New York City is a playground for any gym enthusiast. There are so many diffrent ways to train unconventionally. The diverse terrain of the city offers many unorthodox workouts that challenge your body as well as your soul. From concrete jungles to rivers, here are a few of the more unorthodox options in and around NYC that promise a fun-filled adventure to your exercise routine.
Parkour
Parkour, often referred to as the body’s use of cities in and around it, transforms a city’s buildings into a dynamic obstacle course. The practitioners of this art, called traceurs, jump, vault, and scale over buildings in cities, developing strength, flexibility, and perception of space. The varied buildings of NYC provide a great canvas for this art. There also exist groups like The Movement Creative that teach in a structured manner in the form of classes and workshops throughout the city, to every level of proficiency.
Rowing
Beyond its energetic streets, NYC also boasts a number of waterways that offer a serene background for rowers. Aside from making one’s heart stronger, rowing also tightens up one’s core, back, and arms. The Harlem River and the Hudson River are two of the spots to take in this action. Organizations such as Harlem River Community Rowing enable newcomers to get in on it as well as veteran rowers to take in sights around the skyscrapers of the city, offering a unique view of the metropolis.
Rock Climbing
Rock climbing is a physical and mental challenge that requires problem-solving skills and body strength. There are various climbing gyms in NYC that cater to enthusiasts of every proficiency level. Brooklyn Boulders, for instance, boasts large complexes that mimic actual patterns of rock in their routes. If one desires something more in nature, Shawangunk Ridge, also known as “The Gunks,” just two hours or so north of the city, is a destination that boasts world-class climbs in a visually dramatic natural setting.
Aerial Fitness
Aerial fitness is a combination of strength training, dance, and gymnastics that is accomplished using equipment such as hoops and silks that hang from the ceiling. Classes in such centers as AntiGravity Fitness in NYC allow one to move one’s body in mid-air, enhancing flexibility, strength, and body awareness. The exercise is a body challenge accomplished in mid-air, combined with a sense of exhilaration that is caused by overcoming gravity.
Dance-Based Fitness
For those who derive their inspiration from rhythm and music, dance-fitness classes are a high-energy alternative to regular workout routines. Doonya is one such dance-fitness trend that blends Eastern and Western approaches to wellness, offering Bollywood-style dance routines in their classes. The sessions provide a cardio workout aside from making one’s coordination stronger and allowing one to move their body in rhythm to the music.
Water Sports
Engaging in jet skiing is a great way of staying fit. Jet skiing requires a combination of strength in abdominal muscles, coordination, and balance, providing a total body workout. Jet ski service is key to safety and performance. Periodical maintenance checks can prevent potential issues and help you enjoy trouble-free water adventures.
Incorporating these unconventional exercises in your routine can break up the monotony and challenge you in new ways. The varied landscape of New York City is a massive gym in disguise, offering innumerable means of getting active and having a different body challenge each day. Leaping over park benches, rowing across the Hudson, or scaling indoor climbing walls, the city is a constantly evolving canvas for you to paint on.
