This Small Space-Friendly Fitness Tool Is Totally Quiet, So I’m No Longer the Annoying Upstairs Neighbor

For the most part, I’ve loved working out from home. I can roll out of bed five minutes before class starts, or if it’s an on-demand class, let my sleeping schedule dictate when my body sweats. No more packing an extra bag (and probably forgetting my bra), showering at the gym, getting to work late, etc. But of course, at-home workouts also come with downsides: risk of burnout, lack of options, and potentially unhappy neighbors, to name a few.

Nine months into the pandemic, all of this started happening to me at once, and I wanted a program that switched up my routine while being suitable for living on top of others. That’s when I learned about the Brrrn board—a slideboard with two wooden stoppers that allows you to skate from one side to the other with a pair of over-the-shoe booties—which sounded promising for all of the above.

Upon arrival, the slideboard was easy to assemble: once I opened the cardboard box, it was already in tact with a wooden stopper installed on one side—all I had to do was screw in the other stopper on the opposite side of the board. The package also came with the pair of regular sized booties (size 5-11), a pair of slide mittens that’s a one-size-fits-all, and a packet of cleaning wipes to keep your board clean and slick.

After I figured out the setup, I received access to Brrrn’s At-Home Subscription hub, filled with various workouts that range from 10 to 60 minutes. There’s everything from cardio-focused slide, pilates-styled sculpt, and ab-focused workouts on the board, to vinyasa flows, HIIT exercises, and flexibility series off the board.

If I’m being completely honest, I was pretty nervous before jumping into my first slide class. I never learned how to ice skate, which was the main thing I compared it to after my fiancé told me he used a similar fitness board for ice hockey training. But I pulled my booties over my sneakers, selected a 30-minute cardio sculpt video, and hoped for the best (aka not falling and injuring myself).

Good news, I didn’t fall! But wow was it challenging, especially the core portion where it felt like I was doing sliders for 10 minutes straight. However, I threw myself into the deep end and skipped the beginner content, which obviously I wouldn’t recommend. What I will say, though, was that the workout kept me engaged, excited, and no jumping was involved that made me worry about disturbing my neighbors—peace of mind is priceless. Not to mention it makes for some really fun IGTV dances.

Perhaps one of the best parts, especially for those who live in small apartments: after you’re done with your workout, the board slides perfectly under most couches, so it takes up zero real estate.

From that first workout on, I continued to try different sessions—45-minute slide-specific classes, a 30-minute total body bootcamps with weights—and next up I’m going to explore the yoga and meditation classes (because we could all use a little zen these days). But overall, the Brrrn board gave me exactly what I wanted: a way to avoid burnout as well as keep my body and neighbors happy.

The Brrrn board starts at $229, and the membership for on-demand classes is $10 a month, which is currently free until Jan. 31, 2021. If you compare that price to other at-home workout equipment, which can easily be over $1,000, I’d say it’s a good deal.

Ready to give the Brrrn Board a whirl? Through November 29, use code CYBRRR to receive $50 off all boards and bundles.