Meredith Shumway, Southampton-raised and current Hamptons resident, is showcasing her newest fitness program at Bridgehampton’s Curio at Project Hamptons. Shumway describes her class, The Formula X Meredith, as a “a 60-minute, high intensity workout that combines interval training for fat burning, pilates core, barre method exercises for the larger leg muscles and calisthenics for coordination, flexibility and strength.” When asked why she wanted to start her own fitness program she said, “I created The Formula because I was consistently approached by people who were suffering from injuries and ailments that prevented them from joining a typical workout class or program.”
Meredith grew up professionally trained in ballet, having learned from the infamous New York City ballet coach Margaret Black. She explains that Black “took injured professional dancers, and literally brought them back to life through her method of teaching involving the most correct and proper form.” Shumway goes on to credit this foundation as her influence on approaching exercise with an injury sensitive mindset.
If you’re wondering what each class entails, Meredith breaks it down simply– half the class is done standing and half the class is done on the floor. “The pace of the class is fast, but my coaching is very thorough and direct in order for all levels to sustain throughout,” she says, “The standing exercises are for those heart pumping, larger muscle group targeted exercises, followed by intense Pilates based abdominals on the floor. Continuing on the floor, the class moves into planks, push-ups and lunges to rev the heart-rate back up. The finish line is always a stretch.”
If you’re interested in Meredith’s class, you can sign up online at www.theformulaxmeredith.com. The Formula is “100% for every single age and demographic”, Shumway says. Her hope is that you leave feeling happy, energized, and stronger than when you walked in the door. When asked where we can find her when she’s not in the studio, Meredith said, “With my boys. I have 2- and 4-year-old boys who are the absolute loves of my life…”. Shumway has found working with Project Hamptons and Curio to be an incredible experience, stating, “When you have good hearted, happy, positive people with you and behind you, you truly can do anything.”
