by Christine Chagaris
Okay. Since perhaps New Year’s Day rolled around, you keep saying to yourself that you want to work out, (Hey, intent is a start! I know, I’ve been there.) but you really don’t know where to begin. Well, don’t fret yet! There is a wide range of great places to work out, tone up and get in shape on the Upper East Side. You name it, from weight training, yoga, Pilates, good old aerobics, individual training sessions to even jumping rope, there is a place for everyone with different fitness needs. So, let’s start our “workout” and visit a few.
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Nestled in an intimate studio, Attune Holistic Fitness is geared to those who want one-on-one attention and a sustainable solution to their fitness needs. Attune specializes in Holistic Fitness programs that can help you achieve any goal as well as eliminate the causes of chronic pain and a host of other troublesome physical conditions. “Attune is a one-stop-shop for fitness,” says founder Eva Pelegrin. “Your fitness program can integrate an array of modalities that is simply not available at regular health clubs and gyms – anything from private training and holistic nutrition to acupuncture and sophisticated mind-body therapies.” But rest assured, you can still get a killer workout at Attune! Eva Pelegrin is a uniquely qualified trainer with celebrity clients and elite credentials like Fellow of Applied Functional Science. She and her team of full-time professionals create training programs that use natural movement and cutting-edge tools like Clubbells® to build great looking-bodies, functional strength and long-term wellbeing.
“Attune is not just about efficient training,” says Pelegrin. “We offer a practical method to bring your body and inner self into balance, which is the key to staying in your best shape for life. Our Holistic Fitness programs also eliminate the hidden obstacles that can hold you back, so you get sustainable results, faster.” Attune tailors its programs to each person like a custom-made suit – nothing is left to chance. It all starts with a detailed holistic assessment that gives Pelegrin the facts she needs to plan the straightest route to achieving your goals. Your program may only involve private training, but when you need to, you can work with an Attune practitioner in another field (like massage therapy or nutrition) who understands your needs, goals and challenges right from the start. “Attune practitioners function as your personal team of experts, explains Pelegrin. “They are thoroughly briefed on your needs and coordinate their efforts, so you get the most out of each session. The bottom line is that Attune is about more than great workouts that get you in great shape. It is an investment in your own wellbeing that will pay dividends for a lifetime.”
“We have excellent trainers at David Barton Gym,” says Director of Training Victor Self. “They are unique in that physical training is their full-time career; this is not their second job. They also work with David Barton to continually improve upon what they do.”
David Barton, a Cornell grad, opened his first gym in the early 90’s. The Upper East Side location has been there for 12 years. David Barton Gym offers everything from group training classes to dance and cardio. The group training classes are taught by the trainers and are geared to specific results such as upper/lower body or cardio improvements. Wanna dance or jump rope? Well, the gym offers a Brazilian dance class, as well as Rope Burn, which involves jumping rope to improve cardio function. “This class is for beginners to advanced,” Victor says. There is also Pilates (mat-based, group and one-on-one classes) and different yoga classes, such as Vinyasa and Ashtanga. High schoolers can enjoy one-on-one training should they want to train for a specific sport or just get plain healthier. The gym prides itself on being a blend of cutting-edge and traditional. “We do try and observe trends but we really think of ourselves as being very stable with true, proven exercise for real results,” says Victor. “The more lean muscle mass one has, the more efficient the body will be.”
For gals who are looking for an all-women’s atmosphere to get in shape as opposed to co-ed, look no further. Curves will whip you into shape with its 30-minute circuit workout, which focuses on strength training and aerobics. The hydraulic resistance machines on the circuit are designed so that clients don’t have to scurry around adjusting weight stacks as on conventional machines. Each machine targets a particular body area (legs, abs, arms). Curves approaches the circuit in a novel way, as clients stay on each part of the circuit, or “station”, for 30 seconds, prompted by a voice recording over catchy music. This Curves location has 24 stations, so clients can go around the circuit two or three times. 2nd Avenue location owner ChrisAnn O’Neill marvels at the age range that attends the studio. “We have women here from 15-92,” she says. “Women here network and become friends.” (Time for a bit of bias here I guess, but I can attest to this, being that I am a Curves member at another location. Aside from looking and feeling much better thanks to its workout regime, I also notice that Curves culture seems to encourage great camaraderie among its members.) Girls under 18 come with mom as mother-daughter teams. This particular Curves has been around for four years, one of the first in the city.
Equinox offers a host of workouts and classes that range from cardio-based to Pilates. In fact, the 85th Street location has a new, apparatus-based Pilates studio. Its two Upper East Side locations are chock-full of choices. “Our Pure Strength cardio sculpt and Athletic Conditioning classes are also very popular,” says Carol Espel, National Director of Group Fitness. There are also cardio dance and cycling programs as well. If personal training is more up your alley, Equinox has that, too. For a mind-body approach, why not try the various yoga classes that Equinox offers, or its Budokan class (one of the most popular on the Upper East Side). This one’s a triple whammy, as it incorporates martial arts, yoga and meditation. Wait, there’s more, and it extends to beauty and relaxation as well … clients at the 63rd Street location can enjoy the services of a spa and hair salon. The gym also has stores selling fitness merchandise at both Upper East Side locations, with the shop at the 63rd Street location being the largest. Young and older reap the benefits of working out at Equinox. Carol Espel sums it up: “Our clients take full advantage of our programs, whether they are young, single and in the workforce to the “moms” or older participants who love the way exercise makes them feel.”
If you are looking to try yoga to tone and get in shape or if you’re a seasoned yoga enthusiast, New York Yoga offers a variety of programs geared to all. “We have classes for everybody, even for kids two and three years old, mommy and me and prenatal classes,” says Mike Cline, Manager. “Our teachers are unique in that they create their own particular order of poses, which are designed to open the body in sequence,” he says. New York Yoga is also unique in that the 85th Street location is the “hot” studio, where the temperature is kept at 105 degrees Fahrenheit with regulated humidity. “The heat helps the muscles flex better, and also the pores detoxify by sweating, which makes for an efficient and refreshing workout,” Mike says. New York Yoga is truly interactive, as it also offers online classes for those who can’t make it to the studio. Just log on with a password and download classes that are on-demand. Or, the club also offers a “virtual class” via its web cam. Either way, your yoga comes to you.
So, for those of you who want to really tone up, lose weight or just plain feel great, now you have a variety of places to do just that. So, no more excuses. A cool body and feeling great is just a signup away!