Dec 28 2008
Staying Fit on the Road
The holidays can be a difficult time to fit in your daily exercise. Add rich food, drink, and family stress, and you could be climbing up the walls by the time you go home. This year I spent the holidays with my sister and parents in New York, and found the city has a wealth of opportunities to exercise, stretch, and relax during short stays. Here are a few recommendations if you find yourself in the city.Power Pilates49 West 23rd Street, between 5th and 6th AvenuesThe studios offers very good classes, and offer an introductory offer of a week of unlimited mat classes for $25. They also offer apparatus and tower classes, but these are not covered in the introductory offer.Om Yoga826 Broadway, 6th Floor, at 12th Street A nice, relaxed atmosphere, more hippie than yuppie. Individual drop-in classes are $18, half-hour express classes are $12, and an introductory 2-class card can be had for $25.The Ailey Extension405 West 55th Street at Ninth AvenueThis dance and pilates studio has classes for non-professionals (”real people”). You can get an introductory 2-class card for $25. And with the Alvin Ailey name, you know it’s good. Bikram Yoga lower east side172 Allen Street, 2nd Floor All classes are 90 minutes, and there are between four and five classes on offer daily, seven days a week. A single class is $20, but they have an introductory offer of $20 for a week of yoga. They also offer discounts to full time employees of non-profit organisations and senior citizens. Two towels and a washcloth is included in the price of an individual class, and a mat is included in the introductory special though towels are $1. A very good deal. The most reasonable exercise while you are traveling is running: as long as you have good shoes and appropriate clothing for the weather, most cities have safe pedestrian and cycle paths which offer wonderful views. In New York, the path leading from Battery Park up the West Side is a haven for runners and cyclists, though it can get windy next to the water. Central Park has numerous runners paths, with maps available online here. Stay happy, healthy and safe!
