My ongoing quest to channel Michelle Obama has taken me further than reading Becoming and sharing the former First Lady's motivational quotes. Now I'm coming for her arms.
That's how I find myself at Solidcore, where Mrs O has been spotted toning up those famous biceps. The fitness chain has outposts all over America, although Obama naturally opts for the Washington, D.C. locale (she's also been spotted spinning at SoulCycle).
Anne Mahlum founded boutique fitness chain Solidcore in D.C. in 2013. It quickly became a wildly popular local fitness studio and expanded rapidly. Mrs Obama was one of the first to try a Solidcore class - which has been dubbed 'the toughest workout in Washington' - after hearing about it from her personal assistant.
While the First Lady was a welcome customer, the patronage of Ivanka Trump later on proved to be less popular. When the First Daughter booked a Solidcore class under an alias in Washington, Mahlum took to Facebook to challenge her over her father's policies.
Even if you're not Ivanka Trump, Solidcore classes have a pretty intimidating reputation. They might not be as extreme as CrossFit or Tone House, but the Megaformers used at Solidcore are notoriously hard on the body.
Designed by Sebastien Lagree, Megaformers are a little like Pilates reformers, but with extra straps, springs and platforms to ensure a tougher, cardio-level workout.
The class I tried in Boca Raton, Florida felt like a Pilates, sculpt and barre class all rolled into one. The complex sets of moves require all of your focus - lose concentration and you could topple off the Megaformer.
The exercises at Solidcore are slow and controlled: think thigh-burning squats, bicep curls that make you sweat and balance challenges. Five minutes in I can also see why Mrs Obama is a fan - the number of planks involved means the upper arms are put under constant pressure.
The instructor warns first-timers that the moves can take a bit of getting used to. “Your first, second, third, even fifth time can be quite confusing,” she says. While it does get easier to understand the instructions, she adds, the workout itself is always a killer, so you'll see constant improvement.
As morale is flagging towards the end of the class, we're encouraged to high five the person next to us - very Mrs O.
An hour later my muscles are shaking and I feel like I've climbed a mountain (or two).
Do I have Mrs Obama arms yet? No, I do not. But as the First Lady herself once said, "The only limit to the height of your achievements is the reach of your dreams and your willingness to work hard for them."
I'm booking another class.
