Three Places To Sweat It Out

Between summer barbeques, parties, and ice cream trips, it is pretty easy to see the number on the scale climbing. With August in sight, many people are working hard to stay in shape and keep active. Luckily, Scarsdale offers many different exercise options.

SoulCycle recently opened its doors right by the Scarsdale train station on the second floor of 7 Popham Road , above CVS. SoulCycle was founded by Julie Rice and Elizabeth Cutler on the Upper West Side several years ago. The classes at SoulCycle incorporate a cardio workout with upper body and core training. Different instructors teach different classes, and each comes up with a own unique workout accompanied by a customized music selection. The studio in Scarsdale has offered some themed classes, such as a session featuring music from the television show Glee or a soundtrack by Beyonce. All of the instructors have their own style of teaching, and all encourage you to shape the 45 minutes into exactly what you want them to be. Decide on a goal and a feeling or mindset you want to attain, and the instructors at SoulCycle will help you accomplish it. Your first class is just $20 and subsequent classes are $32 per class plus the cost of renting the special shoes and buying an optional water bottle. You choose your bike and sign up, usually several days before the class is scheduled. Clients also have the option of buying classes in bulk on the website. SoulCycle has become increasingly popular, especially this summer, but for good reason. A 45-minute class offers an intense, high energy, and enjoyable workout. “I’ve never actually been this excited to work out before!” said SoulCycle enthusiast Taylor Weinberg, “The music and instructors make you almost forget how hard the workout is.”

BodyFit is a studio on Scarsdale Ave that “combine[s] light weight work, isometric exercises for every muscle group and sustained stretching, all in a series of ballet barre and floor work” (www.bodyfitstudio.com/website/html/about.html). BodyFit offers five different classes and their schedule can be found online. There is a beginner class, which teaches the elements of the different exercises, an advanced class at a more intense pace, a 75-minute master class, a cardio and strength class known as the “burn” class, and a mixed levels class. You should call to make a reservation and to learn more about pricing of classes.

You can also go to a good old-fashioned gym to supplement your activities at the specialized workout studios. I go to New York Sports Club (NYSC) because they offer student memberships for the summer, which are pretty reasonably priced. The only irritating aspect is the $7.50 surcharge if you go during peak afternoon/evening hours of the week, which, of course, tend to be the most convenient times to go. NYSC offers lots of different group workout classes that are generally very good. I love the Total Body Conditioning class. A warning to students who bought the student membership...be sure to cancel your membership well before you go back to school, because NYSC requires 30 days notice or they will charge you for the month of September!

What do you do to keep in shape? Leave a comment in the space below to let people know about other exercise ideas you have to keep in shape this summer!

Body Fit
858 Scarsdale Avenue
Scarsdale
(914) 725-9400
http://www.bodyfitstudio.com/website/html/about.html

New York Sports Club
208 East Hartsdale Avenue
Hartsdale
(914) 725-8447
http://www.mysportsclubs.com/clubsched/_clubdetail.htm?rg=NYSC&a=Westchester%2c+Rockland+and+Putnam&c=256

SoulCycle
7 Popham Road
Scarsdale
(914) 713-1200
http://www.soul-cycle.com/soul-scarsdale.cfm