For years, I've been looking for an exercise regimen that I love. I've tried going to the gym or running outside, but I've found that I need some sort of structured class to hold myself accountable and feel like I got in a good workout. In southern California, I signed up for a yoga studio and that became my go-to. But since moving to New York and adjusting to the city life, I've felt like I need to take advantage of all the variety this city has to offer. That's when my friend, who'd been living the city life for a few years, told me about an app called ClassPass.
The old way of working out was signing up for one studio and choosing from their weekly classes, but this limits your options and you run the risk of your body growing accustomed to the class and no longer reaping the same benefits you did when you first signed up. The new way of working out is ClassPass. When you sign up for the app, you can choose 3, 5 or 10 classes per month and have access to studios and classes in your city as well as throughout the country.
This app has changed the way I look at fitness and has created a new way to stay in shape. The goal behind ClassPass is to get people to try different types of exercise and experience various studios rather than going to the same studio week after week. You can sign up a week in advance or hop on the app an hour before a class starts and see what's available in your area. This app has given me the chance to try new classes I never would have thought to try otherwise, from barre to Pilates to hip hop yoga.
Top Classes I've tried so far
Barre
The Bar Method classes use subtle movements to work the muscles Instagram @barmethodnyc
Barre is a fitness type that got its origin from ballet and dance. Some classes use simply a ballet barre and weights, while others incorporate other workout gear like mats and exercise balls. The majority of the class is based around isometric contractions, or tiny flex-and-release movements of the muscles. This technique gets the muscle burning quickly, using strength and balancing movements to work smaller muscle groups and increase the heart rate.
Yin Yoga
Yin Yoga incorporates restorative poses to encourage relaxation Pexels
I am a yoga fanatic and have been to many different classes from heated to flow, but I recently took a Yin Yoga class and my body was so grateful I did. This class focuses on deep stretching and slower movements so that the muscles can relax into the pose. Rather than flowing from one movement to the next, the instructor guided us into postures to open up the back and release tension or stretch the hips. We used blocks, a blanket and a bolster to get the body to move into certain positions and allow yourself to relax into the pose for 3-5 minutes. This class is a good class for stretching after an intense workout or after a week of sitting at a desk.
FlyWheel Sports
FlyWheel Sports offers indoor cycling and FlyBarre Body Sculpting classesInstagram @flywheelsports
I had tried spin classes in the past, but never really got into the flow, but FlyWheel is a new approach to indoor cycling. FlyWheel uses loud upbeat music and motivating instructors to keep the rhythm high and the pace up. With "new high-performance bikes" and high "intensity interval classes," FlyWheel has made a name for itself in the exercise world as a challenging, high energy class that is sure to get your heart-rate racing.
Some of the class styles I'd like to try through ClassPass
- Pilates Machine class with reformers
- Tai Chi/Martial Arts
- Anti-Gravity Treadmill
- Contemporary Dance/Ballet/Bollywood
- HIIT high intensity interval training
- Rollerblading in Central Park
- Boxing/Kickboxing
- Meditation
- Rowing
Believe Fitness Studio, an Aerial Arts Studio in El Segundo, CA Instagram @cupcakekissies regram @classpass