As great as Long Island summers can be, the weather is often too oppressively hot to go for an outdoor run and the prospect of getting on a treadmill at the gym is too boring to bear. Throw in barbecues and ice cream parlor trips and it’s a recipe for swimsuit goal fail. I found better ways for you to motivate yourself into prime fitness condition. Ten NYC and Long Island fitness classes to take this summer will keep you entertained, energized and focused on your goals.
AQUA, NYC
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Increase endurance, improve posture and make soreness a distant memory in cutting-edge underwater spin classes. Class-goers tone and burn on underwater bikes during 45-minute classes that don’t include the impact of exercising on land. Class options include Interval, Power and Boost for beginner, intermediate and advanced cyclers, respectively. The studio says working out in the water helps to enhance many bodily functions, such as breathing, sleeping and flexibility and challenges the body and mind to work together to obtain maximum results. Phone: 212-966-6784 | Address: 78 Franklin St. Click to visit
SoulCycle, Several Locations: LI and NYC
For those who want to stick with land cycling, SoulCycle is a staple of the New York City and Long Island fitness scenes. There are six Long Island locations and 19 in the city, meaning people are never far from a full-body sweat session. Forty-five minute classes include sprints, climbs, hand weights, core workouts and pump-up music. Also be sure to check out SoulCycle Bridgehampton collaboration with Lululemon Below the Barn, which features classes and events running through August. Click to visit
Shadowbox, Brooklyn and NYC
These taxing 45-minute classes offer heavy bag and interval training for beginner and advanced boxers. The workouts are designed to imitate the mental and physical intensity of a boxing match—minus person-to-person contact—tone muscles, decrease stress and burn 1,000 or more calories. Music powers participants through fatigue and muscle burn. Classes are offered daily and 60-minute options included for those who really love to sweat. Brooklyn Phone: 718-305-6488 Address: 55 Prospect St. NYC Phone: 646-666-0756 Address: 28 West 20 St., Manhattan Click to visit
POUND, Several Locations: LI and NYC
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Ditch the free weights and pick up a pair of drumsticks; it’s time to rock out. Drumming “Ripstix,” which participants use to drum along to music during high-intensity reps, increase resistance and engage the core. Not only does POUND get people in shape and tone muscles; the drumming is also said to improve brain functions, such as focus and stress relief. Regulars also say the sessions have made them forget how tedious exercising once was. Classes are offered all over, including Lifetime in Syosset, Crunch Fitness in West Babylon and Synergy Fitness in Merrick. Click to visit
Surfset, Several Locations: LI and NYC
Created to mimic the workout surfers get when catching waves, Surfset focuses on building up the core and strengthening muscles to gain a lean, strong physique. The 45-minute-long classes also include cardio and balancing; the only thing missing is the ocean! Surfset is offered on Long Island in East Hampton and Bayshore, as well as several locations in New York City. Click to visit
Punk Rope, NYC and Brooklyn
Punk Rope strikes a nostalgic chord: It involves jumping rope. It’s billed as a fun, calorie-burning workout that is easy and open to all levels. Benefits include increasing speed, coordination and agility, making it a top choice for runners looking to cross-train. NYC Address: 344 E. 14th St. Brooklyn Address: 99 Meserole Ave. Click to visit
Chaise Fitness, Several locations in NYC
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This combination of ballet, yoga, strength training and a bungee system has culminated into what is known as “bungee dancing”—a revolutionary way to develop lean muscle and burn fat. The studios in FiDi, Flatiron and the Upper East Side offer eight different bungee workout classes for beginner, intermediate and advanced skill sets, which may emphasize cardio, endurance or flexibility. Participants are challenged to balance in difficult positions, hold up to resistance and defy gravity. Click to visit
Emerge Yoga and Wellness, Massapequa
Speaking of defying gravity, this Long Island fitness studio offers aerial yoga classes. From anti-gravity pilates to AIRBarre, Emerge not only provides muscle-strengthening, balance-improving workouts, but a space for meditation, self-expression and connecting body and mind. Phone: 516-781-1078 | Address: 623 Broadway, Click to visit
Aquaphysical: FloatFit, NYC
Can’t get enough of the water? Try Aquaphysical’s FloatFit. These 30-sessions of either Vinyasa Yoga or HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) are taught on mats that float on the pool’s surface. The yoga sessions focus more on breathing and mind-body collaboration, while the HIIT classes provide a more intense full-body workout, complete with burpees and squats. Not to mention, working out atop a pool with the possibility of falling in is a pretty stimulating experience. Phone: 917-521-6666 | Address: TMPL Gym: 355 West 49 St. Click to visit
Row 45, Westbury
Sculpt and burn with these 45-minute, full-body workout sessions. Unlike running, which can put stress on the knees and back, rowing is a low-impact exercise. But don’t let that fool you into thinking it’s easy. Rowers feel the burn from their legs to their abs to their arms, leaving them feeling exhausted but accomplished at the end. The sessions can help you burn up to 600 calories and the combination of HIIT, cardio and strength training is perfect for toning your body into its best shape. Phone: 844-769-4569 | Address: 1 Albertson Ave., Albertson and 609-2 Cantiague Rock Rd. Click to visit