As far as physical exercises go, Plana FORMA has to be one of the toughest. It’s “a combination of yoga, Pilates, and dancing, all in one,” according to trainer Michelle Kawpeng who leads a few classes at the ETON Centris Walk branch in Quezon City. “It focuses on a lot of small movements, so you target all of the muscles, and then it's very focused, really targeting all the specific muscle groups,” she adds.

Co-founder and Director of Training Julie Alagde-Carretas actually used a fusion of isometric exercises and orthopedic stretches to develop Plana FORMA. In a span of 55 minutes (and FN editorial assistant Pat and I can attest to this), your muscles will be subjected to a lot of stretching and contracting. They'll be lengthened, toned, and pushed to the brink. It definitely isn’t the easiest exercise out there, but we say try it if you…

1. …want to strengthen your muscles

Plana FORMA works with your weight and a barre, so expect to do a lot of heavy lifting before the session is over. “You really feel the strength benefits because it really goes down to the deeper muscles,” says Michelle.

2. …want to become more flexible

There is a lot of stretching involved in Plana FORMA. With its muscle sprints and stretches, you’ll definitely be putting your tensility to the test. Don’t worry though if you can’t reach your toes just yet; what’s more important is that you push your body to go as far as you can.

3. …want to lose weight

Plana FORMA is no joke. It supposedly produces an intense heat in the muscles that will help you burn calories even after your session has ended. In fact, KC Concepcion, its brand ambassador, confesses losing 16 pounds in three months with the workout.

4. …want to build stamina

There aren’t a lot of breaks in between sets, so your stamina will definitely be pushed to the brink. In Michelle’s own words, “you keep going, so you never stop.”

5. …want to feel good

Plana FORMA can be a bit hard on your muscles, especially if you’re not used to exercising in the first place, but that’s exactly what gives you that sense of accomplishment in the first place. “A lot of people—they really come [here] in the morning to start their day,” shares Michelle. “It’s either they start with it, or they end with it because it really feels good after a stressful day.”

Plana FORMA is located at 6/F JecoPrime Building 20th Drive Mc Kinley Business Park Fort Bonifacio, Taguig City and 2G-21 G/F Centris WalkETON Centris Walk, Edsa corner Quezon Avenue. You may contact them at (632) 5530870 and(632) 7099174 respectively.