Photo-Illustration: by The Cut; Photo: Asia Milia Ware
I spent ten adolescent years of my life in dance school. It was something my mom made me do because she wanted me to be involved in extracurricular activities. If I could go back, there’s a list of activities I would’ve preferred, but nonetheless, I showed up and danced my heart out. Many moments from class still sting, like the time I was too afraid to do a tumble and I had a dance teacher tell the entire class that we weren’t being dismissed from class until I did it. We stayed an extra 45 minutes, and everyone was annoyed with me. The PTSD of it all caused me to hate workout classes, even though I love working out. In many classes, I am the only Black woman. And in most classes, I’m one of the only women over a size ten. So if an instructor yells too much or makes me feel bad, I’m out of there.
So I found my own workout routine. I go to the gym daily; it has become my safe space. I can zone out and just be with my thoughts and my headphones for hours. I asked seven Cut writers and editors about their safe-space workout classes, even if it’s just one instructor who has changed their experience. According to them, these are some of the best ones.
Last year, I started doing hot yoga, something you never could’ve told me I’d be interested in, because my hair is a priority. I’m usually one of two or three Black women when I go to these classes (another uncomfortable reality I’ve experienced at a lot of studios), but the exception here is that I’m in love with my instructor, Imani T., a Black woman at the Williamsburg location. One Friday evening, our senior shopping editor, Bianca Nieves, told me to come to a yoga sculpt class with her, and I was changed forever. The class was high-intensity, but Imani’s energy felt calming and safe. She encouraged everyone to take everything at their own pace while still cheering us on. I started going every Sunday morning; it became my routine. One class, she showed up with knotless braids and hoop earrings — it’s small things like those that make me feel seen. When class gets tough and I need to take a break, she encourages me and others in the class; she doesn’t make anyone feel bad or uncomfortable. She recently took a break from teaching, and I took a break from my membership. She’s scheduled to be back this month, though, and I can’t wait for my first Sunday back. Starting my week with Imani and her classes realigns my energy, and it has become a healing experience in adulthood. —Asia Milia Ware
My comfort in exercise classes is mostly predicated on music. I don’t want to hear chopped-and-screwed remixes of Benson Boone songs when I’m trying to empty my head and rinse myself out. I love taking beginner ballet classes at Mark Morris because they have a live pianist. There’s no one demographic that attends the class. The movements themselves are about precision and gracefulness, not just cardio. (Which I’m also into — this is just a different pleasure.) I love finding myself going through first-second-third-position sequences as I’m standing on the subway. I’m also a regular at Mind Pilates, which plays classical music instead of aggressive techno. The gentle instructors seem personally committed to people’s long-term posture and flexibility. Even when I was brand-new and doing all the choreography basically backward and upside down, they were patient and respectful as they showed me how to figure it out. I started walking differently — better — after a few classes. —Amy Rose Spiegel, features editor
This is so emphatically not the place where you go to sweat, move, jump, get your heart rate way up, or twist yourself into a pretzel, but it is the place you go when doing those things — or even just sitting at a desk looking at a computer, a.k.a. being alive — has done a number on your spine. You’ll find yogis of every age here, which is inspiring; I love the idea of a form of exercise that can be a lifelong practice. This studio keeps class sizes small so that teachers can lavish attention on everyone, and instruction tends to move at a much slower pace than you might be used to if you’ve mostly done fast-paced flow classes. Instead of thinking of it as “boring,” think of it as “meditative.” You’ll use a lot of props and probably spend some time hanging from the wall ropes, either upside down or from your hips. At the end of class, you’ll feel an inch taller. That night, you’ll sleep like a baby. If this is your first time with Iyengar-style yoga (where a few poses are held for a long time), ease into it with one of the hour-long lunchtime “Backcare” classes instead of going the full 90 minutes. —Emily Gould, features writer
Boxing purists might send snipers after me for this, but Rumble has surprised me time and time again as a relatively safe space to work out in. You might walk into the lobby and think, Wow, that’s a lot of red walls, or, This entire staff must be sponsored by Four Loko, because why are they so peppy? But once you get inside the room, it’s just you, the bag, and about 40 other strangers who can’t box all that well. Each session begins with a quick overview of the six basic punches you’ll use in class (jab, cross, lead hook, rear hook, lead uppercut, rear uppercut), but they’re numbered, so you don’t need to remember what they’re called. Instructions are also projected onto the wall, so if you forget what you’re doing, you’ve got a guide to keep you on track. And my favorite part? It is dark in that room. Not, like, unsafe dark, but dark enough that you forget you might look like an idiot taking the piss out of the bag — which is, in my opinion, the best headspace to be in during a workout. The instructors usually give shout-outs to everyone (at least at the Noho location) and aren’t overly cliquey with regulars. And if you’re angry — about the state of the world, or that raise you’ve been denied, or all of your mom friends who can’t find affordable child care — this is a pretty good place to blow off some steam by giving that bag a piece of your mind. —Emily Leibert, staff writer
I may still be on an endorphin high from my very first class at Orangetheory — but I did leave with a receipt for a five-class package and already booked a spot in a class later this week, so it’s safe to say I’m into it. During the pandemic lockdowns, I canceled my gym membership and never looked back, replacing it with some combination of running, YouTube yoga, and lately, Pilates. But I’ve been looking for something to throw in the mix that could help me strength-train harder, raise my heart rate, and, let’s be real, force me to actually show up because of the cancellation policy. I don’t know how or why I landed on Orangetheory, but they had me at “free first class.” The signature 60-minute class is a guided combination of treadmill, free weights, and rowing, all while monitoring your heart rate and calorie burn so you can see in real time how you’re doing. If that sounds like a boot-camp class, that’s because it sort of is (and sure as hell feels like it the next day) — but, and this is important, without any mean male yelling? The instructor checked in throughout, un-sarcastically called us all his besties, and insisted that everyone clap at the end for me, which was mortifying but nice. The best part is that everyone is so focused on their own workout and data that any self-consciousness or comparison-trap b.s. melts away. —Jen Ortiz, deputy editor
I have three Pilates studios in constant rotation: New York Pilates, SLT (specifically SLT Tread), and Nofar Method. (Yes, Spotify told me I was a “Pink Pilates Princess” in my 2024 Wrapped.) New York Pilates is my go-to for on a daily basis. Once you find an instructor that you love, their signature “Abs, Ass, and Arms” is a solid 45-minute workout. They also have plenty of locations in the city, so it’s easy to book a class according to your schedule. However, when I want to switch it up, I love doing a Saturday class at SLT Tread. Only available in their NoMad location, the class consists of 25 minutes in the Megaformer and 25 on the treadmill. I love starting on the Megaformer and then finishing out the class strong on the treadmill. For me, it’s the perfect combination of a low-impact and high-intensity workout. Granted, these classes are pricey, but I like to sprinkle one or two in a month. —Bianca Nieves, senior shopping editor
I’ve been going to Vera, a hot-yoga studio with locations in Brooklyn and Manhattan, for a few years now. Their standard classes involve three flows that you do a few times each, including once on your own without instruction, so it requires a little bit of memorization and feels almost like choreography. It’s really satisfying, and I always leave class feeling strong (and, of course, very sweaty). I especially love Maeve and Judy. —Danielle Cohen, senior news editor
Listen, I’m not saying every SoulCycle class is good. A lot of them aren’t. But I’ve been taking Parker R.’s classes since I moved to New York, and they truly feel like my happy place. He has introduced me to some of my favorite artists in the world and has taught me how to make a great playlist, and I always leave his class happier than I was when I entered. When I work alone, I search for his playlists on Spotify. And even though I don’t go as much as I used to, the Saturdays when I see him are always a highlight. As someone active my whole life (I played three varsity sports in high school and did a stint as a D1 rower), the freedom to move my body for joy has been life-changing, and vibing out to Charli XCX or 1000 Gecs on a bike is one of my new favorite hobbies. —Brooke LaMantia, editorial assistant
