by Uppereast.com Staff
You’re still standing. You survived the revolving holiday smorgasbord. That’s the good news. The bad? Now, it’s time to sweat off the yuletide pounds that piled on as you gobbled up frosting-topped cookies shaped like snowmen. Luckily, there’s no shortage of fitness gyms on the Upper East Side. Here’s a selection from the neighborhood and what you’ll find at each. Remember: January is primetime for gym joining, when you’ll find promotional deals and save on initiation fees. Before signing on for a year, consider sampling a few gyms on a month-to-month basis to see which best meets your needs. And, don’t hesitate to ask what January promotional deals are going!
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Edge
403 E 91st Street (between York and 1st); 212-722-0076 |
Judging from the nondescript exterior, you’d never guess this building houses a two-story gym with one-of-a-kind fitness equipment. And that’s the kind of privacy the members – said to include a few professional boxers and celebs – like. Opened by a former Mr. Manhattan, Denis Barry, and his business partner Sean Kelleher in April, this gym is an ideal match for those who care more about the quality of the workout equipment than the spa treatments offered. Here, you’ll find newly-fangled ultra-mod machines unlike those found elsewhere in the city. Eat your heart out body builders: There’s even an Olympic power-lifting platform (the only fully-functioning one in all of NYC). And, don’t miss the Posi-Trak squat machine. It was originally built for the University of Tennessee basketball team. This gym is no joke -- this high-tech equipment is typically reserved for professional sports training facilities.
Then there are the aesthetics. Edge offers additional eye candy unlike the variety usually found at the gym: a collection of splashy framed Jean-Michel Basquet paintings. Boasting exposed brick walls and uber-high ceilings, this gym looks as much like a chic loft as it does a fitness gym. But, for a neighborhood that’s home to Museum Mile, what else would you expect? Tip: Join in January and chop $200 off the cost of a yearly membership when paid in full; or, have the $200 initiation fee waived if you sign up for one year and pay month-to-month. The fee per month spans from $98 to $150 depending on the type of membership you select.
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Equinox
205 E 85th Street (between 2nd & 3rd); 212-439-8500
140 E 63rd Street (between 3rd & Lexington); 212-750-4900 |
The Equinox gym at Lexington Avenue and East 85th St. has a sparkling clean, bright, and new feel to it. While there’s no pool inside at this location, there is a pool at the East 63rd St. Equinox gym. There are a number of classes offered from 6:30a.m. to 7:30p.m. daily – from Super Sculpt to Urban Rebounding to Hatha Yoga and there’s plenty of space at this capacious gym for extra additives such as a juice bar and a merchandise store where you can hang out and mingle after a good, hard workout.
What’s more, there’s an on-site spa which offers a full range of services from massage (starting at $65) to healing (acupuncture from $150 to reflexology from $65, and more). Plus, there’s also a beauty bar where you can get a facial, go tanning, have a manicure and/or a waxing. Now, that’s all-in-one-stop convenience you can’t beat for feeling and looking hot. Tip: With Select Membership, you can go to any Equinox nationwide including locations in California, Chicago, Connecticut, and Florida. And, look for a first-ever Boston Equinox to open this year.
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New York Sports Club
1637 3rd Avenue (between 91st & 92nd); 212-987-7200
151 E 86th Street (between Lex & 3rd); 212-860-8630
349 E 76th Street (between 2nd & 1st); 212-288-5700 |
A nice perk for those who join the New York Sports Club is that, similar to Equinox, with special membership you can pay a slightly higher monthly fee, to attend not only any NYSC location in the city but any of the gyms located in these additional northeast hot spots: Boston, Philadelphia, and Washington, D.C. That’s a nice enticement for frequent travelers. So, say there’s a gym near your office in midtown and one near your apartment on the Upper East Side and you go on a business trip to Boston for two weeks. You can hit up gyms at all of those places and take advantage of the classes you want at the schedule you need.
At the East 91st St. location, you’ll find a pool, sauna, and steam room. And, a wide variety of classes is offered from 6:30a.m. to 7:30p.m. daily from speed cycling to yoga to dance. Primetime at East 91st Street is around 7:00p.m. on weeknights, when there can be a line for treadmills (into which you can plug your headphones to choose from a wide selection of TV channels or plug into a strictly-music channel). Tip: Try going a little earlier or later than 7:00pm to beat the fitness rush hour.
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New York Health & Racquet Club
115 E 57th Street (between Lexington & Park); 212-826-9650
1433 York Avenue (between 76th & 77th); 212-737-6666 |
This gym has been open on the Upper East for no fewer than 30 years and feels a tad clubbier. The York Avenue gym spreads across multiple floors, and is made up of a collection of small rooms that are all connected through spinning stairwells. It’s like a gym-in-a-brownstone. A few things about this gym experience make it unique – from the soothing classical music playing in the locker room to one of the best perks of this gym – the hot tub that sits adjacent to the pool. The New York Health & Racquet Club may differ from other gyms in that each of its Upper East Side locations has a pool so you can always get your aquatic sport on.
Additionally, there are plenty of racquetball, squash, and basketball courts where you can bounce the ball around. Personal training and a litany of fitness classes are also available. And, while there’s no in-house spa, you do have the option here to schedule a massage to soothe your worked-over muscles. Tip: For the month of January only, the New York Health & Racquetball Cub is offering a special promotional rate of $99 a month for a pay-as-you-go membership. There is an additional one-time initiation fee, which varies according to the type of membership you get. Make sure to bring your own music, though. While I could plug in headphones to watch TV, there weren’t many channels offered and there weren’t any music channels. Here, it’s hot tub not the technology that’s the major draw. No better place than that to end the workday and get your relaxation on.
If you’re not so pumped about taking on a year membership to a public gym, Totally Designed Body offers an alternative – taking fitness classes in the comfort and privacy of your own home. From stress reduction to post-rehab, stretching, and weight management classes. And, if you’re really serious about getting in shape, try the Totally Designed Boot Camp.
Founded twelve years ago by Tara Dawn Bach-Martinez – once a ski racer and professional dancer – and Victor Martinez – graduate of the Swedish Institute of Massage Therapy (School of Massage Therapy and Allied Health Sciences) in New York City – Totally Designed Body also has an Upper East Side location where you can work one-on-one with professional trainers, many of whom were dancers. Tip: You don’t have to join or become a member to try out this holistic-leaning gym. Just buy a one-day pass for $25 or a package of 10 passes ($225) or 30 passes ($570).
For more information and a comprehensive list of Upper East Side gyms, see Uppereast.com's Upper East Side Exercise and Fitness page.
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