When I moved back to New York City last month, the team at ClassPass was kind enough to send me an email welcoming me home with a complimentary two week ClassPass membership. As you guys know, one of the things I missed most while living in Geneva was access to fitness classes. I love the inspiration, motivation and energy of group fitness classes as well as the benefit of learning from the instructors.
ClassPass launched in New York City right before our move and therefore this was my first time experiencing the site and their application. Now it is available in over 30 cities across the United States, Canada and England! You can even upgrade your membership so you can workout in different cities, perfect for someone who travels a lot.
During the two week time period I was able to squeeze in eight classes which allowed me to experience a number of different studios all across Manhattan. In order to help you guys learn more about ClassPass, in case you’ve never tried it, I summed up my thoughts below. As always, I’m happy to answer any questions you have if you leave a comment or send me an email!
Price: In NYC, the monthly membership is $125. Whether this is expensive or a deal is a very personal decision, however many boutique fitness studios in NYC are $25-35 per class. Based on this, if you go to five classes per month on ClassPass or an average of one per week, the membership pays out. Considering that this cost gives you access to over 500 studios, it is seen by many, including myself, to be a great deal.
Studios: With over 500 studios participating in ClassPass NYC, it is a great way to discover studios which you may not have otherwise visited. Using their app or website, you can easily find classes in your area or sort them based on time, type of class or even amenities in case you need a shower to use before heading to work. They are frequently adding new studios to their roster. In fact, during my two week trial I received two separate emails advertising new boutique partnerships.
Booking: Students are allowed to book at a single studio up to three times within a one month period. This motivations students to try new studios while also helping studio partners manage the number of students. You can book classes one week in advance. However, many of the popular studios or instructors often book as quickly as a Soul Cycle class. Therefore, many participants actually set a calendar invite reminding them to sign up for their favorite classes a week in advance. In fact, this is the only way I was able to get a spot in my favorite Uplift Fitness (Sculpt Fusion) class and Flywheel instructor’s (Kara B) class. I will say, their app and website are both user-friendly, which makes signing up that much easier!
But what happens if my schedule changes? The good news is that ClassPass allows you to cancel your class up to 12 hours in advance. If you cancel within the 12-hour window you will be charged $15 and that will count as a visit to the studio. If you don’t cancel, you’re charged $20.
So what about places like FlyWheel which has multiple locations? The 3 class limit is for the entire brand, not each location. Therefore you can’t go to each FlyWheel location (Lincoln, Flatiron, etc) 3 times in a month. Instead you’re allowed to go to a total of 3 FlyWheel classes in a month, regardless the locations you choose.
More than just classes! In New York City and Boston, you can now register for local running races on ClassPass! It’s a great way to discover new, local races that you may otherwise miss.
It’s even more fun with friends! One of my favorite things about ClassPass is that it enables you to easily work out with friends. Whereas many gyms, such as Equinox, make it nearly impossible for you to bring guests into the gym to join in a workout class, ClassPass makes it easy to workout with friends. You can save money and book classes through ClassPass while your friends can meet you at the same studio or also register via ClassPass.
But it’s not all unicorns and rainbows. What didn’t you like? Honestly, I found it pretty hard to find things I didn’t like about ClassPass. The biggest thing that annoyed me with ClassPass is that popular studios fill up VERY quickly AND studios don’t necessarily offer their full schedule or all their locations. For example, there was a class during a peak time at one of my favorite studios which wasn’t offered via ClassPass and Fhitting Room, which Bo and I both love, only has one of their studios on ClassPass. Unfortunately, the studio that is on ClassPass, their Upper East location, isn’t convenient for us.
Where did I work out during the two week trial? Uplift (2 times), Y7 Yoga (2 times), Overthrow Underground Boxing (1 time), SkyTing Yoga (1 time), FlyWheel (2 times)
Did I join? As of now, I haven’t joined ClassPass due to our move. This month we have so much going on that I don’t have times to take a lot of classes. Whereas last month I was taking 2-3 classes per week on top of my running, this month I have averaged one strength class and one yoga class per week. Since Bo and I love Fhitting Room Flatiron’s location so much, we bought a package to the studio since we can split the package. Honestly, if I found out tomorrow that Fhitting Room Flatiron joined ClassPass there is a great chance I’d take the leap. (Updated: As of September 23rd, 2015, I have joined ClassPass!)
How about you? Have you tried ClassPass? Did you love it?
*I am a ClassPass affiliate and thereefore this post includes ClassPass affiliate links. However, as always, all thoughts and views are my own!
