Text and photos by Stacie Joy
Interested in isolation yoga or some quarantine pilates? Dancing wildly while sheltering in place? Maybe some HIIT while adhering to the mandate to stay at home and observe social distancing?
Here are some ways you can do just that, and support the hard-hit fitness industry. Included are links to some free, low-cost or donation-based local services as well as more formal price structures for private virtual classes.
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Image via the Flying Squirrel website]
• Flying Squirrel Studios, the cozy pilates space on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, is offering virtual mat classes (and virtual private sessions) via Zoom. Mat classes are $15. Find more details at this
link.
• The Pilates Local in Union Square has some Vimeo-based free beginner and intermediate mat workouts
here. There is also a 15-minute spinal stretch class.
• East Village resident, personal trainer and
Avea Pilates instructor Sabrina Castro is offering livestream classes via Zoom, including a 50-minute “Pilates and Chill” class on Fridays at 11 a.m. for $15. You can learn more about her classes
here. She also offers 30-minute free coffee-break classes from time to time to get you off the couch.
Meanwhile, Avea Pilates on Avenue A at Seventh Street (second level) is offering virtual classes. Details at this
link.
• If you like a bit of dance mixed in with your Pilates, then check out Bianca Falco’s private and semi-private online classes at this
link while her Rivington Street space is closed.
• Chinese Hawaiian Kenpo Academy has online group classes or private lesson trial class for $19 (available via Zoom, Facebook Messenger and other apps) for first timers, or a two-month special for $199. More
here.
• Now Yoga has hourlong online yoga offerings, including yin and mindfulness/mediation and discussion classes, and well as traditional vinyasa and stretch and restore.
The studio also offers always-free Yoga 4 Cancer (for survivors or those currently in-treatment). All classes are by donation if you so choose, and are done via Zoom. You can see the schedule
here. Studio owner Renata Dibiase says she hopes to offer downloadable classes for rent via Vimeo platform soon.
• Stanton Street Yoga is offering $5 at-home drop-in classes for both beginners and more seasoned yogis, with additional yoga nidra, breathwork and meditation classes available. Classes are conducted via Zoom, and you can register and see the current schedule
here. You will need to have a (free) Mind Body account to participate.
•
Body Evolutions Studio East Village has at-home chair and mat exercises via Zoom, FaceTime or Facebook Messenger with a suggested rate of $40/private session. Gyrotonics master teacher and studio owner Billy Macagnone says, “Motion creates emotion, so the way we move can very much dictate the way we feel.” You can email
[email protected] (attention Gloria) to set up a session.
• Blink Fitness, which has a location on Avenue A and Fourth Street at Lafayette, is doing free live and on-demand Facebook videos for at-home workouts, like this
one that uses Tide bottles and a suitcase!
• Planet Fitness is offering free live via Facebook at-home 20-minute workouts to relive stress and keep mobile daily at 7 p.m.
here.
• Union Square’s 305 Fitness has free twice-daily (at noon and 6 p.m.) YouTube-based live dance digital
events, including classes like Hump Day Hot Mess with Ana and Country Hoedown. There’s also a 30-minute kid-friendly dance class on Sunday evenings at 6.
• If Qi Gong is your thing, then you can move energy and promote balance and adaptability at home with LES resident and Abrons Arts Center instructor Ilona Bito, who has sliding scale classes available. More info
here.
• Sky Ting Yoga, which has a studio down on Allen Street, is offering online yoga classes daily. Find more info at this
link.
Some other options include solo running, biking or walking, an especially nice path is along the East River Park. There are a few outdoor gyms and tracks but the city has closed them to group fitness activities and encourages you to observe strict social distancing of at least 6 feet between yourself and others.
NYC Parks Department has these strengthen and tone handouts for legs/glutes, back/core and arms/shoulders, most of which you can do at home. If you do not have lightweight dumbbells at home, then you can use milk jugs, water bottles or detergent containers instead.
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