There’s one in every family – the relative that runs a Turkey Trot on Thanksgiving morning. Then there’s the rest of the family who--if forced to pick a poison – would sooner brave Midtown tourist crowds at the Macy’s parade before jogging five miles in arctic temperatures. 

Much like a cold weather road race on the national day for gluttony, Brrrn – the world's first and only cool temperature fitness experience – may sound polarizing.

The studio presents a multi-pronged case for why working out in a 50-degree room has its benefits. While we can’t quite confirm all Brrrn’s scientific claims, we can definitely say that we had fun.  If you’ve been doing the same burpees, jump squats and mountain climbers for so many years that you’re uninspired and sometimes contemplate retiring from exercise entirely, Brrrn and its elements make working out exciting! 

Brrn offers two signature classes SLIDE and HIT, as well as a third class called HIT+SLIDE that, as the name suggests, is a combo of the two which gives a taste of both workouts in an abridged version. The studio mixes things up by offering slide boards and battle ropes as the main event instead of the treadmills, bikes, or the typical rowing machine. Wearing studio-provided booties over your sneakers, SLIDE allows you to glide from left to right on a personal slideboard to get your heart rate up. Uniquely, the slippery surface doubles as a pilates reformer on which you perform exercises for a sneakily rigorous low-impact workout. This class engages your core from start to finish, and makes you feel like you’re standing in the middle of an ice rink without any skates yet still gliding. 

Beginners, though, need not be intimidated because there’s really no fancy footwork and everyone slides at their own pace. We find that you gain confidence on the board as class goes on, and if you’ve ever dreamed of becoming an Olympic speed skater SLIDE gets you pretty darn close. 

If the Hunger Games are more your thing and you’ve been eagerly awaiting your Katniss Everdeen moment, HIT is for you, with individual battle rope stations neatly arranged and ready for your personal use. Divided into three “acts”, HIT is formatted like your typical circuit training class with each act culminating in a full body exercise with the battle ropes. We can name few things as cathartic as whipping the battle ropes against the dark foam flooring in the dimly lit cold room.

If that trip to cold Thanksgiving morning Turkey Trot just isn’t in the cards right now, or if you’re looking to switch up your tried and true routine, we’d highly recommend this boutique fitness concept. 

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Chelsea

A cold-climate workout that offers it's own spin on conditioning.

A new, cold-climate fitness studio concept on the border of Flatiron and Chelsea.

Brrrn

We all know how to do our own hair. Some of us better than others, but still, we can all lather, rinse, repeat...run a comb through what we’re working with and present ourselves as IG ready or close to it. That said, even the most skilled among us seek blow-dry bar action from time to time.

Like a solid blow-dry bar, Refine Method--which offers full-body, high-intensity interval training at three boutique locations across Manhattan--gets the job done better than if you’d gone it alone, but it’s not reinventing the wheel.

Due to Refine Method’s always intimate but varying class sizes, you might find yourself in what feels more like a personal training session than a group class. Refine Method’s mission is focused on burning calories and building muscle. Classes feel targeted towards results. 

Maybe your days consist of you and your Apple Watch taking on NYC 10,000 steps at a time; you tell yourself you’ll do an ab video when you get home and when that doesn’t happen, that you’ll actually just crosstrain on Sunday. If this rings a bell, Refine Method is for you. No frills, but also no nonsense, Refine Method makes sure you do the kettlebell swings and reverse lunges you just never seem to prioritize on your own time. 

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In that sense, it’s certainly apropos that Refine Method’s founder went on to found Mirror, a personalized in-home, smart screen workout experience. In class, the individualized attention you receive can be incredibly motivating. It’s really an excellent supplement for runners or individuals with a burgeoning recreational soccer career who could use strength training to protect her joints or improve his game or speed.

Locations don’t offer generous changing areas in general, so we recommend Refine Method as a pit stop on the way home rather than on your way to work. We advise not relying on the studio to have a working shower available--especially at their Upper East Side location which only offers one shower without a curtain in the single person restroom. The locations significantly vary as far as additional amenities are concerned. We prefer the West Village to the Upper East Side location.

While we really appreciate the careful attention instructors pay to your form and technique across the board, we’ve found that the aerobic level of classes isn’t always consistent. One class may leave you breathless, and another like you need to walk across town instead of taking the bus because you didn’t have the opportunity to exert yourself as you’d hoped. It’s kind of like the times you leave Drybar wishing that you hadn’t just paid someone to do your hair because you probably could’ve done a better job yourself... But could you have?


Refine Method

Upper East Side

Upper West Side

West Village

An mostly-efficient HIIT workout to help you get in that strength training that can otherwise fall through the cracks.

Refine Method is a HIIT workout and strength training studio on the UES and in the West Village brought to you by the founder of Mirror.

While you’ve likely never heard of the band the Power Station, you’ve got to give them credit for being ahead of their time with their 1980s classic *Some Like It Hot*. Of course, they were probably alluding to the wave of hot yoga that would inevitably take cities by storm. Right?

Anyway. Heatwise’s main class is called “Some Like it Hot.” And some do like it hot, just not too hot. You might think you hate hot yoga because, you, like some of us, have overactive sweat glands.

However, Heatwise is all about breathing room. For starters, it never gets deathly hot in here. It’s supposed to be hot yoga, not how-hot-can-we-make-it-until-you-pass-out yoga. The room is kept between 85 and 95 degrees, and it’s well ventilated. [[1]] And because hot yoga does not have to mean inhale-your neighbor’s-lingering-lunch-breath yoga, Heatwise also ensures ample space between you and your neighbor. The mats clearly correspond to numbered spots on the floor and they’re all at least 12 inches apart. You won’t find this kind of space in Manhattan. Lastly, when class is over, you will immediately be greeted with a cold eucalyptus towel. Move over, Equinox! 

Heatwise almost exclusively offers standard Vinyasa flow classes. They do one thing and they do it well. The music here varies, but it’s usually on point. We particularly like their Beatwise classes, which, as the name suggests, feature music with a higher BPM. Check Instagram before heading over to see the musical theme of the week. Past themes include Florence and the Machine, Lizzo, and New Wave.

In addition to Beatwise and their signature Some Like It Hot class, Heatwise occasionally offers advanced classes called Extra Crispy, as well as a core-focused class, Chargrilled.[[2]] Once a week, Heatwise also offers a prenatal class and a restorative class, both of which are unheated.

Besides offering quality yoga, Heatwise gets hospitality right—the staff here is genuinely friendly. It’s like they’re actually happy to have *you* in class, not just to have your money. In fact, everything here, like mats and towels, is included. You may wind up whipping out your credit card anyway for their cozy merch and Bear’s Fruit Kombucha, though. To top things off, your exact mat is booked online in advance, so you know exactly where you’ll be—no stress and no rushing to the studio 10 minutes early to secure your favorite spot.

If you dwell in Brooklyn Heights or Park Slope and are looking for a hot-but-not-too-hot yoga class, Heatwise is for you. For the rest of us, we think the studio’s good music, friendly instructors, and ample space make it worth a visit. Heatwise manages to be hot, without being too hot. And to be cool, without being too cool.

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Brooklyn Heights

Park Slope

Hot yoga in Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope with plenty of room to breathe.

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Heatwise is a hot yoga studio in Brooklyn Heights and Park Slope featuring quality vinyasa flow classes and plenty of room to breath.

Heatwise

When it comes to yoga, there's a big gap between studios focused on physical fitness and those offering "spiritual enlightenment." Tangerine’s strength-based hot yoga classes are definitely a workout, yet they still manage to go against the fitness-obsessed culture that misinterprets the original context of yoga: a practice to train the mind and body to become more aware of ourselves, and to cultivate discernment, awareness, and higher consciousness through intentional movement. 

At this cozy Brooklyn studio, the interpretation is traditionally-rooted, with a modern twist: chill out and quit being jerks. Meaning, the classes focus heavily on your mental experience, which helps you connect more calmly with the physical (a 90-degree room full of sweat-drenched, wobbly bodies). The music is so low-key you hardly notice it, and the instructors manage to be knowledgeable and totally unpretentious. For what they lack in hands-on instruction, they make up for in humor. 

As for the types of classes, if you’re a pro, you’ll probably want to opt for the Tangerine Flow+ or the Slow Burn over the basic flow. While still great, the moves in the flow class are very much entry to intermediate level, and there isn’t a lot of time or space created for inversions and personal practice. In either class though, you can expect a good amount of attention paid to all the core muscle groups: abs, arms, and legs. 

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Inside the studio, your mats will be laid out for you, and blocks and towels are provided. The mats have pretty good traction, though you can pay to rent a special non-stick towel if you need it. As for the temperature, 90-degrees is warm, but the radiant heating panels, which simulate the heat of the sun, actually feel kinda great. It’s like a taking a tropical vacation in the middle of winter. 

The space itself is small and often overpacked. During peak times, expect to be two inches away from your neighbor. The sense of community is palpable; we just wish they would cap classes instead of maximizing every square inch. 

We think Tangerine’s delightful blend of modern LA crunchiness and traditional yogic teachings is worth the trek, just keep in mind the whole hot-yoga-no-shower thing. Our recommendation is to take a class on a weekend, sweat out the night before, and then head to Mile End or Shelsky’s for a quality bagel.

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Downtown Brooklyn

A hot yoga studio for those who value good vibes, peace of mind, and free almonds.

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Tangerine Hot Power Yoga is a hot yoga studio with very chill vibes in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn.

Tangerine Hot Power Yoga

Box and Flow could be the name of your neighborhood authorized UPS® shipping store, but it's also an exercise combo you maybe never knew existed until now. This boxing and yoga combo class feels motivation-heavy, designed for the person wants to get in two types of workouts in one day.

Box + Flow is catered to a go-getter: someone who gets up at 7 AM to fit in both yoga and boxing before work on an average Tuesday. If you’re someone trying this for kicks, it’s worth noting that the workout is a do-able doozy. As a newcomer, you’ll be required to buy wraps and rent gloves at the front desk. At $8 all-in, it’s not a huge commitment but you will now own boxing wraps, even if you never box again. Either way, the instructors and their warehouse rave playlist are motivating, and you’ll have the most fun if you choose to buy into it and go along with the punches. 

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The instructor weaves through the small row of punching bags with energized words of encouragement and depending on your mood, this ranges from cheesy and exhausting to downright inspiring. Their energy is like a Red Bull: you can rely on the boost of energy, but cannot necessarily keep up with what you have consumed. Great for 50 minutes, but no more than that. 

To start off, you pair up with a partner to hold the bag during your punches. If you didn’t bring a friend, don’t sweat it; this isn’t a seatmate on the bus and there’s no room to chat. After three rounds of alternating speed punches and power punches, you find your favorite roster of moves and play to your strengths..The Box portion of the course is one that excuses a week hiatus from exercise (or at least it felt that way). 

Don’t think, though, that your 15 minutes of Flow is the slower part of the class. The yoga portion of Box + Flow feels very fast– it’s a core-focused, rhythm-heavy yoga practice, rather than, say, a restorative flow for cooling down. 

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It’s worth mentioning that at times there are two instructors in the class – one leading the course and one doing it with you. At this point in the workout, should you have a second instructor, they’re with you, encouraging you to the finish line, which is a nice touch.

After 50 minutes without breaks, you boxed, you flowed, and you are on your way to whatever’s next with a nice round of applause from the instructor.


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Noho

Box + Flow is an *Noho-based* studio featuring classes that combine *boxing and yoga*.

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Box + Flow is an Noho-based studio featuring classes that combine boxing and yoga.

Box + Flow

If you’re someone who likes light and airy spaces, you have a few options. First, move to LA. We heard the weather there is great. Second, buy a bunch of white paint and head to IKEA and pray the result sort of resembles something you saw in Arch Digest. Third, accept that you live in New York, your apartment is not a showroom, and making small spaces seem light and airy is hard. Then head to The Pilates Nook.

The Pilates Nook accomplishes two rare feats. The first: they have managed to make a few hundred square feet resemble a tiny oasis; the studio features lots of white and lots of light. The second feat is hands-on personalized instruction in a city where pilates studios tend to either offer jam-packed classes or expensive private sessions. The Pilates Nook also offers privates, which don't come cheap. But, we’re here to talk about their semi-private classes, which are capped at only a few people.

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Like most studios, mat and equipment classes are offered. The Pilates Nook is new to the block, and right now, all classes are taught by founder Rowena Villanueva. Rowena is incredibly sweet and her encouraging nature and gentle modifications will put your mind at ease while your muscles shake. The exercises build on themselves, rather than taking the burnout approach of doing the same repetitive movement for what feels like forever.

If you like pilates and frequent the East Village, we think The Pilates Nook could end up being your go-to spot. If you’re new to the game, we recommend taking the Mat and Springboard Fusion class, which gives you a taste of both formats. The atmosphere here is relaxing and while the moves can be a challenge, it’s not the hardest Pilates class we’ve ever taken.

The calming environment, quality instruction, and affordability are the best things about The Pilates Nook, but if we're tossing out extra points it would be for Rowena's dog Walter, a very adorable mini Golden Doodle. Time your workout right, and you may just end up with a new fluffy pal.


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East Village

The Pilates Nook is ideal for people who like pilates, love personalized hands-on instruction, and frequent the East Village. 

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The Pilates Nook is a tiny, light-filled studio in the East Village specializing in small, hands-on group classes and personal instruction.

The Pilates Nook

Exclusive-ness? Odd-ness? What are you to make of the ness, currently so elusive that the minimalist web site prompts you to join a waitlist for access. “Due to limited availability, the ness is invitation only at this time,” but don’t let the presumed exclusivity deter you. 

Steps from Canal Street Station and three flights of stairs later, natural light floods a space that feels more like a cool “adult” home than any gym you’ve ever been to. With its exposed brick walls and light stained hardwood flooring, the ness is spacious and bright, but above all, relaxed. It’s the kind of studio where your posture effortlessly straightens itself out upon entrance because your best is exactly what a space like this deserves. In all of its cheery warmth, the ness provides low impact, high intensity, short of breath workouts while kind of tricking you into that cardiovascular state.

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While the studio offers [sweat] sculpt classes that don’t use any trampolines, we think [sweat] bounce is about as fun as it gets in a workout class world. Personal trampolines trigger childlike instincts, but [sweat] bounce isn’t a Sky Zone birthday party.  You’ll be schooled on the proper foundational technique: the bounce down. Think less about gaining height off the tramp and more about controlling the lift with your core and glutes (this is a workout class after all!). 

Unlike classes with choreography so tricky that it can be discouraging, [sweat] bounce strikes the perfect balance of challenge and accessibility. You’ll want to master the sequences to get in on the fun of bouncing to the beat and cultivating a collective energy with your classmates–it’s electric. And if you’re a trampoline junkie looking to relive your backyard playdate glory days, you’ll have ample opportunity to get your “high bounce” in during active recovery. 

And, about that waitlist? Just scroll up and click book now. You’re in.


The Ness Active Spaces

Tribeca

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The Ness is a new trampoline studio on the edge of Tribeca, Soho, and Chinatown. 

The Ness

At AKT, everything is top quality: the routines, the instructors, the music, the choreography, and yes, the showers—actually, perhaps the showers should have been listed first. It also doesn’t exactly come cheap. But read on.

Founded by celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser, this studio offers four kinds of classes—our favorites are Dance and Mixer. Both are primarily a fitness class, but if you haven’t danced much before, the high-energy choreography will feel like the real deal.   

Dance is broken up into cardio (dance!) and tone intervals—one each for arms, butt and legs, and abs. The strength portions are made up of repetitive movements using your own body and small hand weights. At first, you’ll be excited to mix it up. Then, you’ll be exhausted. If you don’t wake up the next day feeling the burn, please use your extra energy to come by our office and tell us your secrets. Speaking of, if you’re expecting instructor corrections, this is where you’ll find them. They let you do your thing during the cardio. 

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The pump-up music throughout the dance routine is on point, think good remixes and ample Usher. And the moves are *perfectly coordinated* to the beat. The choreography can be a little intimidating at first, particularly when the regulars have the moves down pat. It’s a little cliquey, but if you like it enough to become a regular, *don’t sweat it*, after a couple weeks of class you’ll be asking how their weekends were, too. And you’ll nail the moves because the same sequence is repeated throughout the class, and the routine stays the same for three weeks.

The studio is trendy, but the instructors are welcoming. And damn, those showers. If you can swing it, take one here. The whole place smells amazing and, well, that’s always a good sign. 

AKT is a slightly more down-to-earth and less confusing version of Tracy Anderson. (The rooms aren’t heated and the routines feel a bit easier to follow.) It’s not quite as culty as the #TAMILY, but it’s still pretty expensive. Many classes at AKT go for a full hour though, which we guess helps to compensate for the high price. 

Overall, AKT is an all-rounder: It’s dance inspired, but fitness first. The resistance training and dance cardio cover all the main muscle groups. And the amenity and shower situation will allow you to sweat it out before or after work. If you’re looking to go all-in, AKT offers nutrition services and streaming workouts, too. Most importantly: The instructors here have so much energy, that you may genuinely feel like you’re on a cruise, and that’s worth a pretty penny. We always feel like they’re running the class and the music, not the other way around.

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AKT is a dance cardio and resistance training-focused studio with incredible showers.

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Founded by celebrity trainer Anna Kaiser, AKT is a dance cardio heavy studio with locations in Nomad and on the Upper East Side.

It’s in our nature to imagine being someone else for a while. We get dressed up for dinner parties with our closest friends. We eat croissants to make us feel like we’re living fabulous lives in Paris (by way of Brooklyn). And we watch Beyonce music videos on repeat, in the hopes that one day we, too, can dance like Queen Bey.

Spoiler alert: If you’re in the latter camp, watching videos and imagining your way to the *So You Think You Can Dance* stage is not your answer. But we do have one. STAY WITH US.

Enter London-born dance-fitness newcomer, At Your Beat. They’re a Downtown Brooklyn studio, located in the City Point Shopping Center (the Alamo Drafthouse building), with a focus on making fitness fun. This one goes out to all those who exclusively dance in their bedrooms. Read: AYB is beginner-friendly.

The class types vary, but all of them are dance inspired. We like AYB Body: Dance Cardio & Tone (formerly FitBEAT), urbanBEAT, and videoBEAT, but no matter the style, all of the classes hone in on isolated muscle groups. For example, in one class we counted no less than 50 high kicks.

It’s a full body workout, but if you’re a true dance cardio stan and frequent places like AKT or the Tracy Anderson method, you’ll find At Your Beat less challenging. The class doesn’t quite take off in the same way, as it really is geared toward beginners. We’ve found that the intensity also varies by instructor.

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In terms of pricing, it’s definitely reasonable. AYB is brand new, so prices hover around $20 for a drop-in class. Right now, it’s $160 for a month of unlimited classes. Or you can nab a five-class pack for $100.  

In short, you’ll pay for founder Joelle D’Fontaine’s cool-kid choreography. But you’ll stay for every teacher’s skillful knack at putting your clumsy limbs at ease. We do have one caveat: you won’t turn into a professional dancer after these classes. They are still primarily about fitness, and because it’s beginner friendly, the moves never really build on one another to become a full routine.

All to say, AYB isn't for the person who could maybe make it through the first round audition for Bey's background dancers with some shred of dignity remaining. But for those of us who daydream about being that sort of dancer (especially those fellow dreamers who spend a lot of time in Downtown Brooklyn), AYB is perfect.

At Your Beat Hero

A London export offering beginner-friendly dance cardio classes in Downtown Brooklyn.

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At Your Beat is a London-based export allowing you to get your groove on in Downtown Brooklyn.

At Your Beat

If you haven’t heard, Equinox bought SoulCycle a while ago and now everyone is trying to be the SoulCycle of ‘X’. SoulCycle of Boxing? Rumble. SoulCycle of HIIT? Switch Playground or Fhitting Room. SoulCycle of your life? WeWork. (Or that’s their hope anyway.)

So when we heard about Aqua Studio, our first instinct was that it was going to be SoulCycle: But In Water. While it’s not far off, we were pleasantly surprised to find out this place has a few other things going for it.

First, no one here is screaming, “TURN UP THE RESISTANCE. TURN THAT KNOB TO THE RIGHT.” Actually, no one here is yelling at all, because there is no knob and the water is the resistance. As a result, you’re forced to really use your core. It’s a bit harder than you’d expect and if you’re a cycling veteran, it will take a little time to get used to. But ultimately, it’s pretty fun.

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Second, you are in an 84-degree heated, 4-foot deep pool, so you don’t really sweat. The gloriousness of this really cannot be overstated. Let’s be clear here: it’s totally a cycling workout. But it bears repeating—it’s not sweaty.

Speaking of speed, Aqua Studio offers four main classes—Blend, Restorative, HIIT and Interval—and the options are exactly as you’d expect them to be. Restorative is really great if you’re looking for active recovery. No matter which option you choose, the water is no joke and that resistance is real!

As part of the workout, the instructor will ask you to use your arms to make circles in the water, and the next day you might feel like you just used your shoulders for the first time ever. There’s also some sitting and standing in the saddle, as well as a seriously awkward position called “position four” that has you clutching your seat for dear life while you try to bike *behind* your bike. It will give you a wedgie. 

The instructors here are fine and so is the music, but both get drowned out of by the noise of your neighbor splashing water in your face. It’s not a competitive place and you’ll see people of all shapes and sizes, which is almost as refreshing as being in a pool. And there are single sex classes if that’s more your speed.

Aqua Studio calls itself a “wellness sanctuary” and that might be a bit of a stretch but all in all it’s pretty nice. It's a fun place—if a bit pricey—to try something new, and if you really hate sweating or are looking for low-impact cardio, it is a very good option.

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A cycling studio in Tribeca where the bikes are in a pool (!) and the water is the resistance.

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Aqua Studio is a cycling studio in Tribeca where the bikes are in a pool (!) and the water is the resistance.

Aqua Studio

Some things are worth leaving your neighborhood for: dinner at your favorite restaurant, a concert you bought tickets to three months in advance without realizing it was at Forest Hills Stadium, a first date with someone totally out of your league.


Some things are not worth leaving your neighborhood for: like your dry cleaner, the $1 slice shop around the corner, or the dive bar that always seems to be packed despite the fact that it’s kind of gross and they serve mediocre beer. They’re all fine. But you wouldn’t go out of your way for them.

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That’s exactly how we feel about Chalk Gyms. It’s fine—good even—if you live or work in Williamsburg. 

In terms of pricing, Chalk Gyms occupies the rare space between Blink and Equinox. It’s $99 a month and there are no fees for anything, which is always a win.  They have a ton of classes, too, and, again, they’re nothing to go out of your way for, but if you’re already in the neighborhood and you like classes, they will do the trick. [[2]] Chalk offers bootcamp, cycling, yoga, barre, boxing, HIIT, and mat pilates. 


The space is clean and nice, and the locker room has blow dryers, a couple of showers, and a small sauna. There’s a lot of orange and the stairs say “harder, better, faster, stronger.” We assume that’s supposed to be motivational. We’ll leave that up to you.


What’s clear is that there is a ton of equipment and it’s all on the newer side. All of the standard equipment you would expect from a gym plus two small studios for group classes. It’s never so crowded here that you can’t do your thing. That’s another win.

Chalk is a good place to know about, especially with the L (maybe, maybe not) shutting down. And their free two-day trial doesn’t hurt either. It’s a premium, but not luxury, gym that fills a need. So if you’re looking for affordable classes and an upgrade from Blink, meet Chalk. 


Chalk Gyms

Williamsburg

A fairly priced, all-inclusive gym in Williamsburg.

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If you’re looking for a solid gym with a bunch of classes in Williamsburg, Chalk Gyms is a good bet.

There aren’t many places where it’s acceptable to cry in public. Tears tend to be reserved for personal late night viewings of Love Actually, expensive therapy sessions, or the very unplanned mini breakdown in Ikea. And now, there’s The Class by Taryn Toomey. It’s surely audacious to call your workout “THE Class,” but it’s also audacious to offer the overworked and overwhelmed a place to cry, scream, and sweat without pretense or judgment.
 
If this sounds to woo-woo to you, fear not. No one enters The Class with plans to shed tears. But somewhere in this HIIT-yoga-pilates fusion with repetitive calisthenics and burpees that last an entire song, things can happen. At the very least, you’ll get a really good workout and leave feeling a little more present in your own body. 

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Sure, it’s easy to make fun of The Class. And it’s easy to write it off as another pretentious experience that’s great for someone who’s fancier than you. But take it from us, The Class doesn’t feel exclusive, so maybe those crystals underneath the floorboard and the palo santo in the air are serving their purpose. 

It’s a rarity in New York City to find a place that strikes the balance of Goop vibes without feeling cult-y, and with a truly grueling workout sans being yelled at. The vibe is very “you do you.” Foggy mirrors and blasting music help to create a safe space where you can get in your own zone. It feels as effective as a really productive session with your therapist, for a fraction of the cost, and with the added benefit of sore muscles the next day. And to top it off, when all is said and done, there’s Chanel face wash.


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The Class is a workout started by Taryn Toomey.

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The Class

If you, like us, have ever joined a gym to almost never go because you don’t know what to do with 95% of the equipment, then you, like us, know that if you want to find a personal trainer, it’s hard to know where to start.

Do you ask your mom’s friend for a recommendation? Do you go down an Instagram rabbit hole? Do you decide to join an already-intimidating gym where people grunt when they drop their weights and then pay for personal training on top of that? 

All of those options are okay, but the LIV Method is better. Nestled in the no man’s land that is Midtown (sorry), lies a discrete but very good personal training gym. The space isn’t fancy, but it works. There aren’t really any amenities either, but they do have free Poland Spring. They’re definitely growing though and word on the street is that upgrades are on their way. That said, there are some upgrades they should make right away: like consistent temperature control and consistent playlists. On the upside, you’ll only find a couple of people in here at a time, which helps keep things feeling chill. 

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It’s hard to beat the accountability of having a personal trainer and that accountability tends to attract a bunch of people who want you to know they’re getting in shape or are  “shredding for the wedding.” If you stumbled upon the LIV Method on Instagram in your personal training rabbit hole (just come to us first next time!), it kind of looks like everyone here is a bride-to-be, but we assure you that’s not the situation IRL. 

People here are at all different stages of fitness and there’s no intimidation factor. We won’t name names but a few of the most well-known personal training gyms in the city are very exclusive. If this is your first rodeo, you won’t feel out of place here. But if you’re already in shape and looking to take it up a notch, the LIV Method will suit you just as well.
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There’s an emphasis on form and the gym itself is focused on weight training and TRX equipment, plus ergs, battle ropes, and the trusty sled—so your trainer will never put you on a machine and then check back in on you in five minutes. The trainers here are fully invested in your well-being and don’t subscribe to the notion of pushing you to do more than you can handle and then call it “training.” Accordingly, the LIV Method is definitely not cheap, but then again, good personal training never is. 

If you’re the incognito, under the radar type, we should warn you that this is the kind of place where you’ll run into your old camp friend or sister’s ex-roommate’s ex-boyfriend, etc. You can always request to be matched with a trainer who will come to you, though. The LIV Method uses a survey and a phone call to match you with a personal trainer and your first session is on them.

Ultimately, The LIV Method is a great place to learn how to pick things up and put them down, jump start a lifting and training routine that you can take with you back to the gym, or achieve some specific goals with the help of a trainer. It’s not as cushy as Equinox but the instruction is solid and it’s one of our go-to’s for personal training in the city.

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Midtown

A great way to find a personal trainer who will tailor strength and TRX exercises to your needs.

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The LIV Method is a personal training gym located in Midtown. They can also match you with a trainer who will train you at home.

The LIV Method

In New York, there’s no shortage of people who want to talk to you about the hustle. If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere! They glorify sleeplessness, encourage hard work at the expense of living a well balanced life, and have a real affinity for “inspirational” quotes. When they’re not working and not sleeping, you might find them at Crossfit. 

One reason to spend time at the Hester Street Playground is that it’s not Crossfit and no one is telling you what to do. But, more importantly, one small dose of a well maintained adult-friendly playground is proven to make you less likely to lose your mind and turn into someone who Instagrams about the hustle. Trust us.

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The Hester Street Playground is free, since it is in a public park. Its location at the intersection of Chinatown and the Lower East Side means you’ll find all kinds of people here: locals getting their evening stretch on, kids hanging out after school, and teens playing basketball who know more about streetwear than you. Which is all to say, no one here is judging you—they’re doing their own thing. So if the middle school dodgeball draft was a fraught thing for you, you’ll feel comfortable coming here and letting off some steam.

There are tire swings, monkey bars, basketball courts, regular swings, slides, and plenty of open space. Is the Hester Street Playground a workout? Totally depends on your M.O. Is it an Active Space? Definitely. It’s a great place to move a little bit, it’s super accessible, and the stakes are low. Our recommendation? Next time your friend texts you on a Thursday night that they want to go out but don’t know where, get a few pals together, order some super cheap yet incredible (no, seriously, it will impress even your fanciest friend) Chinese food at Spicy Village across the street (BYOB), and then cap off your night with some tire swing action at Hester Street. You won’t regret it.

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Chinatown

A very fun Active Space, even if, and maybe especially if, you’re an adult.

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Hester Street Playground is in a park on the Lower East Side, and it’s a very fun place even if you’re an adult.

Hester Street Playground

It’s easy to bundle Hit House in with all the other kickboxing and boxing classes, but we’re going to be as direct as a sharp jab to the chin—we think it’s a must-try even if punching stationary objects isn’t your typical go-to.

Hit House centers around Muay Thai, Thailand's traditional martial art also known “The Art of the Eight Limbs.” For reference, kickboxing utilizes only four limbs and boxing a mere two. We’re not saying that numbers matter, just that elbows and knees are limbs, too. 

The class feels individualized, with your attention focused on your personal “Bishop.” This uniquely shaped, human-like, soft foam, non-judgemental punching bag is there to absorb both head kicks and emotional baggage. Its material will also result in fewer bruises post-class and its cover is washable, making this studio cleaner than most other boxing spots. 

Since everyone is focused on their own Bishop, you don't have to worry about being party to your classmate's experience—or Instagram story. The only thing that will break your focus is the instructor as they wander through the class to offer well-meaning tips. And speaking of instructors, Tyler, the founder, is awesome and very knowledgeable. Take a class with him if you can. But no worries if you end up in another class, as all of the coaches are clearly experts in the field, and you would never catch them dead doing a made-for-Instagram workout.

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While Hit House attracts some dedicated Muay Thai kickboxers, the class and the studio are welcoming for beginners. The learning curve is shallow; the first portion of class is dedicated to learning, and you’ll pick up all the basic moves in no time. If you feel like you’re lagging in getting the combos down, just fake it till you make it and go with the extremely rhythmic flow. Regardless of ability, it’s definitely still a full body workout.

The class culminates in a three minute, knock-em-out round, which is very, very fun—it’s just you making up combos using the moves you learned during class. When you put your eight limbs to the test, you can envision your opponent as your coworker who always leaves you with their work at 5pm. But you can also just do it for yourself, knowing that you’re moving a step closer to become a Muay Thai Kru. 


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Nolita

Hit House is a kickboxing class different from all other kickboxing classes. 

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A 50-minute Muay Thai style kickboxing class in Nolita that is different from all other kickboxing classes. The studio sports luxurious bathrooms as well as early morning classes.

Hit House

A lot of things look the same. Whether it’s a “pop-up” (RIP actual stores) or a new brand that sells direct-to-consumer vases (major disruption alert), it probably looks like a venture-backed West Elm catalog sprinkled with Millennial Pink and Internet Blue. Fitness studios are no exception, offering Instagram-ready walls and experiences that often seem like more consideration was given to social media than the actual experience.

Enter: Yoga Vida. The opposite of all of that. It’s just a really good yoga studio with large windows, glowing candles, and that’s about it.

Yoga Vida offers lots of flow classes for all different levels as well as hot yoga. It’s fairly welcoming and it’s definitely not pretentious. You’ll find a good gender and age balance, too, though this varies a bit by location and time in all the ways you would expect it to.

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The pricing is fair. It’s not Yoga to the People, but there are lots of ways to get great deals here: buy a package, take advantage of the student, faculty, senior, and veteran rates, or check the website for daily drop-in offers. They also send out some sweet deals via newsletter if you don’t mind occasional emails. Whatever you choose, just make sure to bring your own mat, towel, and water because it’s not included.

All of Yoga Vida’s policies are really fair, too. The two-hour cancellation policy goes a long way. And you can use your classes at any of their four locations.

Ultimately, a really good yoga studio offers a place to learn and strengthen your practice—whether it’s your first time doing yoga or you’re already a committed yogi. Yoga is an escape from all the stresses of daily life, and if you’re looking for an affordable and accessible yoga spot that simply offers quality classes, it’s hard to beat Yoga Vida. Sometimes, the best escapes are places that just do their job really well, sans hashtag.

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Union Square

Dumbo

A down to earth yoga studio with locations near Union Square, Noho, Tribeca, and Dumbo.

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Yoga Vida is an accessible and down to earth studio with locations near Union Square, Noho, Tribeca, and Dumbo.

Yoga Vida

Of the 115 million people who watch the Superbowl, how many of them watch for the football and how many are there for the chips, beer, and half-time show? Some experiences are actually about the distractions that accompany them, and that’s okay.

WOOM is a yoga studio that tries to engage all of your senses. In other words, there are a lot of distractions here and at times, the five-sense stimulation feels like the main event. The sound and visual elements feature heavily in WOOM’s two primary offerings: yoga experiences and sound experiences. 

The yoga experience incorporates the sound and visual elements to varying degrees depending on the instructor. We’ve found their signature WOOM Yoga, a Vinyasa class, to be on the faster side and quite challenging. FYI: the more O’s in WOOOM the longer the class. And Super WOOM is their advanced version. The regular version is tough stuff, though—you will definitely be sore the next day.

The demanding flow series can be a miss with all of the other sensory elements, especially if you’re prone to distraction. In the best cases, it’s a perfectly pleasant class. Other times, the combination of projected visuals and eclectic sounds—thinky funky iTunes visualizer plus digideroo—feels just as forced as you might imagine.

If you’re looking for challenging Vinyasa with a bunch of other people who have bought more than one book from the New Age section, WOOM is your spot. If you’re really trying to achieve some inner stillness, it might feel like there’s too much going on. It’s almost impossible for an instructor to coordinate poses, sound, and visuals in a way that feels cohesive and purposeful. This can definitely take away from rather than add to the “experience.”

WOOM also offers sound experiences and we think these are much more interesting. This is like when you go to a Superbowl party without even pretending to care about the football, or in this case, yoga. Offerings include sound meditations, sound baths, and WOOM Gong. Ultimately, these experiences mostly consist of lying down on the floor while listening to someone else make a variety of sounds. 

Sometimes there is so much sound that it feels like you’re in the rainforest and Times Square at the same time. It’s weirdly peaceful and surprisingly powerful. Just make sure to check the duration on your signup because a three-hour sound meditation is a very long time to pretend to be asleep. 

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Occasionally, after an experience, you’ll be met with an Elixir from WOOM’s herbal pharmacy. It tastes…healthy, so don’t feel bad about skipping it if that’s not your thing. 

Between WOOM’s herbal cafe and its plethora of experiences, there is a lot of stimulation going on here and most of it is just okay. Sometimes, WOOM stumbles over its own ambition to be unique. However, their sound experiences are a real treat if you’re looking for something different and they offer them fairly frequently. Plus, their pricing is really reasonable especially considering their prime Bowery location and lengthy experiences. Just make sure you’re okay with a small to medium dose of wacky with your yoga.


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WOOM Center offers unique yoga and sound experiences on Bowery at reasonable prices.

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WOOM Center offers unique yoga and sound experiences—meditations and breath work—on Bowery and at reasonable prices.

WOOM Center

It’s 2019. We’re keeping up with the Kardashians (even if we don’t want to), we follow pro-athletes, sure, but also celebrity chefs and doctors and lawyers and fitness instructors. The cult of personality is everywhere and you can’t really unsubscribe.

There are plenty of great people who have managed to build up a following. And there are plenty of reasons not to listen to the majority of those people. Did you find your doctor on Instagram? We’re worried.

Which is all to say, we review experiences and not the people who started them. So here’s an exception to the rule: Ballet1 is really great, and it’s really great because of Eva Alt.

A lifelong dancer, Eva knows what it means to dance professionally, but also knows what it’s like to be a young professional in New York who needs a break from the internet and the constant internal dialogue that plagues us all. No, seriously, because when she’s not dancing, Eva is a Social Media Editor at Glossier.

Dancing classes can be intimidating, even ones that are billed as beginner-friendly. Ballet1 is all levels and it’s filled with Eva’s friends and friends of friends, so it feels more like you’re being welcomed into a dinner party with a bunch of people you actually want to get to know rather than just taking a class with extremely talented dancers—you’re doing both!

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The class itself starts with pliés to warm up your calves and feet, a bit of skipping and leaping, which will make you feel like a kid again, and ends with a short routine. The skipping and leaping is the ultimate icebreaker and it’s pure joy. 

The class is educational, too; Eva manages to share facts and stories about ballet that you didn’t know you wanted to know, like the meaning behind certain poses or the inspiration behind the choreography. In a city of harder, better, faster, stronger, Ballet1 is a great place to move intentionally with like-minded people. 

No one here is judging and it’s totally cool if you mess up the moves. Eva’s kindness and warmth translate into true permission—permission to dance around, get into it, and give it your best go. Eva bills Ballet1 as “ballet for fun, ballet for exercise, ballet for learning about yourself, ballet for learning about other people, ballet for poetic expression” and honestly, we couldn’t have said it better ourselves. It’s truly an opportunity to move freely.

The class happens once a month, which makes it a real treat. Rearrange your schedule and leave class feeling like a happy camper, knowing you live in the greatest city in the world where people are doing cool things, having fun, and want you to join them.


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A monthly ballet class led by Eva Alt worth rearranging your schedule for. 

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Ballet1 is a monthly ballet class by Eva Alt that’s a ton of fun for dancers and self described non-dancers alike.

Ballet1

Going to The Fortitude Strength Club—“The Fort” for short—feels like the fun beginning stages of a new relationship, but with way more potential for a long-term commitment. The people there want to get to know you, they’re all super nice, and while their interest in picking things up and putting them down may seem a little weird, if you spend enough time here, you might find that it’s pretty great.

The Fort consists of a small gym and an equally-small group of instructors who are very, very strong and just as welcoming. The “classes” max out at four people and there are never more than two classes going on in The Fort at once. The workout itself is a mix of strength training and conditioning. Think lots of weights, some assault bikes, and some rowing machines. 

It kind of looks like a Crossfit gym, and many of the movements are similar to Crossfit, but The Fort is really adamant that they’re not a Crossfit gym. Luckily, we don’t disagree with them—a lot of Crossfit can feel really hectic (aka do as many reps as you can right now and then never stop!). The Fort is far more structured and intentional. You can get a really good workout in without feeling like you’re competing. Both the weights *and* the movements are scaled to your ability level.

The honeymoon phase is certainly fun, but The Fort requires commitment. It’s membership or bust here, and we see why. The Fort is meant to be a community oriented training gym, and it lives up to the promise. You can reach out to them to try a single session, but afterwards you’ll have to commit to a specific number of sessions per month. 

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If you choose to stick with it, we think The Fort makes for a great long-term relationship. The Fort isn’t the coolest, most popular, or most Instagram-ready place to train, which also means that you won’t run into the influencer set or everyone you’ve ever met. Instead, it’s the kind of incognito place where the emphasis on proper form and technique will leave you feeling good for the long-haul and not just for this week’s #gains. Many of your favorite fitness instructors probably train here, too. Plus, the small group training is more engaging than awkwardly talking to your personal trainer about the weather and weekend plans. Speaking of, the people who train at The Fort vary in ability, but we’ve found them all to be very supportive, which is nice because you’ll be training with the same people often. 

You’ll work hard here, but they make it easy with convenient super early morning classes and trainers who keep track of your times, records, weights, and reps. One sign of a good relationship is when your efforts are reciprocated. Wink.

So the next time you feel like you don’t know what you’re doing in the gym and you don’t know who to do it with, consider checking out The Fort. It’s one of the first places that made us realize that training can be just as fun and empowering as the best HIIT or Cardio. It’s worth a first date.


The Fort

Flatiron

A strength training gym with a focus on form—great for newbies and serious lifters alike.

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The Fort is a strength training gym in Flatiron. With a focus on form, it’s great for training newbies and serious lifters alike.

Kick Axe is a really good place for things like birthday parties or corporate bonding, or a great way to spend the day with your family from out of town when you can’t handle another museum. And before you try and throw an axe at your annoying sibling, you should know that everything here is very controlled and no one is giving you that kind of freedom.

After you sign your waiver, you go with your group and meet your “axe-pert.” This place is all about the puns, so you may as well embrace it. A quick safety run down and you’re ready to start throwing. They lead you through different games and they keep score, which is nice because that gives you some time to drink beer or eat pizza. The axe throwing sessions are 75 minutes and (luckily) that’s not enough time to get super hammered.

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If you’re looking for a workout, Kick Axe won’t do the trick. But you are moving, and it is active, so it’s a perfect place to take your boss who keeps on pushing that group SoulCycle ride. Kick Axe feels like a happy medium. It’s a place that’s as fun as you make it.

If you show up with less than eight people, you’ll be sharing your lane with some randos. Eight people gets you your own lane and you’ll just be playing among friends. Once you have your own lane you can add up to four more pals. Pretty axe-cellent. 

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Gowanus

A solid venue for your next low-key birthday party or corporate bonding event. 

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Kick Axe Throwing is an axe-throwing spot in Brooklyn’s Gowanus.

Kick Axe Throwing

Many workout studios claim to be just like clubs. Have a DJ? Wow, just like a club! Have a dark room? Look at you, giving Marquee a run for its money. A place where people dance? Consider us sold.

Despite every best effort to create a space where people can let loose, a lot of dance studios are still fitness studios first and foremost. People show up in workout clothes and instructors say things like “reach for your summer body.” That last one fools absolutely no one—and also just sucks. 

Forward Space is a newcomer to Nolita, and while it’s definitely still fitness, it’s the closest fitness-y thing we’ve found to a proper night out. The kind of night out where you had so much fun dancing that you forgot all about your outfit or who you were (or weren’t) going home with. 


When you walk in, the staff greets you with high fives and smiles that make you feel like they were waiting just for you. Everyone here has a perma-smile and it doesn’t even feel *that* cheesy. The studio sports lots of black, white, and concrete, with nods to disco and street style cool. It’s a laid back and gender inclusive vibe—men dance, too!

The room itself is dark with lots of strobe lights. The instructor is on a platform so you can actually see what they’re doing. Most importantly, the music is consistently really good, which makes it a million times easier to move.

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All of these components create a space where you’re really happy to be, and that seems like a major pre-req for \*dancing like nobody’s watching.\*

Forward and Forward+ are structured so that you’re doing easy-to-follow repetitive motions to the beat for most of class. But, you can really get into it and add flair if you want to. The last portion of class is dedicated to learning a super short “routine” and then “performing” it over and over again to the beat. It’s definitely beginner friendly, but if you’re just looking to move and hate being told what to do you might like it less. It’s only about 10 minutes though, so no harm, no foul.

Our favorite instructors are the founder Kristin Sudeikis (yes, sibling of that famous actor) and Rachel Warren, but you can’t go wrong with anyone here. And despite Forward+ being the slightly more advanced version of Forward, both are beginner friendly. Some people who come here clearly have some serious dancing chops, but it’s just as cool to come as you are and flail around. 

Forward Space is a great escape that’s more like your best night at Paul’s Baby Grand, and their ethos matches that as well. We attribute this partially to their decor but mostly to their language and energy. It’s subtle but powerful when a dance studio is more focused on the dance then the cardio. Tuning into the beat and the energy rather than the particulars of a move or the reasons you might be dancing is possibly the best escape of all.

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Forward Space is the ultimate place to dance and let loose (that doesn’t serve alcohol).

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Forward Space is a new dance studio in Nolita serving up great music, low lights, and super fun moves in their 50 minute class Forward.

Forward Space

Many of the best fitness studios are escapes that feel like a full-on luxury suite. You’re greeted the moment you walk in, the spaces look like they’re out of Architectural Digest, and the amenities are good enough to almost make you forget how much you’re paying for a 1-hour fitness class. Plus, it’s New York City, and it’s always exciting to go to a place that features a bathroom bigger than your entire apartment. 

So, hear us out when we say one of the best fitness escapes in New York City costs $10, takes place in a public school—a park in the summer—and still maintains a solid cool factor.

Downtown Girls Basketball, a roving basketball team for self-identified women, meets up once a week. Led by Aria McManus, a super skilled and very encouraging coach, Downtown Girls Basketball is a barebones operation with just a couple of basketballs and a portable scoreboard for equipment.

For what the experience lacks in pizazz, it makes up for in community, energy, and the opportunity to truly move around. It’s exhilarating to run around the court when ~fitness~ so often occurs in your pre-assigned spot in a small studio.

The group attracts a wide variety of skill-levels and players: there are women who played in college and women who last played in their middle school rec league. Aria’s warmth and the all-female nature help to create a camp-like atmosphere where everyone is playing to win, but with the kind of down-to-earth spirit you’d want. You’ll never feel like you’re letting the team down if you aren’t the MVP, or if you’re objectively the LVP.

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Downtown creatives, models, and Cool People make up Downtown Girls Basketball, but pretty much everyone here is down to make new friends. After all, they’re showing up to ball with strangers. In other words, the group isn’t clique-y in a way that your high school team may have been.

The 90 minute sessions start with warmups and then moves on to drills, before a series of five on five games, lasting five minutes each. The evening ends with a sudden death challenge: you shoot baskets and only one woman ends up with the final rose. You’ll see a lot of the same faces week after week, but there’s no commitment involved and team players are free to attend when they can. Plus, Downtown Girls Basketball has been around since 2013, which by NYC standards basically makes it an institution. 

If we had to describe the vibe it would be shooters shoot. Show up and do your best, just be sure to be nice to people. Everyone is here to have fun, and it’s hard not to have fun when you get to run around and throw a ball in the air. There’s no heavy handed instruction, no fitness goals, just a space and time to ball. Of course, there’s always the woman who takes things a little too seriously and thinks they’re auditioning for the WNBA, but she’ll get the hint eventually.

You’ll leave having worked up a real sweat, so get ready to sport flushed cheeks and a dose of humility. Shoot hoops and let down your guard, unless you’re on guard. In which case, keep your man in check.

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Downtown

Downtown Girls Basketball is like recess for adult women.

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Downtown Girls Basketball is a team for self-identified women, led by Aria McManus, that meets once a week to shoot hoops.

Downtown Girls Basketball

If you’re the rare New Yorker that has a driver’s license, you had to first learn how to drive. It’s unlikely that someone tossed you the keys and said good luck. Your instructor taught you how to use the controls and they probably had an emergency brake. In other words, training wheels. 

Learning to climb is a bit similar, in that you might know how to do it from watching others, but, really, it’s helpful to have some instruction. If you’re a pretty good climber and you spend a bunch of time around Greenpoint, we fully endorse GP81. If you’re a total newbie, looking to try out climbing for the first time, you’re better off going somewhere like The Cliffs or Brooklyn Boulders.


GP81 is a true community gym and it feels like something you’d find in Portland, ME. The industrial type building sits by the waterfront with a big garage door at the front. Inside, you’ll find people of all ages climbing and hanging out. The gym sports picnic tables where you can chill and play chess in between climb attempts (or post up and watch the experts when your own arms, shoulders, and even *fingers* are too fatigued to continue). And there’s local craft beer— because, of course. But, you should know they don’t do birthday parties. They are not *that* kind of place.

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The pricing is hard to beat, coming in at $23 for a day pass and $93 for a monthly pass, which includes access to all 6,500 square feet of climbing terrain and the training equipment in the back room. Plus, their hours are good. Beyond workouts and barbecues, GP81 is the kind of place where people feel comfortable dropping in for a quick climb in their street clothes, and what’s more inspiring than those who can casually squeeze in a quick bouldering sesh while they are in jeans?

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For novice climbers, we should mention there are no belays here, so it’s a bit different than the rock walls you climbed as a kid. And even though it’s not extremely beginner drop-in friendly, if you’re looking to make this your community, you’ll be embraced with open arms. See their community-oriented Instagram for proof.

For the advanced climbers, we’ll share that GP81 touts having two moon boards, but we have no idea what that actually means. There are also a few 1990s era Lifetime Fitness machines in the back. So you can do some strength training and cardio in the name of bettering your climbing.

Regardless of your ability, there are a bunch of routes and they’re all clearly marked by difficulty using the standard V scale, with climbs starting at the novice V0 level. They also switch out the paths frequently so even if you never make it past V0, you’ll still stay engaged week-to-week. GP81 is a great place to hang out with friends, especially if one of you knows how to actually climb so they can show the others the ropes, er, boulders.

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Greenpoint

GP81 is a bouldering gym that feels like an outdoorsy escape from NYC.

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GP81 is a community-oriented bouldering gym located in Greenpoint, New York.

GP81

You know that one classmate who was beautiful, smart, sporty, and also kind? She was popular and stylish...but also really, really nice. You wanted to hate her but you couldn’t. Because you also maybe wanted to be her? That’s pretty much Sky Ting, personified. 

Krissy Jones and Chloe Kernaghan opened their first space in Chinatown in 2015. The studio has since expanded to Williamsburg and Tribeca. 

If you haven’t already, we’re here to tell you to give Sky Ting a try. It might be our favorite yoga studio in NYC and we don’t say that lightly. Like that classmate, you’ll soon realize that there’s more than meets the eye. [[1]] Sky Ting moves past the dogmatic approach of traditional yoga studios—and with a giant stuffed giraffe on display in their Chinatown location, you know they don’t take themselves too seriously.

“Sky Ting Yoga” is a unique blend of yogic traditions, including Katonah Yoga, which is all about alignment and making space for your organs. In layman’s terms, this means you might really like it even if you don’t typically like yoga. It also means you’re less likely to get bored and that teachers are free to create their own blend. There’s no dogma, overheated rooms, or instructors babbling on with strange analogies.

What we love most about this flow is the gradual build. Your warm-up will last long enough to fool you into thinking this was a piece of cake. Unlike some studios that launch you right into chair pose, you’ll be more than ready by the time the real work starts. 

The poses are all very much beginner-friendly, but you’ll have plenty of time (and space) for inversions and advanced movements, if that’s your M.O. The classes are designed for all-levels and the knowledgeable and friendly Sky Ting teachers will meet you where you are. You can expect some hands-on adjustments from your teacher, but they definitely don’t overdo it.
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In general, we love consistent studios; it’s nice to know what to expect. Sky Ting’s main offering “Sky Ting Yoga” manages to be consistently really high quality while still allowing instructors to infuse their own personal teaching style. Our recommendation is to give a few instructors a try—everyone loves Krissy and Chloe, but just about all of the instructors here have fan followings, too. We’re confident that if you don’t jam with yoga you still might like Sky Ting, and if you do jam with yoga, there’s a teacher here who you’ll love above all others.

Sky Ting also offers other styles of yoga and workshops on occasion. We recommend taking a straight Katonah Class. They’re run workshop-style and you’ll get to dig in to the intricacies of the poses. You can’t go wrong with Restorative Yoga or Yoga Nidra, either. Both are all about the chill.

As for the audio effects, the music is so good: You’ll hear Blood Orange, Robyn (new and old), some instrumental-electronica, and dainty covers of old classics. In other words, you’ll be asking your instructor for their Spotify playlists after class. 

So, just like your high school classmate who you grew to love, go ahead and give this cool-kid spot a chance to prove you wrong. Sky Ting is a great go-to for the yoga averse, those who want a rad local studio, and those who are looking to try different styles of yoga blended into one class with no pretension.

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Domino

A must-try yoga studio with its own style feat. locations in Tribeca, Chinatown, and the 'Burg.

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A must-try yoga studio with it’s own style featuring locations in Tribeca, Chinatown, and Williamsburg. Sky Ting is known for their gorgeous spaces, strong community, and incorporation of Katonah Yoga.

Sky Ting Yoga

Generally, it’s nice when other people do things for you. It’s especially nice when they do things that you otherwise would have neglected to do yourself. It could be the dishes, laundry, drying your hair, and now, it can be stretching, too.

Yes, you can actually pay a (trained and vetted) stranger to methodically stretch you out. Aside from just feeling really good, recovery is also Big Business because stretching is crucial to lengthening muscles and preventing injury. And also because the fitness industry pummelled us with more HIIT than we can handle and now it’s trying to course correct.

The space is the brainchild of Vanessa Chu and her business partner, Amanda Freeman, who previously brought us SLT. The concept is fairly simple: a certified bodyworker provides one-on-one dynamic stretching in a semi-private vestibule. When you arrive, you fill out an intake form that asks everything from the body parts you’re looking to work on to whether or not you want to make conversation with the person who’s stretching you. The survey is easy to fill out and it asks the important questions. We like this part.


The stretching itself is obviously nice, too. Your Stretch\*r will stretch each muscle out a few times, gradually going deeper, but never in a painful way. It definitely feels good, which is kind of all you can say about someone stretching you out. And because your Strech\*r is an expert, they’re careful not to overdo it—making injury less likely.

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Stretch\*d offers 25, 55, and 75 minute sessions. The longer the session, the more of an opportunity for your stretcher to work on spots that are particularly tight. They also offer a bunch of add-ons (all of which will cost you) like compression boots, a hypervolt gun, or plain old additional time. It’s a nice way to treat yourself, especially if you sit at a desk all day.

If we had to make a comparison, we’d say Stretch\*d is kind of like Drybar…for stretching. If you just want to feel a little better, go here. Just like Drybar won’t give you a cut or color, Stretch\*d won’t make any serious problems or injuries go away. You should go to a doctor for that. And once you get done with tax and tip, the 55 minute option is pretty comparable to the price of a physical therapy session, so that’s something to consider. 

Stretch\*d is a fun thing to do with a friend and it’s a good gift for someone who works out a lot. There’s not much to dislike about this experience as long as you don’t go in expecting a massage or physical therapy. This is different, but it’s still very, very nice.


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The benefits of a deep stretch without any of the work.

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Experts at Stretch*d Space offer customized personal stretching sessions based in Flatiron.

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