your weekly nyc fitness and wellness guide: august 10 - 16
A new fitness dating app concept event, a ladies’ run/cold plunge, and an interactive art/sports installation at Rockaway Beach.
Good morning. Only a few more days of this heat wave until we get some nice 80 degree days again. Props to everyone I saw on IG who was running outside this weekend but like, are you ok? Are you hydrated? Stay safe bbs.
This week, I rearranged my room and I will say it was one of my favorite activities for my mental wellness in the last month. That, and a library card.
Wellness for me lately also looked like skipping my long run, resting my body, and lounging at the pool/learning Mahjong for the launch of Premier Protein’s new sparkling sodas. (Grapefruit is actually good and not chalky, I wouldn’t lead you astray.)
This week: A new fitness dating app concept event, a ladies’ run/cold plunge, and an interactive art/sports installation at Rockaway Beach.
on the radar: this week’s fitness and wellness events
Tuesday August 11: Soft Bar x Emergen-C The Drink of Summer (Williamsburg), 5PM, free
Ok, I really hate that they used AI to make this poster (Emergen-C is a giant brand! Pay someone!) but this is a cute idea and an excuse to go drink some mocktails in a beautiful NA bar in Williamsburg. We love to see more brand events like this open to the public rather than just media/influencers.
Tuesday August 11: Young Savage Fitness Queer Workout Class (LES), 7PM, $25
Standard gyms aren’t always welcoming/inclusive spaces, but this one hour all-levels strength and conditioning class is. Hosted by nonbinary trainer Liana G, this class will teach you the basics of resistance training, or if you’re already experienced, give you a fun, supportive environment to practice.
Wednesday August 12: Reckless Run Crew x Ice Cold Club Run to Plunge Ladies Night (Williamsburg), 630PM, free
For the girls: A run club and recovery night just for you in this partnership between Reckless Run Crew and Ice Cold Club. It’s supposed to be nearly 85 degrees on Wednesday, so a post 5k ice bath doesn’t sound half bad.
Wednesday August 12: Leg Day’s West Side Highway Run-In (West Side Highway), 6PM, free
We reported on Leg Day—a new fitness-based dating app that so far is only available for Equinox users at select gyms—a few weeks ago, and now they’re hosting an “open event” where you download the app, walk/run on the West Side Highway during certain hours, and have the opportunity to connect with other people in the area on the app. If you match, you’ll be invited to a post-run event. Just keep in mind with over 2500 RSVPs, this is NOT an organized run.
Friday August 14: Crust by Carson x Motto Run Club (Chelsea) 8AM, free
When I was writing a piece for GQ about why I’m going to eat more carbs this year, my editor put me on to baking and running influencer Crust by Carson. He’s hosting a run club in partnership with Motto (a hotel in Chelsea), where they’ll end the run with breakfast and coffee.
Saturday August 15: Free Peace Awake NY Meditation Club (LES), 9AM, free
What better way to start your Saturday morning than with a meditation/breathwork session led by Kenji Summers set to music from a New York artist.
Saturday August 15: Outsiders Caribbean Bike Ride (Manhattan), 12PM, $25
Starting at Columbus Circle, this 22-mile route into Brooklyn stops at Caribbean-owned small food businesses along the route to give you a taste of the best oxtail, jerk chicken, and patties in the city. Ticket doesn’t include food costs, and if you don’t have a bike, rentals are available at the starting location.
Saturday August 15: Street Lights NYC Adult Recess (Murray Hill), 4PM, free
We absolutely love the idea of this event: “Play til the street lights come on.” They’ll be playing childhood favs like freeze tag, double dutch, and dodgeball, and stress that it’s not about networking or fitness, it’s about play as a fundamental human experience.
Sunday August 16: Skyline Sculpt with Claudette (SoHo), 745AM, $35
We’re not usually a huge fan of sculpt workouts (because they’re often marketed as strength training when they’re not), but set in a gorgeous location (ModernHaus rooftop) and led by an instructor we trust, Claudette Sariya, this seems like a great way to start your Sunday morning.
happenings around town
Narc NYC (Not a Run Club), ATEAM, and Snow Peak are teaming up to host the NARC Nature Camp on September 18 through 20th. The weekend will be at a dreamy farm in the Catskills for three nights and two days (transportation and tents provided) where you’ll have the opportunity to learn how to camp, hike, trail run, swim. It’s sold out with a waitlist, but ATEAM is having a giveaway for tickets so maybe its worth signing up now.
Kula Yoga Project in Williamsburg is now on ClassPass. I have mixed feelings about this after having seen Classpass’s long term negative impact on studios. But in a market as saturated as New York is, it’s hard to stay visible without being on their platform. And despite being one of the oldest and most established studios in New York, Kula somehow feels like a secret that you’re only in on if you’ve been practicing for a long time or were lucky enough to hear about it through a friend. It’s where you go if you want to learn yoga well rather than just dabble. Even as a teacher, every time I take class there I learn something new or feel a detail I’ve never felt. I’d love for newer yogis to experience us and I’m optimistic that the move to Classpass can facilitate that.
The US Open Tennis Championships are coming to NY, and it’s fan week August 23 through 29th. Even if you don’t have tickets to the tournament, you can watch players practice and catch qualifying matches for free before the main events.
If you find yourself in the Rockaways at some point, head to Beach 67 and check out this art installation of playable, sculptural art ping pong tables from six different artists. You can borrow paddles/balls for free on the weekends, but weekdays you’ll have to bring your own.
Last week, Emily Sundberg reported that Brooklyn is getting yet another wellness club, teased via a cryptic, artsy website and job listings promising “a new kind of third space.” (Never heard that one before.) Add that to the equally mysterious Marshlands slated to open a “sanctuary” in DUMBO in 2027. How many saunas, cold plunges, and vaguely defined opportunities for connection can one borough sustain?
meanwhile,
See you next Monday.