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Nike+ Training Club HIT Workout

After sitting inside all day, enjoying an outdoor workout is a great way to de-stress and shake off the day. As the days grow shorter, it’s hard to know how much longer the evening will allow for outdoor workouts. Therefore, I’m doing my best to try at least oneoutdoor option on ClassPass leading up to the winter freeze.

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After months of reading about and seeing pictures from Nike NTC workouts, I finally made my way to the Nike Flagship rooftop this Monday to meet Zoe and Sashea for their NTC HIT workout. The verdict? This outdoor workout was awesome and I can’t wait to return!

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Each Monday, Niketown NYC hosts this 60-minute workout on the roof of their store.  The high intensity interval workout is led by two master trainers. These trainers make sure that each and every person on that rooftop leaves the workout dripping in sweat and energized.

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The workout is not for the faint of heart. It included bursts of non-stop movements followed by short recovery breaks. Between the supportive instructors, awesome DJ, photographer capturing our moves and city views I couldn’t help but be motivated through each of the workouts.

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After a short warm-up, the trainers took us through a series of exercises using a small torture device known as the resistance band. This resistance band made every exercise ten times harder. You name it, we did it. Whether we were doing squats, lunges, side shuffles, glute bridges, or tricep dips every exercise left me shaking and counting down the seconds. By the time our final set came, which included lots and lots of ab exercises and burpees, I was sweating bullets and giving Zoe the side eye, just hoping for the clock to tick a bit faster. (By the way, since a few people asked, I’m wearing the Nike Epic Lux tights bought last year.)

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Want to join for their next rooftop workout? Nike posts their weekly workout calendar each Sunday at 3pm. Be warned, all of the Nike workouts fill very quickly due to high demand and limited space! Classpass members can also find Nike NTC on the list of studio options when searching through studio options.

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No Weights Required Workout

Do you ever have those days when you somehow sleep through not one but three alarms?

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This morning I woke up from what felt like the deepest sleep ever to the sound of a fog horn. Yes, evidently my body was so tired that I slept through a fog horn for a total of 45 minutes. I guess this is also the time to admit that my foghorn was on soft since I evidently turned the volume down on my phone yesterday. Ooops.

There was no way that I was getting from Times Square to Flatiron in 2 minutes to make the Uplift Strength class I signed up for earlier this week. After feeling defeated and frustrated, I embraced the extra sleep and spare time to make iced coffee and read the New York Times before logging onto my work computer.

Since working with Jess, I’ve kept my commitment to strength workouts. She stresses their importance and I’ve seen the results from this commitment both in my pace and how I look and feel. If you’ve never done her equipment-free strength training workout for runners, I highly recommend it!

I turned this missed workout into an opportunity to create a new “do anywhere” workout for you guys. This workout can be done anywhere as it doesn’t require weights! The only thing you need is workout clothing, socks, shoes, a timer, and some fun music. I highly recommend listening to Rachel Platten’s Fight Song EP on Spotify while doing this workout.

This workout is short on time since it clocks in at 27 minutes but it packs a mighty punch by working your full body. I hope you guys enjoy this as much as I did; though your muscles may not thank me by the end!

No Weights workout

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Y7 Yoga Studio

After a long flight I often try to book time at a local yoga studio to unwind the knots that 15 hours of traveling imposes on my neck and shoulders. While I have a few favorite New York City studios, I knew that this time I wanted to try Y7 Yoga.

Since their Flatiron location opened in April, I’ve read countless positive, rave reviews on the studio and it’s unique vibe. Friday morning Theodora and I flowed through the 60 minutes of poses, loosening the stress of our weeks.

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As I climbed the stairs of their Flatiron location, I knew I was in for a refreshing experiences.

Y7 Yoga Stairs

Their stairs greet each participant with inspirational Drake lyrics reminding them that they’ve made progress just by choosing to walk up the stairs towards an hour long yoga practice.    IMG_0815

Once inside I was greeted by a fresh, bright space including a check-in desk, storage cubicles, yoga mats, towels, a seating area as well as two bathrooms. The bathrooms feature an adorable “I woke up like this” area which allows yogis to go from sweaty to office-ready with dry shampoo, deodorant, blow dryers and large mirrors. While I always hope for a shower, this is a great backup option.

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There are four key things that separate Y7 from other yoga studios I’ve frequented in NYC – heat, light and music.

  • Heat– Each class is practiced in a studio which is warmed by infrared heat. Infrared heat is different from space heaters or radiators because it heats objects versus just heating the air. According to Y7 co-founder, the benefits include increased calorie burn, improved skin tone, lower cortisol levels and more. Now while there isn’t much to support these claims, I will say that the heat was warm and calming versus the stifling and stinky heat experienced in many hot yoga classes.  Evidently Y7 is also the first studio in New York to offer full-spectrum infrared heating. I recommend bringing an extra towel, or two, to make sure you don’t slip in your sweat. The studio also rents YogiToes towels for $2.
  • Light, or lack of light – Class is practiced in a dark studio, only lit with small candles. Initially I was worried that this would negatively affect my practice; now allowing me to watch the instructor. I quickly realized that this had the completely opposite affect. Instead of spending class being intimidated by other yogis or trying to push beyond my limits, I found myself focusing inward and calmed by the candle light. For this reason and do to the intensity of the class, I would not recommend it for beginners who may get lost with only verbal cues.
  • Music – This studio bucks the norm by blasting hip hop music throughout the class versus the traditional yoga chants. Who knew that one could get so relaxed while listening to JayZ, Sam Smith, Notorious B.I.G but our 60 minute flowed perfectly in time to the beat of each song.
  • Free Flow – After going through each flow sequence three to four times as a group, the instructor gave us a few minutes or one song of free flow. During two of the free flows I did the yoga sequence on my own, but the third one I took my warm muscles through inversion practice. I loved that the instructor was on hand to help anyone who was working on inversions, holding legs or spotting us into position.

Would I go again? Heck yes! In fact, I wish I could go to this week’s WeFlowHard Hip Hop Vinyasa – Nicki Minaj vs Lil Wayne!

Cost: You can book individual sessions at $22 per single class or buy a package which can reduce rates down to $16. You can also book a spot at any of their locations using ClassPass.

Address: I went to the Flatiron location, located at 25 West 23rd Street, 4th floor. However, there are 3 locations, Williamsburg, SoHo & Flatiron.

What to wear: Be prepared to sweat! Most people wore tank tops, sports bras and shorts or light crop pants.

Have you practiced yoga in the dark before?

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