Equinox Plays to Pigskin

Have you ever wondered what it's like to train with a NFL athlete? Now's your chance. During the month of April, Equinox Fitness Clubs have teamed up with the National Football League's PLAY 60 campaign to give select Equinox club members the opportunity to train with current and former NFL stars. But we're not talking about any training, like the football drills I tried on Leap Day at Soldier Field. It's the football stars who are leading some of Equinox's signature workouts. So instead of your favorite instructor leading Whipped, Tabata, and the newest addition MetCon3, Tim Jennings, Chris Spencer, Tom Zbikowski and Derrick Mason will be pushing your limits when class is in session--if you're attending classes in Chicago. That could spell trouble, knowing how hard they've worked on the football field. But it's the kind of kick-butt training I crave--and then regret later when I'm too sore and tired to move.


These special classes come with a price, but for good reason, and equally good cause beyond the get-fit benefits. All the proceeds raised go to the United Way to help fund NFL Play 60 projects. I've seen plenty of United Way commercials while watching Sunday football but I never knew that the organization hopes to get 1.9 million kids active and healthy by 2018. One way they move closer toward that goal is with the Play 60 campaign, which creates places for kids to play in the community and helps fight obesity. Since launching the campaign in 2007, the NFL has allocated more than $250 million to kids health and fitness programs and awareness. It has also built more than 120 NFL Youth Fitness Zones and organized more than 1,500 PLAY 60 events. And that's on top of the health and fitness initiatives the United Way and the NFL have collaborated on for 35-plus years. Now there's something I never learned by watching Little Giants.

The special programming only runs during the month of April at Equinox clubs in Chicago, Dallas, Los Angeles, Miami and New York City. The current and former NFL football stars vary by location. If you're an Equinox member who's ready to train for goal line glory, click here to sign up for the classes.

If you could work out with a NFL star, would you do it? It's definitely one way to think pigskin, touchdowns and the Super Bowl in the off-season.

Photo courtesy of Equinox.