Tired of Your Blasé Fitness Routine? Try These 4 Exciting Alternatives
Workout inertia inevitably happens from time to time, even to the ultra-disciplined of fitness Even the most diehard SoulCycle fanatics can need a hiatus from tap-backs, and a boxing buff with a serious Rumble or Shadowbox habit might need to rest those biceps (and knuckles) and step away from the bag every now and then. No sweat: NYC is filled with an eclectic range of workouts to test-drive, from kooky fusion concepts to wholly unexpected music pairings. Ahead, check out five unusual classes perfect for adding a jolt of excitement up a tired fitness regimen, ASAP.
This innovative workout combines kickboxing, trapeze, and low-impact cardio, created by personal nutritionist Franci Cohen. It utilizes a unique web of bungees bars that’s like a personal, adult-sized jungle gym, with moves that engage a slew of muscle groups while feeling like a Spiderman extra, scaling the side of a boxing bag or propelling yourself upside-down in the process. There are a few different classes on offer: the classic version solely uses proprietary Spiderbands, while other versions incorporate rebounding, Bosu balls, and mini trampolines. After debuting in Midwood, Brooklyn, Spiderbands’ HQ are now near Union Square in Manhattan; the classes are also slated to roll out at various studios around NYC eventually.
Spiderbands, 12 E. 14th St., Union Square, Manhattan; $34 per 50-minute class
A far cry from the soothing, hushed environs in a typical yoga class, the vinyasas at Metal Yoga Bones classes are accompanied by Creator Saskia Thode holds the classes at unconventional yoga environs: a Bushwick bar, The Cobra Club. Thode, a devoted, longtime metal fan, Thode has been doing yoga for 15 years and hails from Northern Germany; she launched Metal Yoga Bones in 2014 after completing yoga teacher training. While Y7 has gone popularized flows set to an unconventional soundtrack (hip-hop), Metal Yoga Bones goes a more hardcore, thrashing route, encouraging attendees to “salute to the moon and connect to the dead, raise your metal mantras, and offer your practice to the darkness.”
Metal Yoga Bones at Cobra Club, 6 Wyckoff Ave., Bushwick, Brooklyn; classes held on Sundays, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., $13 per 50-minute class
Jumping around giddily like a kid might seem delightful but not all that physically exertive. Think again: a TrampLEAN class, filled with non-stop cardio and killer combo toning moves done on a mini-trampoline (also utilizing resistance bands), is incredibly fun and deceptively hard. Further west, check out Body by Simone’s Trampoline Cardio class, and further downtown, Bari in Tribeca is a great place to work up a sweat on a trampoline in their choreography-heavy Bari Bounce classes.
TrampoLEAN at Stepping Out Studios, 37 W. 26th St., 9th Fl., Nomad, Manhattan; $16.50 per 50-minute class for new customers; $33 per 50-minute class; various packages available
Living in New York City can be frenetic, claustrophobic, and straight-up exhausting. What’s the ideal antidote to a jam-packed subway ride that leaves you nearly hyperventilating? Consider an hour in a floatation tank, also known as a sensory-deprivation tank. Filled with salt water made with Epsom salt and more sodium-packed than the Dead Sea, the tanks are situated in total darkness, with LED lighting, and the experience of lying in one is purported to include relaxation, joint and muscle pain relief, smoother skin, and even hallucinations or euphoria. It’s an extremely mellow, silent, and aquatic way to chill out. Think of it as a form of mental fitness.
Life 320 Court St., 2nd Fl., Carroll Gardens, Brooklyn; $79 per 60-minute session for new customers, $99 per 60-minute session after that; monthly packages available as well
