When The Corner Studio went virtual back in March, “Jo and Ally” quickly became household names. The dynamic duo took to Instagram, serving up their signature high intensity strength-cardio workouts and getting us through quarantine with convenient—albeit intense—30-minute workouts that not only raised our heart rates, but also our spirits.
Summer arrived extending a sliver of freedom. With the pandemic still looming, the outdoors offered a safe solace to stay active and sane. HIIT Strong and YoStrong, an alternating daily dose of “ass-kicking” (as some like to call it), have been holding court at Kerby Field with regularly waitlisted classes. Fresh air and seasonal heat kicked things up a notch, while an abbreviated class length proved more manageable for clients’ schedules.
“We have shifted; life is different,” says Jo, referring to the switch from their traditional 60-minute class to the 50- or 45-minute outdoor versions. Ally adds: “You still get everything you need, and no time is wasted.”
Class moves quickly, and incidentally, goes by fast. For HIIT Strong, 45-second strength moves (weighted overhead presses, squats, lunges) are immediately followed by 30-second cardio bursts (burpees, jumping jacks, mountain climbers) and repeated for several rounds, with an abdominal-focused mat series at the end.
YoStrong, though similar in sequence, is its own breed. “It’s such a badass class for women and men,” says Jo, who developed and evolved the yoga-strength-cardio hybrid more than a decade ago, loosely derived from weighted yoga and sculpt fitness classes she frequented while living in Chicago. During that time, Jo was teaching elementary school in the city’s South Side and often seeking stress relief in the form of fitness. After gaining her yoga certification, she became a full-time fitness instructor and eventually opened her own studio in Austin, Texas, featuring YoStrong. Jo eventually sold the studio to her business partner and relocated to her hometown of Grosse Pointe. Here, she yearned for YoStrong and a way to share it with her new community.
Coincidentally, Jo’s brother was dating a girl named Ally, who was finishing up her degree in exercise science at Western University. Upon graduating, Ally trained under Jo and began mastering the fine-tuned YoStrong workout—what Jo describes as “the perfect mix,” combining yoga with high intensity moves and isometric holds. Jo insists that consistent practice gives the most “lengthening and leaning effect.”
Jo and Ally are living proof. “What we teach is what we do,” says Ally. These women know strength, endurance, and commitment. They’re up at sunrise every weekday delivering unwavering enthusiasm and encouragement to their clients, who range from teens to middle age. They enjoy seeing friends, siblings, partners, and married couples working out together. Ally describes it as “such a fun, uplifting experience.”
The trainer pair receives endless messages from clients about post-workout soreness (the good kind!) and happier mood overall. “It’s easy to plateau or become unmotivated,” says Ally. “Jo and I make sure that never happens with the mix of HIIT and Yo! We see the difference in peoples’ bodies.”
Sign up for Outdoor HIIT Strong and YoStrong at Kerby Field on our website or The Corner Studio app. If rained out, Jo and Ally will post a make-up virtual class on Instagram Live @thecornerstudiogp.
See You at The Corner!