No doubt, being motivated to workout can be the hardest challenge of all! But one thing that makes you more likely to keep a fitness routine is that’s fun! So here are our picks of 8 fun and unique exercise classes in NYC.
New York is known for a whole plethora of things, including the media depictions of super toned and fit models who somehow have it all together in the most fast paced city in the world. However, as we all know, this is simply just books and movies doing what they do – we ourselves wolf down Chipotle, running to catch a train so that we’re not late to work, and later go home and pass out on our beds after watching Netflix. So, in the spirit of this being the summer, and trying to motivate ourselves, we decided that we would pull together a list of original ways to work out in the city instead of giving hackneyed excuses.
First off, we love hip-hop yoga at Y7 Studio – this is a perfect way to flex your yoga muscles to hip-hop music, and anyone can try it, with the right playlist to keep you motivated. Y7 has multiple locations within the city, and they describe themselves as “sweat dripping, beat bumping, candle lit yoga.” The studios are heated to 80-90 degrees, allowing you to do a sweat detox in a dark room, with music.
If yoga is too intense for you, and you prefer to indulge your true inner child, we can recommend Carveit, which is a company that offers trampoline-based fitness classes. They have a whole suite of classes for toning, sculpting, and strengthening different parts of your body, including Carve it Booty, Carve It Bounce, and offer micro-classes so you don’t have to spend a lot of time to get fit. They also offer the program virtually, so you can take it from anywhere you have a wireless internet connection. Their classes draw from multiple training methodologies including HIIT, plyometrics, barre, cardio, yoga, boxing, and kickboxing so you can be sure you’re giving your body what it needs to be healthier.
Another alternative that you have if you want water-based exercise is Aqua Studio, off Franklin Street. They offer several services including water massages (where you detox in the water), workout classes, where you do cardio and strength training on workout bikes, as well as aquatic healing. You can be involved in group classes or receive personal training in the water as well. This is a unique experience for someone looking for water-based exercise options!
If you are more of a “high-flier” you might consider aerial yoga, which allows you to choose either from silks, lyra or bungee to life yourself up into the air and test out your strength and core power. Anyone from beginners to advanced aerialists can take classes, and figure out how to do wraps, drops, flows, and sequences, and all other sorts of neat tricks. There are quite a few places that offer classes on this, from Om Factory to SkyZ the Limit and Unnata Aerial Yoga – try it out, you might love it!
One last option we want to offer you, if you want a spicier way to exercise, are pole dancing classes. Places such as Body & Pole, Foxy Fitness and Pole Training Studios are well known for the training they offer to everyone from beginners to advanced pole dancers, focusing on strength, core, and agility. These classes will help you figure out spins, movement, floorwork, along with coordination and conditioning and flexibility.
Now you know our recommendations of 8 fun and unique exercise classes in NYC – we want to hear your thoughts! Have you tried any unique ways to workout in NYC that we haven’t mentioned here? Tell us what they are and we may feature your suggestions in another blog or article soon!
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Like the offbeat? Check out “Bona Fide Punk Scene in NYC (Now)” and “5 Unique NYC Museums You Need to Visit“.