Basic Barbell Summer is here!
The new curriculum has started.
We know summer is a busy time, and people are coming and going between holidays, long weekends, vacations, and barbecues. With that in mind, we’re focusing on fundamental barbell exercises—many of which will already be familiar—and keeping the exercises easy to learn so that if and when you drift in and out of classes, you’ll find it easy to pick up where you left off.
One exciting change this curriculum is that we’re rotating which primary barbell lift is featured on each training day.
- A Classes: Deadlift
- B Classes: Barbell Bench Press
- C Classes: Barbell Back Squat
So, if you usually come on the same day each week, you’ll likely be introduced to a fundamental barbell exercise you haven’t seen before.
P.S. Get your grad sticker!
Our newest graduation stickers celebrating the end of Q2 are on site, and ready to adorn your notebook.
This year’s design was inspired by all the bird dogs now personified as a mythical creature.
Newsletter Sections
New Recess Apparel
Our Recess t-shirts and tanks are now on display and available for purchase.
To grab one:
- Choose your size from the display
- Sign your name on the sheet at the front desk
- (For now, there isn’t a way to purchase apparel through Walla.)
Our shirts have been screen printed right here in Toronto by Sugarbomb Print Studio, a women-owned and operated print studio in The Junction.
We can’t wait to see you showing off your Recess gear—at the gym and around the neighbourhood!
Meet Abby
Abby (she/her) is our newest instructor.
You may have already met Abby during weekday morning classes over the past few weeks as she’s been shadowing, reverse shadowing, and preparing to teach on her own.
This past week, Abby taught her first entirely solo class, and we’d like to officially welcome her to the Recess team!
Abby joined the Recess team this past February and is a professional dancer. After developing significant hip injuries in high school, her physiotherapist recommended strength training as part of her rehabilitation. Not only did it help her recover, but she noticed dramatic improvements in both her dancing and her overall movement. That experience sparked a lasting passion for strength training.
Since then, Abby has earned her Certified Personal Trainer (CPT) designation and loves helping people discover movement in a way that supports their everyday lives.
When she’s not at the gym or dancing, you’ll likely find Abby curled up with a good book or playing board games with friends. Her current favourite? Bananagrams.
Abby will be teaching:
- Tuesday & Wednesdays at 7AM
Canada Day Schedule
Wednesday, July 1 is Canada Day, and we’ll be keeping our regular Wednesday schedule.
Classes will run as usual:
- 7:00 a.m.
- 12:00 p.m.
- 6:00 p.m.
- 7:00 p.m.
How to find out where you are on a class waitlist
A great question came in from Patti this week:
“Can I see the class waitlist position before I join?”
Short answer: not quite.
In our new booking system, you are only able to see your position after you add yourself to the waitlist (but not before). Find out where you are in the queue with the following instructions.
From the Browser
- Log in to any widget
- Select the navigation menu
- Select My Schedule to view position on the waitlist
From the App
- Log in to the Walla App
- From the Home tab look for a section labeled Your Upcoming Visits
- Waitlist positions for each class are indicated here
Other waitlist pro tips:
Our waitlists tend to move more than you might expect.
That’s because of our flexible cancellation windows:
- 7 a.m. classes: cancel by 9 p.m. the night before
- All other classes: cancel up to 3 hours ahead
So while a class might look full at first glance, spots often open up as plans shift. It’s worthwhile adding yourself to the waitlist especially if the class is a few days out.
Meet Nicole
I’m also excited to introduce you to Nicole, who is teaching Tuesday 7 p.m. Pilates.
Nicole is super warm and approachable, and ready to welcome you to the dimmed lighting of our back room for some simultaneously challenging and stress-reducing movement.
Share Your Thoughts: 2026 Get Stronger Planning
Next week we’re finalizing the first new curriculum for 2026 (Q1) Get Stronger, and we’d love to hear from you.
Now that we’re deep into Maximum Strength Month, let your instructor know:
Which exercises you enjoyed
Anything that surprised you
Movements you connected with
Patterns or techniques you’d like to keep seeing
Your feedback genuinely shapes the next phase.
Get Protected from the Flu and COVID
As posted on the Toronto Public Health website: “Flu and COVID-19 vaccines … will be available for everyone … starting October 27, 2025.”
We’ve pre-booked ours at the pharmacy in the Loblaws (Dupont & Christie), and in past years we’ve had great luck with walk-in flu shots at Bloor Park Pharmacy (by the Baskin Robbins at Bloor & Christie).
It’s a priority to do what we can to avoid getting others’ sick. So, if you’re feeling unwell or have any sudden symptoms, please don’t come to class. To dissuade you, we’ll gladly refund your credit if it’s too late to cancel without penalty. Staying home when sick helps protect everyone.
Other reminders:
- You’re always welcome to wear a mask.
- We’ve got 2x commercial HEPA air purifiers running 24/7 at the gym.
Podcast Suggestion
Learn more about what seasonal illnesses may be ahead this winter with CBC’s The Dose' podcase episode titled: "How can we protect ourselves from fall and winter respiratory viruses?" Click to listen.
Improving Access to Classes
We know some of you have been finding it difficult to get into classes at popular times, and we want to acknowledge that challenge. To better enable our current members (and your routines), we’ve temporarily closed Recess to new folks.
If you’ve had trouble getting into a class, we apologize and will do what we can to make sure we can continue offering the classes you love. The aforementioned hip replacement does personally limit us (read: me, Millie) from adding more classes to the schedule for now, as much as I’d like to.
That said, we really encourage you to:
-
Add yourself to the waitlist — spots open more often than you might think.
-
Cancel even inside the three-hour window if you can’t attend; it may still help someone else jump in last-minute.
Thank you for helping keep registration flexible and accessible for everyone. And thanks for sticking with us. <3
Do you have the app?
Well, that brings us to the end of this newsletter!
Share your thoughts, questions, feedback or whatever else is on your mind by sending us an email or text to:
