NYC: TS Fitness Review

NYC: TS Fitness Review

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Crash Course: TS Fitness is a small fitness studio in Manhattan’s Upper East Side offering high intensity interval classes, as well as semi-private and private training. They’re big on form, function, and positive motivation. Oh yeah, and creating workouts that are smart and crazy effective. Class sizes are capped at eight people and there’s plenty of guided instruction. This one is a hidden gem, my friends, so get on over to 61st Street and check it out for yourself!

class: TS Turbo 35, TS HIIT, TS Tone

sweat score: 9 out of 10

where: 328 E 61st Street  | New York, NY

wear: clothes with full range of movement

bring: water bottle

instructor: Caitlyn, Robert

perks: two dedicated shower rooms, towels, small class size

cost: $15 intro class, $36 drop-in

TS Fitness has quickly earned a spot on my short list of favorite fitness studios in NYC. This low profile spot is tucked into an unassuming corner of Manhattan, and has an incredible roster of smart, proficient instructors who deliver tough and effective workouts.

I discovered them on FitReserve a few months ago, and have been going consistently ever since. And as someone who really enjoys trying new things all the time, it takes a lot for a studio to call me back again and again. But that’s exactly what TS Fitness does, and I find myself signing up for a class almost once a week.

When trying to pinpoint what exactly it is about this place that keeps me coming back, I came up with three answers:

The Instructors

I’ve taken classes with two of the studios’ instructors, and each one brought an incredible level of professionalism and smarts to the workout they were leading. What do I mean by that? Well, first of all, I mean that there was no macho-maning around the studio, making it all about them and their personality and less about the workout itself.

That happens a lot in NYC – it’s part of the fabric that makes this city’s workout scene so unique – but in many ways, it detracts from the whole purpose of going to the gym in the first place: working on your best version of you with the help of a professional.

Being able to attend a class without that kind of showmanship is just so refreshing.

At TS Fitness, both Caitlyn Seitz and Robert Ramsey (and the rest of the staff, I have no doubt) put the students in the class and the workout first and foremost. They were there to guide, motivate, encourage, and make sure each and every move is done with proper form and alignment. No stone is unturned when going over technique, and I’ve never started an exercise not knowing how to do it right and, if needed, how to modify it for my body that day. It’s a breath of fresh air, and also, so incredibly important. I’ve been in too many classes where instruction is rushed, or skipped altogether, leaving a huge risk for injury.

Also, there isn’t an emphasis on killing yourself during the workout. You’re encouraged to do your best, push yourself, and try really hard – they definitely won’t let you slack – but if you need to slow the pace or ease off, that’s okay too. The class size is small enough that it’s easy to wave a white flag and ask the instructor for a modification when needed without disrupting the class, which is great for beginners or anyone just needing a little extra assistance. I know i certainly appreciate it.IThe Workout

Okay, okay, so the instructors are great…but what about the workout?

TS Fitness offers three different group classes: TS HIIT, TS Turbo 35, and TS Tone. I’ve taken all three, and each one delivers a little something different. All of them are limited to eight students (eight!) and start with a dynamic warmup that gets your body ready for the party head.

TS HIIT is their most turbo-charged class. It’s a 50 minute high-intensity interval class featuring all sorts of low-impact cardio (although sometimes we run around the block or up and down the stairs) interspersed with bodyweight exercises, resistance bands, and kettlebells. A typical circuit might have you rotating through a rowing machine, TRX, Versa climber, sliders, sky erg, kettlebell squats, burpees, and more.  Two classes are never alike, and they are a beast.

TS Turbo 35 is a condensed version of the TS HIIT class, and clocks in at a speedy 35 minutes. I love going to this one first thing on a weekday morning. It’s tough and means business, but at just over a half hour long, it’s short enough to get you in and out the door in time for your first meeting.

TS Tone is a slower-paced strength and conditioning class, but definitely don’t let that fool you into thinking that it’s “easy.” What it lacks in the go-go-go of the other two, it makes up for in the sweat and burn factor. This class is one of my favorites for weekday evenings (I’m looking at you, Mondays).

The Atmosphere

Like I said earlier, it’s enormously refreshing to find a NYC studio that isn’t built around some sort of schtick. Whether that’s a flashy new type of workout or a big name celebrity instructor. While TS Fitness definitely has big name and impressive instructors, I would guess people come to the studio for the entire package – the workout, the friendly atmosphere, and the results. This place believes in good old fashioned hard work, and frankly, so do I. So that might explain why I’m so smitten.

I know I’m gushing about this place, but I just can’t help myself. I’m a total fan girl and now you know it! I’m there about once a week through my FitReserve membership (click here for my discount code), so if you go, hopefully I’ll run into you there.

And in case group fitness isn’t your thing, TS Fitness also offers one-on-one and semi-private personal training, which I’m sure is also excellent. You can find more information about that here.

 

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