I don’t know where you guys are, but here in New York City the weather has been perfect this week. The nice weather has motivated me to get out more than usual for lunch and workout dates. Working from home, these are great and healthy ways to break up my day and provide me with some human interaction beyond conference calls.
The workout dates are even easier these days as I finally hopped on the ClassPass bandwagon. In fact, Bo and I both signed up for ClassPass this week. Who would have thought!? We realized that even at the $125 price point, if we each take just four to five classes per month the membership pays for itself since the average NYC boutique studio class costs $18-$35. As a member, I’m able to follow other friends so we can easily schedule workouts together (follow me here) and discover new studios.
After just one day, we both are really enjoying the ease of using the app and website to find classes. I did a review of my ClassPass trial back in July, but now that I’m a member I’ll keep you guys posted as we experience the membership, sharing our favorite workouts and experiences.
When using the location filter, I was amazed to see that they have over 120 studios in Brooklyn, including Bend+Bloom Yoga, where I practiced last night. The lovely Christine invited me to join her for a Open Flow+ evening class. She didn’t have to ask me twice, as I’ve followed Christine on Instagram for ages, in awe of her gorgeous and colorful yoga pictures. I knew that any studio where she spends her time would be a great one!
Located just past the intersection of Gowanus and Park Slope, the studio is tucked into a row of brownstones on Sackett Street. As soon as I walked through the door I was greeted by a warm, well lit entry area stocked with not only seating and a cute boutique but also complimentary tea and cookies. How fun is that? The front desk staff was super friendly, making sure I found my way around the studio and was ready for class. In addition to the tea and cookies the studio offers a bathroom and filtered water for students. While there aren’t showers, the private bathroom is spacious and would allow for a quick wet wipe bath and dry shampoo spritz before work.
The spacious and bright studio offers over 65 classes per week including sunrise flow and a sweet relief yoga class which blends yin yoga with restorative poses. Who wants to book a date for the restorative class? That sounds heavenly right about now! For the moms who are reading this post, they also have a full schedule of children’s yoga classes!
Last night’s Open Flow + class was a challenging class which focused on proper activation of the hamstrings and glutes. While Christine saw me grimacing more than once, by the time we reached the much anticipated savasana, my body felt wonderful. Throughout the class she adjusted each student at least a few times, helping ensure they could feel the proper alignment of each move and engage the proper muscles. She also provided a few minutes both in the middle and end of the class for free flow, assisting students such as myself as we moved into more challenging poses and inversions.
If you’re on ClassPass you can find them here or hop over to their site to sign up for a class. They have a great special for new students, 3 classes for $30!
Your turn: If you’re in New York City, what is your favorite studio?
