I announced back in September that I was quitting the gym…again. Honestly, I should have seen this coming from miles away. I called my blog “The Fit Crasher” for a reason. My attempts to stick with one source of fitness rarely ever last very long.
Heck, I’ve only been in this city for 14 months and already I’ve ping-ponged between boutique fitness, a big box gym, and back again.
But I like it that way. Trying new activities keeps me motivated, engaged, and and excited about working up a sweat every day.
So I quit Equinox in September and took the month of October to explore a new-to-me service called FitReserve, now open to users in the NYC and Boston areas. Why? Two reasons:
- I knew I wanted to get back into fit crashing but wasn’t 100% on board with joining Classpass again. I enjoyed their service but knew there are other fish in the fitness sea and wanted to see what else is out there. Plus, I had heard excellent feedback about FitReserve from my friends Meaghan, Amanda, and Kayla.
- FitReserve offered me a free trial month to test it out and see how I liked it. Being perpetually thrifty, I found 10 free classes hard to pass up. That’s the truth!
Here’s how it went.
Finding studios
I have a few stand-by studios I go to in a pinch, but I really wanted to use my trial to do some exploring and try new places. Here’s how I narrowed my search:
- FitReserve has a map feature showing the location of each of their partner studios. Depending on where I would be in the city that morning or evening, I can zoom in to the neighborhood and pick a new spot to try. Each studio has a dedicated landing page with a description of the class, what to bring, and a few tips for first timers.
- FitReserve also allows you to search for classes by type (cardio, strength, yoga, etc.), location, and hour of day. So if you are looking for a barre class at lunch time near Flatiron, the website can help you find the perfect spot.
Signing up for class
Signing up for a class was as easy as clicking a button. FitReserve does not currently have an app, so you have to book through the website – but their mobile site is easy to navigate. Other perks:
- FitReserve offers access to every single class on a studio’s schedule – yes, even those covetable morning and post-workout peak times. This is hands down the strongest selling point. If you have your eyes on that 6 p.m. Exhale class once a week and don’t want to stress about signing up in advance, this is the service for you.
- And if you’re like me and enjoy flying by the seat of your pants when scheduling workouts, FitReserve allows you to book classes up till the very last minute. Score!
- You can attend a favorite studio four times a month (Classpass caps you at three times).
Classes I attended
- New York Yoga Hot: This cozy hot yoga studio is tucked above Lexington Avenue on the Upper East Side. They have showers.
- Exhale – Core Fusion Barre: This class is super athletic and tough, and the luxurious Exhale space is always such a treat to enjoy.
- The PE Club – Long & Lean: Obsessed. Read all about my experience.
- Uptown Pilates – Open Tower: Small, light-filled space above Madison Avenue. The tower class had five people in it. Very personalized. They have showers.
- fitBallet: Joined fitBallet at their space at Dany Studios near Times Square. Read my fit crash review.
- Exhale – Core Fusion Barre (again!)
- Circuit of Change: This mind-body bootcamp was so different than anything I’ve tried before. I loved it. It’s a funky fusion of yoga, martial arts, pilates, meditation, and more.
- Drill Fitness – Lean Burn Circuit: High intensity intervals incorporating weights and cardio. The studio has a smoothie bar and gorgeous locker rooms. Read my full review.
- Moving Strength – Cardio Pilates: This three-person class knocked my socks off. It was so challenging and felt like a private lesson. Highly recommend going to see Desira.
Frustrations
While FitReserve currently works with 209 studios and is adding more all the time, they do not have a few of the “big ticket” gyms on board just yet. Examples that come to mind include Pure Barre, Barry’s Bootcamp, Fhitting Room, and City Row. While I love all of those studios and will almost certainly add them to the mix if and when they come on board, there’s something to be said for digging below the surface to find and support smaller studios.
Another thing to note: classes do not roll over from one month to the next. I was only able to fit in 9 classes out of 10 in October. That 10th class doesn’t get scooted into the next month, it just disappears. So it’s a good incentive to plan well and fit everything in!
Pricing options
- 5 classes for $79/month (this is a great option for vacationers, too!)
- 10 classes for $149/month
- 20 classes for $249/month
Will I Continue With FitReserve
Yes! I signed up to continue the service into November and will see where it takes me as the months pass on. I loved the convenience and ease of it and have lots more studios to explore. Be sure to follow along with my studio hopping on snapchat (“fitcrasher”) and my other social media channels. I try to give first impressions and sneak peaks on those platforms first!
Thank you again to FitReserve for giving me a month of classes to see for myself what the buzz is all about. I had a blast and can’t wait to get started on another month of fit crashing!
If you’re interested in signing up, use my referral link to get $50 off your first month on the Gold & Platinum plans. I’ll get a few free classes to use as a thank you, too. Win win!