The playful logo on Active Space’s homepage may be reason enough to consider upping your workout game. Ever-shifting, the logo is physical itself, skating between dancing, swimming, and running graphics.
It’s 2019: what is a workout if it can’t be digitized? Well, the workouts are still completed IRL, but Active Space as a digital platform helps you choose where to find them, and a number of North Brooklyn gyms — or, per the company’s title, “active spaces” — are listed on the site.
Some of these locales include Chalk Gym (193 North 9th Street) in Williamsburg and bouldering gym GP81 (81 Quay Street) in Greenpoint. And now that the weather is nicer and the days are longer, it may be time to finally check out these neighborhood gyms.
“Ultimately, our goal is to help New Yorkers discover workouts they love through our site’s independent editorial reviews,” founder Jordana Gluckow says. “Our team pays for all our own classes (to maintain impartiality) and we have a seasoned team of writers with varying athletic ability levels who are well-versed in NYC workout studios and less well-known fitness classes.”
And if you’re still not feeling motivated, the Active Spaces Instagram account features colorful quotes on wellness and workouts from perennial icons like Oprah, Dolly, and — yes — Cher.
In partnership with Partnerships for Parks and Citizens Committee for New York City, Friends of Cooper Park present a series of fitness classes for all. Instructors from neighborhood gym Outbreak Fitness will lead the outdoor classes. Come out to break a sweat and learn how to get involved in Cooper Park. The first class is this Saturday, July 14th at 10am and meet at the Oval at Cooper Park. All ages and fitness levels are welcome!
Surely just surviving the walk to the G train in this freezing weather must mean we’re burning enough calories to outweigh all of the apple cider donuts, right? This week, as part of our 8-part winter survival guide series, we spoke with Crunch personal trainer Kaitlin Mazzei about changing up our fitness routines in the winter months. Check out our previous interviews here, here, here, here, here, and here.
FITNESS: CRUNCH | 825 Manhattan Avenue Kaitlin Mazzei, Personal Trainer
Greenpointers: Do you see more or less people in the gym in winter?
Kaitlin Mazzei: As soon as it starts to get cold people pretty much stay at home. Especially because that also tends to be the time around the holidays and I’ve noticed that most people say fuck it because they’re going to be eating poorly anyway. But once January hits, BOOM. The New Year’s resolutions are back and the gym is packed for about a month or two. Then it’s quieter again until right before summer.Continue reading →
The holiday season no doubt does a lot of damage to our health and wellness; not only are our waistlines protesting against our pants, but our self-esteem manages to find an all-new low, and it becomes easy to beat ourselves up about our unhealthy lifestyles (while eating a piece of pie and sipping on a milkshake. We’ve all been there). But guess what? The holiday season is officially over! Spring is here, and with it comes a fresh opportunity to retake control of our health and fitness goals. So, here are just a couple of simple tips on how to do just that.
Find yourself a workout partner! It can be hard to self-motivate! That’s why it’s so important to have someone that holds you accountable! Not to mention, keeping someone else in line with their goals is a great way to stay aligned with your own. Think about a couple of people that you might rely on for this. Who in your life shares your goals towards health and wellness? When you’ve come up with a short list, invite them to the gym or to a healthy cookout. You’d be surprised how many of us just need a little push to jump-start us on that path back to health.
Overcome your fear of the gym. Gym-timidation is a real thing, we all know this. You walk into these big gyms with all their big machines and big muscles, and sometimes you just want to run to the nearest ice cream parlor for some TLC. But your fitness and wellness goals can’t run on mantras and intention alone — you must learn to overcome your fears of the gym in order to start seeing real progress. Of course, you can easily streamline the process: find a local boutique gym near you! Avoid the crowds, avoid the egos, avoid the smells.
Seek out a program that meets your needs. Take responsibility. Throughout this process, using a program to keep you on task and focused on your goals is an excellent way to ensure that all of your hard work is realized! Do some research on fitness and diet programs in your area and see if any of them speak to your needs. If so, jump on board! Investing in yourself can never be a waste, particularly when your long-term health is at risk.
Get into meal prep. Mentally investing in meal preparation is a great way to make sure that you’re regulating your intake, getting all of your essentialmacronutrients in each meal, and extending the reach of your dollar. Do some research to figure out your ideal macronutrient distribution, and get started prepping! If you feel that this is an area in which you can’t trust yourself to follow through for whatever reason, be sure to prioritize a food plan in the program you seek out–an improved diet is the most important key to slimming down, getting lean, and building strength.
Stay in touch with your goals. Whether it’s daily meditation, an e-mail notification, a call from a friend, or a scolding from a trainer, find the method that refocuses you best. Daily interruptions, cravings and everyday exhaustion are the enemies of long-term progress — so utilizing the resources around you to maintain focus is an excellent way to keep your health and wellness goals at the forefront.
Need to make sure that these 5 tips become a part of your routine?
Try a one-of-a-kind holistic fitness program. The B.E.S.T. Plan, developed at [email protected] Fitness and Wellness studio (31 Nassau Ave.), is made specifically for those of us reading this article; we need the motivation, we need the support and we need the tools to keep us aligned with our goals. The Group B.E.S.T. Plandoes that—plus so much more.
Need a workout partner? When you sign up for the Group B.E.S.T., all of the members become each others’ support team—ready to encourage, bring perspective and commiserate at a moment’s notice. Not to mention the 24/7 support you’ll get from our coaches and trainers!
Need to overcome your fear of the gym? At [email protected], we reject the idea of a conventional gym and create a safe, zen-like space to encourage mindfulness and growth.
Looking for a program that suits your needs? Even though the Group B.E.S.T. is meant to facilitate the group as a whole, our trainers and coaches are also focused on the individual’s needs. When you tell us your goals, we create the entire program around your needs! Or if you’re not into the group aspect, try it one-on-one.
Need healthier eating habits? The B.E.S.T. Plan comes with a free personalized 8-week food plan, specifically tailored to your dietary needs and goals. To keep you in line with your goals, we also provide weekly dietary analysis and weekly nutritional coaching.
Need to stay in touch with your goals? One of the major takeaways from the B.E.S.T. Plan is the accountability, independence and self-reliance you gain from learning the tools to reestablish control of your health and wellness.
What else do you get with the Group B.E.S.T. Plan?
Balance
Community Support
Unlimited Dietary Analysis
Custom Body Assessments
Energy
Time Management
Exercise Education
Unlimited Cardio and Yoga Classes
Strength
Commitment and Action
Accountability
Weekly Personal Training
Tranquility
Life and Nutritional Coaching
Detoxifying Infrared Sauna sessions
Only you have the power to take charge of your fitness and well-being. But to help you along, mention this post for an extra $100 off your B.E.S.T. Plan!
Call at 718.388.2900 or email at [email protected] to reserve your place in this spring’s Group B.E.S.T. Plan today!
If you’re interested in [email protected]’s one-on-one B.E.S.T. Plan sign up here. Or not local to Brooklyn: try the ONLINE B.E.S.T. Planhere.
CrossFit Greenpoint offers experienced coaches, smart programming, and a supportive and thriving workout environment.
“It doesn’t get easier. It just gets more addictive. ”
For years, many have struggled through the same, mundane health club workouts. We hear people say their lack of progress is frustrating. They’re getting bored with their program. We receive countless questions about a better way to train. This is why we decided to locally provide the CrossFit experience! Continue reading →
The holidays are over and a bright new year is ahead of us. But maybe you’re not feeling too good about yourself. Yeah trust me, I know… about 8 weeks of holiday debauchery will do that to a person. Sometimes it’s hard to figure out how to come back from that.
At [email protected] in just 8 weeks we’ll get you back on track to behaving like a normal human being again, and not a debaucherous compulsive emotional eater. You’ll gain strategies that you can follow for life! Continue reading →
Turn Over a New Leaf with our Fall Into Fitness B.E.S.T. Bootcamp at [email protected]
With the change of seasons comes a renewed time to recommit ourselves to our fitness and wellness goals. Though fall is not the beginning of our calendar year, it’s still a new season. Besides, parents with school-aged kids think of this time as their new year. Continue reading →
For most Greenpointers, early mornings will find us hitting the snooze button a few too many times. Others are out dancing. A recent trend has sprung up in North Brooklyn (and across New York City) – people hitting the dance floors before their morning cup of coffee.
A group named Morning Gloryville, whose motto is “rave your way into the day” really knows how to wake up by dancing hard to awesome music with great people in a fun setting. Continue reading →
Kiki Morris: Best Trainer in NYC...probably the world!
If you’ve ever taken a run around McCarren Park track, the chances are you’ll know Kiki. Kiki Morris has been a regular fixture at the northwest corner of the track for almost 18 years and is one of the most well-loved figures in the neighborhood. He trains people in the park every day of the week and is greeted by pretty much everyone who passes by. Mothers with strollers come up and say hi, NYPD cars slow down on Driggs to honk and wave, shirtless muscle-rippling joggers remove their earbuds and stop for a chat, and little kids run over and high-five him. It’s no wonder he’s earned himself the unofficial title of Mayor of McCarren and the official title of Village Voice’s ‘best outdoor personal trainer in NYC’. Continue reading →
Spring is here (we promise) and since it’s finally going to get warmer, it’s time to maximize outdoor time. Same goes for working out, which is just one of the reasons why Beastanetics is so great. We happen to live next to a pretty sweet track and field and it’s time to take advantage! We’re talking FRESH AIR, people. Remember what that feels like?
Beastanetics is a 6-week, 12-session program run entirely in McCarren Park, and rest assured, it will have you looking positively fierce by Summer. Led by Tim Haft and his knowledgeable, supportive, and welcoming staff, the intro training sesh is a steal at $144 (includes all 12 sessions). That’s cheaper than an indoor gym membership where you’ll wait an hour to run on a treadmill in a sweaty florescent box (can you tell how much I love gyms?).
The next session begins Monday, April 14 and Greenpointers has teamed up with Beastanetics to give first-time students 10% off the registration fee with code FIRSTTIMEBEAST. Virgin Beasts can also try a one-time free trial; drop-in classes (space permitting) are $15. Register here! Continue reading →
The holiday season no doubt does a lot of damage to our health and wellness; not only are our waistlines protesting against our pants, but our self-esteem manages to find an all-new low, and it becomes easy to beat ourselves up about our unhealthy lifestyles (while eating a piece of pie and sipping on a milkshake. We’ve all been there). But guess what? The holiday season is officially over! Spring is here, and with it comes a fresh opportunity to retake control of our 
Spring is here (we promise) and since it’s finally going to get warmer, it’s time to maximize outdoor time. Same goes for working out, which is just one of the reasons why 
Beastanetics
