Best NYC Workout Classes and Gyms for New Year’s Fitness Resolutions

Eating lots of delicious food is one of the things I enjoy most about the Thanksgiving-to-New Year's holiday season. Sure, all the time with family and friends and loved ones is pretty great, too… but the dinner tables with cookies galore, piles of cheeses and mountains of chocolates? Such a pleasure. But an unsustainable one! So now it's time to start thinking about how to work off any extra, um, LOVE you might have acquired over the holidays. Here is a quick look at some of the gyms and classes around NYC that will help you reach your New Year’s fitness resolutions!

Flywheel's workout classes have stadium seating for their indoor cycling classes so that all attendees can view the instructor

Indoor Cycling Classes in New York City

Soul Cycle has become something a fitness mini-empire in the city, with storefronts in Glenwood territory on the Upper East and Upper West Side, as well as several downtown locations. Little wonder why this place is so popular: the design is cool, it focuses on one thing–indoor cycling–and does it very well, providing an intense, full-body, super-cardio workout, complete with inspirational coaching and high-energy music. We're particularly interested in their new soulbands class, which brings resistance bands into the mix. 

Similarly, Flywheel Sports has studios all over town, offering 45- or 60-minute "rides" on custom engineered bikes, a journey that includes climbs and descents, all while working arms with weighted bars. Flywheel spaces have stadium seating, so "every seat in the house is a good one." If you're looking for something a bit less scene-y, check out Paris Fitness on West End Avenue, which, among its other classes, also has indoor cycling.   

A class at Pure Barre hold a full side plank with their arm stretch out above their heads

CrossFit Gyms in NYC

A few of my friends have become true CrossFit believers in the past couple of years, and judging by my lavish eating regimen over the last month, maybe it's time I gave it a try? This increasingly raved-about program combines strength and conditioning exercises in a constantly changing mix of aerobic exercise, gymnastics (or, body weight exercises), and Olympic-style weight lifting. There are several CrossFit gyms in the city, including CrossFit 212, with two locations in Tribeca and their terrific "workout of the day" schedule. 

Group of women attend the ballerina inspired workout routine Barre in NYC

Get Your Barre Body in NYC

Another program that's getting a lot of attention of late is the demanding, ballet-inspired Barre workout. The name comes from the focus on the traditional ballet bar used in the classes and the class aims to give you a dancers physique. There are many places in NYC that can give you a barre body, including a new class at the previously mentioned Flywheel, as well as Pure Yoga's Figure 4 Barre on the Upper West and East Sides, and Pure Barre (check out their Fab Abs specialty class) on the Upper West and in Union Square.

Is getting fit your New Year's Resolution? If so, what is your goal? If not, do you have a different resolution?  Share it with us on the Glenwood Facebook Page and, best of luck!

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