your weekly nyc fitness and wellness guide: june 22 - 28
Pride workouts, a running rave, plenty of cold plunging, a floating sound bath, and a new spa opening.
Happy official summer. I was walking down Bedford Ave and stopped in my tracks when I noticed a sign in the window of what looked like a smoke shop: “peptides sold here.”
The poster advertised GLP-1s alongside non-FDA-approved peptides like retatrutide (the new weight-loss drug gym bros are obsessed with) and injectable NAD+. Maddie popped into the shop yesterday and the worker said they were indeed selling them. Guess you can casually grab a vial on the corner of Bedford and 5th? But I’d be weary with a sign that explicitly says “not for human consumption.”
This week: Pride workouts, a running rave, plenty of cold plunging, a floating sound bath, and new spa opening.
on the radar: this week’s fitness and wellness events
Tuesday June 23: Gay Bar Fun Run (Williamsburg), 7PM, free
This Pride party starts with a 3 or 5 mile run (your choice) before ending at the Exley in Williamsburg for a fundraising evening of raffles and drinks benefiting the Ali Forney Center, which provides shelter and services for LGBTQ+ youth experiencing homelessness.
Tuesday June 23: Soundbody x Unveiled NY Workout (Williamsburg), 630PM, $42
This 50-minute strength and cardio workout moves to the beat of a live DJ at Unveiled NY nightclub in Williamsburg. Based on the playlist on Soundbody’s website, expect mostly house music.
Wednesday June 24: QTPOC On The Rocks Meetup (Gowanus), 7PM, $15
If you’ve ever wanted to get into climbing (or you already have and are looking for a group to do it with), there’s an LGBTQ POC meet up at the Bouldering Project in Brooklyn. BP always has fun routes even for beginners (some gyms really don’t), and $15 is a serious discount for a day pass.
Wednesday June 24: Gigis Pilates x Strength (Midtown), 730PM, $15
Gigi’s NYC hosts pop-up wellness events, and we love that this 45-minute pilates class is only $15, when most will run you much more than that. Her events seem to attract a cute group of gals and seem more focused on bringing people together than just filling a class.
Wednesday June 24: Adidas x Garmin Summer Sunset Run (Williamsburg), 7PM, free
Brooklyn Running Co is partnering with Adidas and Garmin to get some gear demos going for runners. Head out for some sunset miles and test the Adidas Evo SL (yes they’re one of the most hyped shoe but sooo good) and a Garmin watch to track your workout—they’ll only have 25 of these so show up early and bring your ID if this is a priority to you.
Thursday June 25: Rerouted x Salomon Speed Friending Run (Williamsburg), 630PM, free
Ok this speed “friending” run from Rerouted Running actually sounds so fun. Each mile you’re paired with one other runner and given conversation prompts—a nice little icebreaker and push to talk to new people, whereas some run clubs can be a bit cliquey. It starts at the Salomon store in Williamsburg and ends at Radegast, where drinks are on the house (er, brand).
Thursday June 25: Prox Pulse Run / Rave (Williamsburg), 7PM, free
Prox, a new caffeinated sparkling protein drink brand (lol wut), is hosting a two-mile easy run that follows DJ Swaggy P as he spins decks on a mobile DJ truck. We’re not sold on the drink concept (I’ve hated every sparkling protein drink I’ve tried) but this event sounds like fun! RSVP required on Forte.
Friday June 26: Level Up FC Soccer Day (Randall’s Island), 1PM, free
Lean into the World Cup energy by learning how to play soccer at this community day on the fields on Randall’s Island. There will be coaching from pros, as well workshops for people interested in growing their career in sports. Free food and drinks too, and open to all regardless of what industry you’re in.
Friday June 26: After Hours Club x Ice Cold Club Flow & Sound (Williamsburg), 530PM, $35
End your work week with a nice reset to launch you into the weekend. After Hours Club is hosting rooftop yoga, followed by a cold water immersion/sound experience with Nike trainer, ice bath coach, and genuine joy of a human Lauren Schramm.
Saturday June 27: Runna First to Fast Track Session (Randall’s Island), 9AM, free
You can still snag a ticket to one of the track sessions that Runna is hosting with athlete Kayla Jeter on Saturday morning. (Hannah will be there!) The workout is interval-based, but don’t let that scare you: the hardest efforts are only 90 seconds at a time, so it should feel pretty approachable even if you’re not a track person. It should be a whole vibe with DJ sets, post-workout food, and bevs. See you there?
Saturday June 27: Sound Off Floating Sound Bath (Williamsburg), 8AM, $70
Hop on a floatie (or sprawl out in a cabana) and don some noise-cancelling headphones: Molly Rabuffo is leading a sound bath at the Arlo Williamsburg’s rooftop pool on Saturday morning. A regular sound bath is already transformative, but while enjoying it while floating sounds extra delightful.
Saturday June 27: AthletEX Game Day (Long Island City), 1130AM, $69
Former college or pro athletes, this one’s for you. AthletEX is hosting a full day of movement and recovery at The Summer Club, a very Bravo-coded lawn and pool situation in LIC. Expect a HIIT workout, cold plunges, protein shakes, and Normatec boots. And if you want to keep the day going, stick around after Game Day wraps for the DJ pool party that follows.
Saturday June 27: mobius Pride and Pilates (Williamsburg) 12PM, free
It seems like Pride month started yesterday but it’s almost coming to an end. Celebrate with a free pilates class from mobius, a social fitness app where you can share your workouts without focusing on metrics, and the Movement Loft, a physical therapy space. We don’t know anyone using the app yet, but the brand seems committed to community by hosting a ton of free workouts and events, which we love to see.
Sunday June 28: Outsiders Bike to the Mets Game (Central Park), 10AM - 6PM, $70 (including discounted Mets ticket)
Do sports before you watch sports! Outsiders, an outdoor-based social club, is hosting a bike ride to Citi Field for the Mets game. It’s about 18 miles and they plan to take around 2 - 2.5 hours with food stops, which is a very leisurely pace.
Sunday June 28: Peak and Pace Hike and Swim (Croton Point Park), 9AM - 130PM, $30
Peak and Pace knows how to throw a party, and this time they’re taking it to the Hudson Valley for a lil hike and swim action. There aren’t exact route details for the hike, but apparently it will be a chill 3.5 miles, ending at the beach at Croton Point Park. Transportation isn’t included in the price, but some of the group will be meeting at the train station to ride together.
we think you should know…
This week everyone’s been talking about how SoulCycle CEO Evelyn Webster stepped down and the brand announced the closure of 8 locations, including the Bryant Park studio in NYC. I (Maddie) love SoulCycle and believe they set the stage for the boutique fitness world as we know it, but it’s been a sinking ship for years and I’m not optimistic that things will turn around.
Fitness trends are always evolving, but the SoulCycle leadership failed to adapt to the changing landscape. A big part of what made the studio so wildly successful was the larger-than-life instructors, so when the brand stopped investing in talent and paying their instructors as well, it was only time before it fell apart. If newer instructors aren’t given the training, resources, and pay to develop themselves, the quality of classes suffer.
Customers are also pivoting away from spending $42 on a single class when bigger luxury gyms (ie. Lifetime, Equinox) offer unlimited memberships with high-quality classes and facilities. So when a studio is half-full, the whole atmosphere also doesn’t hit the same. Less people come, then less people want to come.
Still, there are still many instructors with cult followings across the city, but that trend may be on its way out. Now, gym-goers are seeking more personalized instruction and connection from coaches instead of worshipping aspirational figures who have little time or interest in engaging with their students. (It goes a long way when an instructor knows your name.) Is the era of star instructors on a podium coming to an end?
happenings around town
Outdoor clothing brand Fjallraven launched its 2026 Trails Challenge to help people spend more time outside this summer. Stop by either the Meatpacking or SOHO store to get signed up, and you’ll get a list of 10 trails chosen by the staff. (I’m more drawn to the Meatpacking staff’s choices, which include a trail in Van Cortland Park in the Bronx and a waterfall trail outside of Newark). Check off five hikes and you’ll get a patch and store discount.
Lululemon’s free summer workout series is kicking off this week, and the tickets launch 14 days before each workout and go pretty quickly, so we won’t be able to include them in the weekly roundups. The next one is on June 28.
It’s pool season so let us put you onto Resort Pass—a platform for buying day passes to spas and hotels around the city. Hannah used it when she was in Joshua Tree for a girl’s trip, but it seems like a great way to pool hop this summer. We’re eyeballing The Beach at Dream Downtown, the cabanas for 4 at the Arlo Williamsburg, and the work-from-pool deal right now at the Hotel Indigo (more chill, less of a scene).
Usal just announced their next summer camping trip from July 17 - 19, and they’ll be going to a private campground upstate (dreamy). Campers will arrive to a fully set up basecamp with gear from Snow Peak, and most everything is planned and taken care of except for food—plan to cook for yourself during communal cooking hours.
Social bathhouses have been the moment (and we don’t think they’re going away anytime soon), but more sauna spaces are arising focused on solo rejuvenation. The latest is Japanese spa, Furoya, which will be opening soon by Union Square, and leans into bathing heritage with a hot tub, sauna, cold plunge, and a recovery space—Totonou—where you’re supposed to let the body recalibrate after contrast therapy.
That’s all for this week. If you make it to any of these events, we want to hear about it. Let us know in the comments. And if you come across something worth featuring, send it our way or drop it in the community chat!
PR and brands, our inboxes are always open for news and events we need to know. New studios: We’d love to come join a class and write about it.
Know someone who'd be into this? Forward it to them.
See you next Monday.