NYC offers nearly 100 free fitness classes. We tried a few to see what they’re like.

New York City is flush with fitness classes, from spin to yoga to crossfit. But these specialty workouts can be expensive – and popping into a new one you’ve never tried before can be a bit daunting. That’s doubly true if, like me, you have gone months without a regular fitness routine.

This year, I decided to get out of my winter funk by sampling the free exercise classes available across the five boroughs through Shape Up NYC. The program has been around for about two decades, and there are now nearly 100 workouts on offer in city rec centers and parks. During the pandemic, the city began adding more outdoor and virtual classes to the lineup, but I had never tried a Shape Up class before and decided to dive in headfirst. 

Shape Up classes may be free, but they don't discount on the intensity. Over the course of three days last week, I took four sessions in as many boroughs. I’m still a little sore.

Click "listen" to hear about the journey, and visit Gothamist for more details.