mostaccio of Westport and Co-owner Felice Marcy of Darien show some of the exercises at CST50 (without the normal music a class would have).]
CST50, a new boutique fitness studio in Darien, gives you an intense 50-minute workout on one of its 10 "Megaformer" exercise machines.
"It's a full-body workout," said co-owner Annabel Marisca, co-owner of the studio with Felice Marcy, both of whom live in Darien. "We basically work the core, legs and arms."
Marcy added: "It's probably the most effective workout you can get in 50 minutes. It's aerobic, anaerobic, muscle endurance, flexibility--and you can vary the level of intensity."
The business, which had a soft opening a month ago, caters to both men and women (men make up most of the early morning and after-work classes).
The new business has opened it's doors next to Goodwives Shopping Center, in the space between Fisherman's Net and Butler's Laundromat, not far from the Darien Railroad Station.
Inside the brightly lit studio, between the mirrored walls are 10 Megaformer exercise machines that help with as many as 600 different exercises performed in classes of 10 students each.
People have been exercising with the Megaformers since they were made available in about 2001 by Sebastian Lagree at his Lagree Fitness studio in Los Angeles, Marcy said.
The "CST" in the studio's name stands for "cardio," "strengthen" and "transform," and the "50" refers to the length of each class in minutes.
Unlike the video attached to this article, the classes have an instructor leading everyone through different exercises while music sets the beat and gets the class further in the mood.
The video shows a variety of exercises that can be done on the machines, often by using arm, leg and various core muscles at the same time. The classes wind down with stretching exercises.
Marisca and Marcy have been friends since they went to high school together in Greenwich. Marcy belonged to SLT fitness studio in Manhattan before moving to Darien.
"I was an addict there," she said. Marcy didn't want to give up the experience when she and her family moved to Darien, she said, so she partnered with Marisca and set up their own studio here.
Individual classes cost $40, but there are discounts for multiple classes. See the website for details: cst50darien.com.
A grand opening with a ribbon cutting takes place Thursday, June 13 starting at 5:30 p.m.
* * *
CST50
9 Old Kings Hwy. N. (next to Goodwives Shopping Center)
(203) 309-5333
Info@cst50darien.com
www.cst50darien.com
Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.
