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| My new swim cap I got at the 92YMCA |
Well, for most people in the city, it is going to the gym or training for maratons (Whatsup with all these marathoners?). For me, it is whatever classes that look interested and most importantly, FREE (or cheap!).
My first year in the city, I decided to sign up for the gym...reluctantly. I wanted to take up yoga again at
Pure Yoga like I did back in
Taiwan but the monthly membership was over $120 so it was a nay. I then decided that going to the gym (
New York Sports Club) was the next best thing and Dave who was already a member, would be my motivator. Boy was I wrong. Every time I entered the gym, I want to clock out as soon as possible. I didn't love it. Taking spin classes helped me stay interested because it was something new and an instructor pushed me however, I was constantly bored if I didn't attend a class. Access to a swimming pool at certain locations was a bonus but they were not convenient locations and so we did not go as often as I would have liked.
When we were going on a 3 week vacation to Taiwan and paused our membership, I never bothered reactivating it. At last, I was free from the gym but found myself doing zero physical activity. Since then, I found things to do here and there. A Livingsocial deal brought me to take a couple of pole dancing classes. It was fun and I was so motivated that a trip to Harlem after work didn't bug me at all and even bought extra classes. Unfortunately, before I could finish the 5 classes I purchased, the studio closed down and actually took our money with it. They actually said they were closing for renovations, then they had moved and then moved again..and finally, they stopped offering any classes whatsoever.
Other free or cheap classes I have taken:
I took community yoga right by apartment building at
Sapere Studios every Sunday. I donated $5 per class. They stopped offering them for a while now.
I took free women's self defense classes with cardio and kickboxing workouts. I stopped doing that because the instructor talked too much and we didn't get too kick some butt too often. This was offered every Tuesday night at
Chka martial arts school in the East village.
I now try to attend the free yoga class offered at my work every Tuesday.
Currently, I get limited free swimming and workout sessions at the 92 street YMCA on the Upper East Side using a coworker's work ID. Ozone cleaned pools are sooo much better!
Then, from time to time, we do our own thing like hiking but the major part of my physical activities is roaming the city! Walking hours on end is definitely a great workout (but stopping at a cupcake shop is totally counteractive)!
Some people suggest I can work out at home or what not but ...I need constant motivation. Looking good and feeling better is not enough it seems. I need everything to be fun to work for me.
What are your favorite way to workout for cheap or free? Do you follow exercise videos online? Do you work out at home? A jogger perhaps?
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