Abdominals @ NYSC Rego Park

Hailey is upbeat and very creative with her technique, but it's always hard to follow a teacher who doesn't do the workout herself. Her counting is sometimes off and some of the moves seem near impossible! It's 45-minutes of pure abs in every way shape or form. From mountain climbers to planks, you will feel the burn in several places. I was shocked that there were no lower back exercises considering how much we hammered away at the front. Some supermans or deadlifts would be a nice addition. It's a great class to take after a good cardio session. But be warned: If getting through a set of normal crunches is a challenge for you, this class will be way over your head. It's pretty advanced!

Instructor 3/5 - She knows how to motivate, but doesn't lead by example
Music 4/5 - Recent pop hits
Workout 3/5 - Some of the moves seem unnatural and probably aren't good for your back or joints.

Check out the Rego Park schedule here.

Spin w/Candice @ NYSC Rego Park

Candice preps you really well before class. She makes sure that your bike is set up properly and gives you an exact rundown of what to expect from her class. It's really refreshing to get a precise course outline before you dive in! Once she's done with the preview she gives you a quote of the day that has to do with the theme of the class. Today it was something like 'something good always follows something bad and vice versa'. So her intense interval training kept up with that motto and she coaches you by saying a break, aka something good, will come after this intense minute of climbing. Intervals really made the class go by quickly and she let's you know what your heart rate should be at any given time, so it's a great class for people who like to wear heart rate monitors. Overall, it's intense enough for novices to enjoy it, while her teaching style is easy enough for anyone to follow. It's a great overall class. You're legs will thank you!

Instructor 5/5 - Phenomenal
Music N/A - She's so good, you will barely notice music
Workout 5/5 - You're legs will feel wobbly when you get off your bike

The 6:30 and 7:30 classes fill up quickly, so make sure to sign up first thing in the AM. Check out the Rego Park schedule here.

Cardio Sculpt @ Crunch Union Square

This class should be called "cardio squats". Ayana loves squats and lunges in any way, shape or form - with weights, without weights, jumping squats - you name it, she does it. You'll definitely get a good cardio workout in cause she likes to switch it up and add lots of jumping jacks and grapevines in between sets. Luckily the music is upbeat and keeps you motivated. Ayana may even sing a few verses, but don't worry, she's surprisingly not bad. It's definitely a fine mix of cardio and weight training. There isn't too much focus on your upper body, but the abs portion at the end is short and sweet and you'll probably feel it the next day. This class is definitely all about toning your legs and butt! Perfect way to look good in those short shorts this summer!

You don't have to sign up in advance, but you do need to sign in when you get to the gym. The class gets packed, so come in early to get a good spot. Check out the schedule here!

Instructor 5/5
Music 4/5
Workout 4/5

Spin w/Melissa @ NYSC Forest Hills

I love teachers that really put time and energy into their music selection. Melissa tried out a new mix with us this morning and it was great. The songs were pretty recent pop and hip hop tunes that definitely made you ride harder. The class went by very quickly cause the music was so good. She works on a lot of hills and does some pretty tough jumps, so go at your own pace. This high energy class might not be for everyone since there's a lot of getting in and out of the saddle. But if you're looking for a fun spin class that will truly make you work hard, try to get Melissa. She teaches at 10:30am on Mondays and the classes never get too packed.

Click here to check out the schedule.


Instructor 4/5 stars
Music 5/5 stars
Workout 5/5

Spin @ NYSC Forest Hills

Gina has the thickest New York accent you've ever heard. Her teaching technique is unconventional as her intervals are about 5-6 minutes as opposed to the normal 30-60 seconds most spin classes have. She starts by getting your heart rate up, but be warned, she never really lets it slow down. The music is very 103.5 KTU with oldies but goodies turned into dance mixes. It's a very intense workout and you'll be working at your "10" for most of class. It's a fine mix of an endurance ride combined with strength training. You'll need a good stretch after this one! You don't need to sign up for her 8:30am class even though they recommend it.

Click here to check out the schedule.


Instructor 3/5 stars
Music 1/5 stars
Workout 3/5

Spin w/Maria @ NYSC Forest Hills

The energy in this 7:30pm class is undeniable. Maria has all these regulars that clearly know each other, so I felt like a bit of an outsider. But she’s a great teacher. There are lots of “jumps” and endurance training. You’ll feel like you did squats and lunges for an hour! Her only downfall is that you don’t stretch enough at the end of class, so you'll want to give yourself an extra 10 minutes after class to make sure and stretch. With her workouts you REALLY need a stretch! I didn’t stretch enough and my legs are pretty sore the next day.

Instructor 5/5

Workout 5/5

Music 4/5

Maria's 6:30 and 7:30 classes fill up quickly. Sign up here!

Spin @ NYSC Forest Hills

First off, this class is really early. It's supposed to start at 6am. But the instructor, Scott, didn't wander in until almost 6:10, so that made me wish I had slept a little longer. Needless to say, the class wasn't off to a good start! Right away he had some Red Hot Chili Peppers blaring through the speakers and had us on our first hill. I didn't mind it so much, except for the fact that Scott didn't get on his bike. I asked some regulars and apparently that's his "teaching style". He likes to walk around and time things without breaking a sweat. I don't know about you, but I like a teacher who leads by example. I can't exactly push myself to climb the biggest hill while they are just hanging out and bopping to the hard rock music in the background. Once I got over his teaching style, the ride itself was fine. Lots of in and out of the saddle and playing with the resistance. It was an okay class and a fairly decent workout. But for me to get up before 6am; I need way more than just decent.

They recommend that you sign up for this class, but it was half empty, so you're probably okay to just walk in. Click here to check out the schedule.


Instructor 2/5 stars
Music 3/5 stars
Workout 2/5