In this day and age, where we are cooking sourdough and banana bread weekly due to being at home: exercise is much needed, for our bodies and for our mental health. Throughout quarantine, most people have taken up working out at home as the replacement for their gym memberships and studio classes. While many people have been following Youtube cardio, dance, and at home workouts – many people have missed that amazing energy that comes from working out with a like-minded group of people. As we slowly come out of quarantine in New York, more alternatives for exercise are becoming available.
For those seeking a mental health relaxation day at home
THE FIRST OUTDOOR GYM IS IN BROOKLYN, BABY
If you’ve never tried spinning, it’s a high-intensity cardio workout that takes place on a stationary bike, where you can adjust the difficulty of the workout right on your machine. If you ever wondered if spinning is a good way to lose weight – it is. One gym that has reinvented studio classes for the quarantine era is BYKlyn. BYKlyn opened in 2014 and enjoyed a great community following until COVID-19 hit. Unfortunately, they were forced to shut its doors in March.
Luckily, they have reopened their doors as of August 5th! BYKlyn is located in the heart of Brooklyn at 421 Dean Street between 4th and 5th avenues, and they have converted their backyard space into what they now called the “BYKlyn Yard” with 18 spin machines, all 6 feet apart. The “BYKlyn Yard” is an amazing outdoor space with recycled astroturf, a vibrant mural by local artists, twinkly lights, and sun sails to provide shade for even the sunniest of days.
Stay Fit With This Outside Workout
Instead of their usual membership, BYKlyn is currently offering single classes and packages. The one outdoor class is called the “PureBYK” which is their standard 45 minute HIIT cardio class which includes hills, sprints, flats, and intervals. Each bike comes with a sterilized wireless headset for each person to listen to music and the instructor during their workout to minimize noise for people walking by the Outdoor Yard and the neighborhood as a whole.
A single class goes for $30 dollars, a five-class package goes for $145 dollars, and the ten class package goes for $275 dollars. The ten class package donates 10% of the proceeds to the NAACP legal defense fund.
A Fun Fitness Class For All
BYKlyn’s main mission for the BYKlyn Yard is to create a safe outdoor workout for people of all body types and backgrounds to stay fit, have fun, and enjoy a curated spin class in a responsible social atmosphere. BYKlyn features top instructors from studios all over NYC and each class varies with different kinds of music, tempos, and energy.
However, there are no classes when it rains or when the temperature reaches 90+ degrees for the safety of all. BYKlyn is offering four to five classes a day, with weekday offerings in the morning and the evening, and weekend classes back to back all morning long so you can enjoy a socially distanced brunch after a good sweat.
The Future Of Fitness In NYC
The reality of this pandemic is that small businesses have had to learn to adapt and innovate creative ways to bring in customers in this new climate. Owner of BYKlyn, Amy Glosser, is committed to this mission, “We need fitness and community more than ever,” she said. “After so much online fitness, the BYKlyn Yard will be a safe space to get out of the house, reconnect with friends and get your sweat on!”
While the future of COVID is unclear, NYC’s got a way of bringing out the best from its community in times of trouble. BYKlyn is the first outdoor cycling gym this city has ever seen, and it will serve as a blueprint for other studio classes – spinning and others – to create a new fun environment – outside – for the city dwellers to get up, get out, and get moving.
