I recently got married and moved to NYC. (Thank you if you're thinking congratulations! I'll probably share more of our story over the course of my posts ☺.)
My loving husband immediately bought me a membership to ClassPass, because I heart working out — running, yoga, barre, bootcamps, spinning, pilates… you name it. As long as I have confidence that I won't hurt myself I'm usually up for trying it. And I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt that this is was solely based on my love of exercise, not the fact that we had just eaten our way through our 10-day honeymoon.
So ClassPass! I'd heard about it in passing before, and I was intrigued. It basically meant I had gym membership to the city, and as a new resident of Manhattan it was clear what I'd have to do. My mission: explore NYC through ClassPass.
Some disclaimers: Classes and locations were greatly skewed towards areas where I was considering living and obviously towards the activities I listed above. I also had little to no time constraints, and tried to stay within work hours so I could maximize face time with my new husband.
My Approach
There is definitely exploration involved in starting ClassPass. New York has so many gym studios that it can be a little overwhelming without setting some initial standards for yourself. My first month of ClassPass would be my own trial — comparing it very closely value-wise with what I could get if I were to join a single all-inclusive gym like Equinox. I started with activities.
In my first week, I tried 6 different studios in the hopes that I would find at least 3 that I liked. The only caveat of ClassPass is that there is a limit of 3 classes per studio during the one month cycle. For someone who likes to work out a good 5 times a week, I'd want to find 6–7 studios ideally to fulfill my needs. I figured though that I'm using this more for the class aspect of it and classes in New York are upwards of $30/class so I'd keep my expectations low. If ClassPass could cover half of my workout needs I'd be satisfied. I found 2 during week 1.
I felt much more prepared to find more studios I'd like the following week. Location actually mattered a lot — I was so much more excited about going to a class that was walking distance than one I'd have to hop on the subway for—so I nixed studios that were in areas outside of where we'd end up living. The other surprising thing I noticed was how quickly I found myself being picky about the studio facilities and customer experience. All studios were not equal just because they offered a trendy class. The first barre class I visited lacked sufficient mirrors and the instructor spoke at road runner speed while constantly moving around the room. I decided that if I liked the studio facilities enough I'd give another instructor a try, otherwise I'd move on to the many other options on ClassPass.
Fun Discoveries
There are so many options (and they keep adding more!): Seriously, though. While I feel like I've tried a fair range of exercise activities, ClassPass pushed me to test way beyond my experience and comfort level. I can confidently say that I now love bungee ballet. That's right — bungee cords, springs, and pliés.
It knows what you like: A few weeks in, I noticed that classes were highlighted and recommended for me based on my history. New classes at similar studios, new studios with similar classes, and completely new ones that had (I'm assuming) comparable intensity.
ClassPass Flex: You can work out everywhere! I'm exaggerating, but with your membership you can visit any studio on ClassPass in the country. I was in San Francisco and easily found a class within hours of arrival.
(You'll also notice how pretty the app is! It's easy to navigate, syncs with your calendars, and has a painless review system for each class you take.)
Results?
I can't say my weight has changed — thanks to New York's many dining establishments, street food fairs, and night life I've been partaking in conjunction with regular ClassPass sessions— but that was never the goal. To be perfectly honest I've always been a "live-to-eat" over a "eat-to-live" kind of girl. What I can say is that I am the strongest I've ever felt in my entire life. I have recognizable definition (Muscles!), I can run faster than ever before, do more reps for longer periods of time, and overall have fallen in love with fitness all over again in New York City.
What's great is that most classes are fit for all levels meaning that you don't grow out of anything. You can always add resistance, work with heavier weights, go at a faster pace, keep a better form and challenge yourself in new ways.
Getting friends on board has also been quite fun. I've always loved being social, and now my friends and I can have active options for hanging out once in a while (still working on a realistic ratio). Weekend mornings are also starting off healthier for us newlyweds as well ☺
Beyond physical strength though, it's helped give me my confidence back. The past year had been a whirlwind of ups and downs that took a lot of energy and emotion, and I felt like I was building my self back with each challenge.
We all talk about having health and balance in our lives, and ClassPass has definitely played a big part in bringing it back to mine. I don't suggest creating an insane workout schedule; as frustrating as it may be balance takes time. Whatever your definition of health and balance is in your life, stop letting yourself make excuses for not attaining it or moving towards it. Trust me—it's never been easier with your pick of heart-pumping, top-40-hits-playing, zen-providing, muscle-strengthening ClassPass classes.
Favorite Studios
Mile High Run Club:
https://classpass.com/mile-high-run-club-new-york
The Movement
https://classpass.com/the-movement-new-york
Barry's Bootcamp
https://classpass.com/barrys-bootcamp-chelsea-new-york