Fit to Wed
Whatever your goal—showing off girl guns in a strapless gown, busting a move at the reception—there’s a workout regimen to get you there.
 |
Illustration by Rose Blake
|
The Goal:
Slip Into a Painted-On Dress
Even the most form-fitting gown is no match for Kira Stokes’s calorie-obliterating, belly-blasting Stoked Abs and Stoked 360 classes. The former is fifteen minutes of intense core work; moves like plank pikes on gliding discs are truly brutal, but the results are worth the pain. The 75-minute 360 class is a cardio-and-weights mash-up, where you squat, lunge, and jump-rope to a 1,000-plus calorie burn. Fitness guru Stokes offers both classes regularly (take them in tandem for max middle-sculpting) at the Reebok Sports Club NY (160 Columbus Ave., at 67th St.; 212-362-6800), where membership starts at $214 a month. See kirastokes.com for a full schedule.
The Goal:
Flaunt FLOTUS-Like Arms
At boutique gym Chaise23’s Ballet Bungee ($30 per class; 40 E. 23rd St., nr. Park Ave., third fl.; 212-432-6100), high-resistance bungee cords hang from the ceiling, providing resistance as you move through fat-zapping pliés and tendues to sculpt flawless arms. For those who prefer more sweat and speed, consider the Fhitting Room ($35 per class; 1166 Lexington Ave., nr. 80th St.; 212-772-1166). At this boutique studio, you’ll take part in an upper-body onslaught of intense shoulder presses, rows, and tricep extensions (using everything from kettlebells to a TRX Suspension Trainer), plus trademark cardio intervals to help blast any remaining bat-wing flab.
The Goal:
Dance Embarrassment-Free At Your Reception
You’ll be able to drop it low to Bey and Gaga while staying on the beat thanks to the Ailey Extension’s Absolute Beginner Hip-Hop classes ($17 per class; 405 W. 55th St., at Ninth Ave.; 212-405-9500). Each one guides you step-by-step through basic moves, building to a two- to three-minute choreographed routine that you “perform” with your classmates at hour’s end. For the less pop-and-lock-inclined, try Dance Manhattan (39 W. 19th St., nr. Sixth Ave.; 212-807-0802), whose instructors help you execute a perfect Argentine tango, salsa, or swing dance. Private lessons start at $90 for couples, group lessons at $25; wedding packages available.
The Goal:
Summit Mount Kilimanjaro on Your Honeymoon ...
... Or hike Peru’s Inca Trail. Name your post-wedding adventure and get prepped by joining the Sports Center at Chelsea Piers (W. 20th St. and Hudson River Park; 212-336-6000). Membership starts at $110 and grants you use of the complex’s rock-climbing wall, pool, classes (like SurfSET, where you ride a simulated surfboard), plus an indoor track and weight room. For a more à la carte approach, consider Brooklyn Boulders (575 Degraw St., at Third Ave.; 347-834-9066). A day pass ($25) offers access to 22,000 square feet of rock-climbing and bouldering walls. Tack on an extra $5 to attend a climbing-centric yoga class, designed to strengthen hips and shoulders.