By Taylor Smith

New York City is rife with fitness-class offerings and the variety can be overwhelming even for a native New Yorker. Urban Agenda has sorted through some of the most popular workout options in the greater-New York area—classes that are guaranteed to get your endorphins flowing and your blood pumping. There is absolutely no need to be intimidated since nearly every studio on our list welcomes walk-ins. The one universal is that fitness of this caliber comes at a steep price, so be prepared to dig deep for that weekly sweat session. (Note: Studio locations are relevant as of October 2013)

SOUL CYCLE
www.soul-cycle.com

One of the originators of the spinning craze, Soul Cycle gives you an intense aerobic workout with a yoga-minded sensibility. Classes take place in candlelit rooms and incorporate an upperbody workout with the use of resistance bands and free weights. Don’t be surprised if you are flanked by celebrities like Anderson Cooper, Katie Holmes, Alec Baldwin, and Chelsea Clinton. Such devotees swear by the mental (as well as physical) benefits. If you enjoy the mindset of yoga, but are looking for something that will really get you sweating, chances are you will like Soul Cycle.

Soul Cycle has eight locations in Manhattan, one studio in Brooklyn, and three in the Hamptons. A new studio will be opening in Rye Brook, NY this fall. Soul Cycle just opened studios in San Francisco, as well. You can attend a single class for $34. Class packages of 5, 10, 20, 30, and 50 sessions are also offered.

FLYWHEEL SPORTS
www.new-york.flywheelsports.com

For those who like their workouts to resemble something of a competition or race to the finish line, look no further than Flywheel Sports. This spinning franchise utilizes scoreboards and stadium seating to ensure that all riders can track their class rank and follow the instructor’s directions at the same time. This spinning class incorporates four and eight pound weights for an upperbody workout. In contrast to Soul Cycle, the music played during a Flywheel class creates a club-like atmosphere.

The great thing about Flywheel Sports is that they are rapidly expanding to cities across the country. This means that you can reserve a seat in a class while you are vacationing in Miami, on a business trip in Los Angeles, or visiting family in Atlanta.

In terms of the New York-area, Flywheel has three locations in Manhattan, two studios in the Hamptons, two studios in Northern New Jersey,two in the Philadelphia region, and one in Stamford, CT. Boston will receive it’s first Flywheel Studio in this fall. A single Flywheel class in NYC will cost $32. Class packages of 5, 10, and 20 sessions are also available. The company occasionally offers unlimited class specials in select locations for a monthly fee of $180. Check with your local Flywheel studio for the latest offerings.

AQUASPINNING
www.aquastudiony.com

The latest spinning innovation is aquaspinning or pedaling a bike in a pool. At Aqua Studio, patrons line up on stationary bikes attached to the bottom of a crystalline pool. Wearing rubber cycling shoes, an instructor leads a small group (maximum class size of 15) through a vigorous routine. Compared to a typical spinning class, the resistance of the water is said to increase calorie burn and has the benefit of zero-impact, meaning no soreness in your joints. Aquaspinning has become a big hit in France and the NYC studio is the first in the U.S. Oddly enough, the current classes are offered for women only. You are required to bring a bathing suit (preferably a secure, one piece) and little else. Many reviewers have noted that part of the charm is the novelty of spinning underwater. Many have made claims to the wonderful sleep-benefits.

Aqua Studio is located in Tribeca, 78 Franklin Street. Classes are offered 7 days a week. You can attend a first-time trial class for $34. Class packages of 5, 10, 20, and 30 sessions are also available.

PHYSIQUE 57
www.physique57.com

Physique 57 is what you would call a “barre” class. This style of fitness incorporates movements found in ballet, yoga, and pilates to tone and lengthen the muscles. Barre classes tend to focus on the core and glutes by using resistance bands, your own body weight, modified ballet positions, and more squats and leg lifts than you ever imagined possible. The goal here is to develop a dancer’s physique.

Physique 57 has three locations in Manhattan, one in the Hamptons, and numerous studios along the West Coast. There are many different price packages and offerings. You can sign up for one class for $36, along with class packages of 5, 10, or 20 sessions. They also offer unlimited class memberships for $375 per month.

BROOKLYN CREW (INDOOR ROWING)
www.brooklyn-crew.com

Brooklyn Crew is a high-end fitness studio that combines top indoor rowing technology with experienced (and passionate) crew coaches. Considered to be one of the toughest sports in the world, a workout at Brooklyn Crew will have you building muscle and aerobic endurance with every stroke.

Classes are generally 45 minutes in length and are led by a rowing coach. With machines that simulate the sensation of rowing through water, these coaches lead small classes that guide rowers through a complete body workout. If you’ve never used a rowing machine before, don’t worry. First-timers receive one-on-one instruction from a coach until they master their rowing form.

Brooklyn Crew has one location in Williamsburg, 20 Broadway Street. You can purchase a single session for $38. They also offer class packages of 5, 10, 20, and 30 sessions.

TRACY ANDERSON METHOD
www.tracyandersonmethod.com

A favorite with female celebrities, Tracy Anderson’s routines combine an hour’s worth of jumping, dance moves, and peculiar arm, leg, and body repetitions to help you to develop lean muscles. Anderson, a former dancer, developed her technique after working with hundreds of women across the country. She has now partnered with actress Gwyneth Paltrow to open studios in Manhattan and the Hamptons. Anderson’s classes are very exclusive and you must buy a specialized package to participate in her daily class offerings. Members can also request to receive a meal delivery service with recipes perfected by Anderson, herself. Sweet potato-protein smoothie, anyone?

Tracy Anderson Method Studios are located at 24 Hubert Street in Manhattan and 903 Montauk Highway in Water Mill, NY. The Hamptons studio location offers four sessions for $190, ten sessions for $450, and 20 sessions for $850. A single, one-hour session will cost you $120. Contact Tracy Anderson’s Manhattan studio for month-to-month price offerings.

WARRIOR FITNESS BOOTCAMP
www.warriorfitnessbootcamp.com

“Train like a marine with real marines.” That’s the premise of Warrior Fitness Bootcamp, a style of workout that is becoming more popular thanks to the cult of CrossFit. An hour-long session will have you running up and down stairs, weight lifting, scaling walls, running laps, and moving through challenging obstacle courses. Each session is overseen by a former U.S. Marine who will try to prove to you that you are tougher than you ever imagined.

Warrior Fitness has one location at 29 W 35th Street, between Fifth and Sixth Avenues, located on the third floor. You can sign-up for a trial class before buying class packages. Warrior Fitness offers a 3-class introductory package for $60. After that, prices jump to $60 per class.

CROSSFIT NYC
www.crossfitnyc.com

CrossFit has really taken on a life of its own. The regulars will tell you that you get amazing strength and muscle definition. Here, you are likely to find Olympic level athletes and weightlifters. However, the atmosphere tends to be competitive with many patrons treating the group sessions like a true sport, trying to out do the number of squats and pull-ups of their neighbor. For some this may be confidence building, even motivational, but for others it may be a turn-off. You really have to experience it for yourself.

CrossFit NYC has two locations in Manhattan, one in Brooklyn, and one in Queens. A single session will cost you $25 while a general membership of $199 per month (12-month commitment) will give you an unlimited number of classes. CrossFit offers a special rate of $159 per month for students, active duty military, firefighters, and law enforcement officials.

BARRY'S BOOTCAMP
www.barrysbootcamp.com

Bronx-born Barry Jay, the founder and creator of Barry’s Bootcamp, is known for workouts that get maximum results in a short amount of time. These classes will have you sprinting on the treadmill, pedaling on bikes, lifting weights, and performing jump squats, all in a highly-stylized sequence. Type A personalities like Wall Street managers, real estate developers, and TV moguls tend to call this bootcamp “home.” Classes are divided into categories that include “Arms & Abs,” “Legs, Back, and Shoulders,” and “Full Body.” Somehow, the trainers manage to create an atmosphere that is at once grueling and entertaining.

Barry’s Bootcamp has one studio in Tribeca and one in Chelsea. A single, one-hour session costs $32. Various package deals and month-to-month memberships are also available.