As you may remember, four months ago Bo and I decided to give ClassPass a try after hearing wonderful things about it, realizing the two of us could leverage it together and a positive month long trial back in July. It’s crazy how much can change in such a short period of time. Back in July I tried it for the first time and now, just a few months later, I’m an official ClassPass ambassador! I’ve taken 78 classes through ClassPass and am one of their largest advocates! Don’t believe me? Try for yourself! Use this link to get $25 off your first month!
As promised, each month I will provide a brief recap of our experience including the number of classes taken, average cost per class and a brief recap of the studios where we sweat that month. In addition, if you’re on CLASSPASS feel free to follow my fitness schedule here. I love meeting readers so if you see me in a class, please say hello! If you want to check out my previous monthly recaps, click here, here and here.
Month 4: December 20 – January 20th
Number of classes taken: 18
Number of studios visited: 10
Number of classes missed or late cancelled: 0
Number of cities: 1 (NYC)
Average cost per workout based on NYC rate of $125 per month: $6.94
Wow, even with the week that we spent in Savannah over Christmas, I was still able to squeeze 18 classes into this month. I think that the cold, winter weather motivated me to workout inside versus run outside, hence the continued increase in classes. Bo and I have kept up our trend of working out together as much as possible, often at least one weekend class and two early morning classes per week. I was able to achieve my goal of taking four yoga classes during the month as well as keeping up with my half marathon training and high intensity training to ensure I keep getting stronger.
Last Month’s Classes
High 45 at Mile High Run Club (1)
I’ve professed my love of Mile High multiple times (full review here). Their High 45 class is a great class for runners of all abilities. As you can guess from the class name, the workout includes 45-minutes of running. The running includes a five minute warm-up and five minute cooldown. In between that you’ll sweat through 35 minutes of tempo work. A typical class includes half hills and half speed with most intervals ranging from three to six minutes! My favorite teachers are Jes Woods and Deborah Woods!
Row House Full Body 45 at Row House Chelsea (3)
Rowing is a wonderful, low-impact workout which can supplement any workout plan. While I’ve taken classes at CityRow, Row House is the first rowing workout in NYC that truly reminded me of the rowing practices Bo and I sweat through in high school. The Full Body 45 class is a 45-minute class which includes a 5 minutes of rowing drills to warm-up, 15 minutes of rowing intervals and sprints, 5-10 minutes of strength work, another 15 minutes of rowing intervals and sprints, followed by a short cooldown. The class is perfect for people of all abilities as each person controls the speed or intensity at which they row. Scott and Caley are our favorite instructors, constantly motivating students while correcting form and ensuring that everyone is pushing themselves. For those who need to sweat and then dash to work, the Row House Chelsea location includes a small, but nice locker room featuring two showers, blow dryers and toiletries where you can get ready for work or date night.
Signature Fhix at Fhitting Room (3)
Bo and I love the 50-minute high intensity classes which pair two instructors with a class of 20-25 students for a sweat inducing good time. The music is always perfectly on point, motivating and pushing us while the instructors lead the group through functional movements such as lunges, burpees and squats followed by strength training with kettle bells and finally high intensity exercises including rowing machines, ski-ergs and box jumps. The atmosphere is one of the most supportive I’ve felt and it is a great starting place for people who want to learn more about functional training and using items like boxes and kettlebells as the instructors adjust students during class. The dual instructor model means that there is always someone watching you! The studio offers showers, lockers, towels and water. But, consider yourself warned, if you want to shower, I highly recommend you skip the stretch cool-down and snag a shower instead. There are only three showers and in the mornings the line can get pretty long. If you’re a NYC reader who finds it impossible to snag a spot in Fhitting Room, my biggest tip is to look 24 and 12-hours in advance of class. We were able to get in each of these classes around the 18-hour mark. Our favorite instuctors are Eric, Ben, Dara, Emily and Carlos.
You know those studios and classes you just WANT to love? For us, this is one of those. I wish we loved it but unfortunately, this studio was a once and done for us even though it’s just a five minute walk from our apartment. The owner Maryam was also the teacher and while she was very supportive, Bo nor I loved her vibe. The space is small, allowing only 5 to 7 students which is good for adjustments and form but can be negative for motivation. There were only four students in our class, including us, so it was hard to feel inspired and motivated by those around us. The workout itself was a typical HIIT workout which included stations ranging from rower, box, kettlebless and body weight work which we rotated through four times for one minute each. I think repeating the moves four times also made the class a bit boring and repetitive.
Power Flow 60 at Tangerine Hot Power Yoga
There is a reason this studios classes quickly sell out, especially evening and weekends when Brooklyn locals and Manattanites flock to Tangerine Yoga. The 60-minute class isn’t for the weak as it is a heated strong, power yoga class. But, don’t fear, instructors provide lots of adjustments and guidance to ensure everyone has the best session possible. The studio provides complimentary yoga mats and towels as well as selling juices and coconut water in the small boutique and lounge area. I’ve now taken five classes at this studio and grow more in love with it each class. They develop a great sense of community and each instructor is more supportive than the next. So far, my favorite instructors are Emily and Tamara.
Sunrise Flow and Bend+Bloom Yoga
This Park Slope yoga studio has two large, bright, beautiful studios and offers more than 65 classes per week. The Sunrise Flow which is offered on Friday mornings, is taught by the lovely Christine, a fellow blogger and runner. Her class is 60 minutes of flow which often includes lots of twists, stretches and restorative poses along with a fewer higher energy poses to wake the body. I love starting my Friday with this class as it puts me in the best mood and is a great way to release tension and stress from the body as well as shake out my hips and legs before my weekend long run. While there aren’t showers, the studio’s private bathroom is spacious and would allow for a quick wet wipe bath and dry shampoo spritz before work.
Flow Yoga Open at Exhale Central Park South
It’s rare that I head uptown for classes since moving to Brooklyn but when two friends rave about the same teacher for weeks upon end, you finally head up for an early morning yoga session. I forgot how incredibly gorgeous the Exhale Central Park South location is until I walked through the door and felt as if I’d immediately been transported to a spa. Since the space is part spa and part fitness studio you get all the benefits of the zen like atmosphere, large locker rooms, tea, snacks and plenty of relaxation space along with the yoga class. Taught by Isaac Pena, this class was a perfect mix of Vinyasa flow with fluid movements as well as lots of adjustments to help students move deeper into the poses. When I finished the class, feeling completely relaxed and zen yet in a puddle of sweat, I understood the hype around Isaac’s classes.
Brick New York features multiple types of workouts in their space ranging from CrossFit to yoga. In between is their hybrid workout, B/X. A high intensity, functional training class it is very similar to Fhitting Room. After a short warm-up we spent the next 45 minutes moving through circuits which included rowers, treadmills, wall balls, med balls, kettlebells and box jumps. There are no breaks so you will be dripping sweat in no time but the energy of those around you will keep you moving and motivated. I love that the instructor constantly walks the class, helping ensure everyone has the proper form. In addition, if they notice that a move comes to easy, they are quick to provide a recommended adjustment to make it harder. There are locations at Grand Central, Chelsea and Brooklyn so this workout is convenient for just about anyone. There are plenty of lockers and showers so you can get ready here before work if you need without rushing out of class early.
This 45-minute workout is gritty, tough and empowering! The class begins with ten minutes of calesthenic warmups which will make you sweat. Think lots of burpees, jumping jacks, squats and pushups. After the “warmup” you’ll start focusing on the boxing technique through shadowboxing and then finally bag work. The classes fly by and the music and instructors are motivating and high energy. The studio has a very small, single shower bathroom so I wouldn’t recommend getting ready for work here but it’s the perfect way to burn off steam after a long day. They provide gloves but wraps must be brought or bought at the studio.
Your turn: If you’re a NYC local, what are your favorite studios? Where should I sweat next?
This post is not compensated nor requested of me via CLASSPASS. While it does contain affiliate links, as a CLASSPASS affiliate, I only receive a small compensation if you choose to purchase a CLASSPASS membership.
