Our private rooftop Core Fusion class. Photo: TropicanaOJ, Flickr

Nothing is quite as invigorating as trying a new class and getting a fantastic workout. Unless, of course, you're trying that new class on a grassy rooftop on a gorgeous Saturday morning, which is exactly what I had the opportunity to do last weekend.

I was in Chicago for a "Get Your Fruit On" weekend with Tropicana, and they set us up with Nicole Romano Uribarri from Exhale Spa for a customized Core Fusion® class on the roof of the PepsiCo Sustainability Center. Core Fusion is a mix of the Lotte Berk Method, core conditioning, Pilates and yoga, and is offered at Exhale locations in California, Florida, Illinois, Massachusetts, New York, Texas and the Turks and Caicos.

While the location was amazing, the Core Fusion® class would've been a treat no matter where it was held. We did moves I'd never seen before (which is saying something, because I've done a lot of classes and videos). And somehow, we did each move just long enough or repeated it often enough to have me making silent negotiations. (You know, using your mind to will the instructor to stop, and if she'll just stop now, you'll never eat another cookie/drink, another beer/etc.)

It's harder than it looks! Photo: TropicanaOJ, Flickr

Uribarri shares my opinion, saying she experiences a "love-hate" relationship with certain parts of the class. "The thigh section is probably my favorite," she says, "because, even though it's so hard, I feel like it's doing so much good."

When asked what makes Core Fusion® different than Pilates or another class at the gym, Uribarri had plenty to say. "The Core Fusion® exercises are really specific to specific parts of the body. The workouts are designed to hit each part, giving you an amazing full body workout, whereas Pilates tends to focus more on the core," she explains. "Additionally, Core Fusion® builds muscle endurance. Many other classes just don't have the intensity."

For those of us who don't live near an Exhale Spa location, there is good news. Recently, they came out with three DVDs based on the Core Fusion classes -- Core Fusion Body Sculpt, Core Fusion Thighs and Glutes and Core Fusion Pilates Plus. All videos are available at Exhale Spa locations or at the online store.