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Featured Fitness Health Nutrition NYC Wellness

The bodyART Experience

The bodyART Experience
Photo Credit: bodyART

By: Aida M. Toro and Adam Que

To us, bodyART absolutely puts the A.R.T in the heart. Not to be confused with Y-7 Yoga, bodyART is set in Western Exercise Science and Traditional Chinese Medicine. The bodyART training system is created to help individuals perform at their highest physical level while staying injury-free. It is a non-competitive, welcoming environment where individuals can concentrate on themselves and their personal goals.

Last Wednesday, Downtown had the chance to take a class with Ryan Beck, the owner and Creative Director of bodyART. Beck, a Downtown New York resident, is originally from Los Angeles where he had a voluminous dancing career. He danced for Beyonce, the Black Eyed Peas, MOMIX, MTV, and more. He was also a content director for companies like ABC, BC/EFA, Good Morning America, and Hard Rock Cafe.

The bodyART Experience
Photo Credit: bodyART

Robert Steinbacher, the creator of bodyART, introduced the concept to Beck in 2011. He loved it. Since then, Beck has been granted exclusive rights to launch, manage, and operate all bodyART studios in the country. 

bodyART has three different class options: Original, Deepwork, and Flow. We took the Original class, a holistic workout providing cardio, strength training and flexibility work inspired by martial arts, yoga, physical therapy, and classical conditioning. As I am an avid CrossFitter and Adam a Fitness Practitioner, we both had different perspectives of the Original bodyART class.

Aida’s Perspective:

Taking this bodyART class made me realize that I can be very stiff. My cardio and strength are decent, but I struggled when Ryan had us swing our arms. Then I began to loosen up and felt amazing doing the rest of the movements. My lower back was hurting all week but, by the time I finished the bodyART class, my back felt as if it had never hurt. In the last ten minutes of the class, we meditated with our eyes closed. I got a tad bit emotional as Ryan told us to imagine ourselves at the end of 2020. Overall, the bodyART class provided me with a sense of emotional and physical relief.

The bodyART Experience
Credit: Jayna Photography

Adam’s Perspective: 

BodyART was a true release for my whole being. The way Ryan had us flow from one movement to the next seamlessly, made me feel in tune with my body. He asked questions about our body during the class like, “Which foot felt heavier than the other.” It made me even more aware of that mind-body connection. And as the music came into sync with the rhythm of the class–fast to slow, exertion to relaxation–I felt that stress and the weak cold I was harboring seep out of my pores. To capture it simply, it was healing. And that becomes even more apparent towards the end of class, where Aida expressed her experience about it so eloquently.

The bodyART Experience
Credit: Jayna Photography

bodyART should be on everyone’s agenda. With this being stated, do your body and mind a favor and book your next class with Ryan by clicking on this link: https://www.bodyart-studios.com/take-class

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Categories
Beauty Featured Fitness Health Wellness

We Finally Found Our 2019 Fitness Routine!

Figuring out a well-rounded fitness routine can be hard, especially in New York City. There seems to be a new boutique studio around every corner offering the latest trends in exercise and wellness. The key to seeing changes in your body is consistency, so here is the rundown on what our perfect workout routine looks like for the rest of the year:

Cardio: 305 Fitness

We know cardio is important for overall health and stamina, especially when you have to walk up those subway stairs every day, but did you know it could be super fun, too? 305 Fitness is “an addictive cardio party” with a live dj, light show, and tons of energy. It doesn’t matter if you have two left feet, 305 will get you moving, grooving, and having so much fun you forget you’re working out.

305 is the kind of place where people take selfies in the locker room. They even have a photo booth on the stairs down to the classrooms. You’ll definitely be feeling yourself by the time the class ends, so make sure you dress for full range of motion and to feel like your best self. 305 also just announced a brand new video series for at home workouts featuring Tiësto, who just so happens to be an investor in the fitness concept. The videos are free and you can find them on their YouTube channel so you can get your dance on in the comfort of your own home.

Strength: SLT

While cardio has many benefits, the key to long, lean muscles and fat loss is strength training. That doesn’t just have to be lifting and lowering weights at the gym. SLT (which stands for Strengthen, Lengthen, and Tone) has been shaping and toning New Yorkers since 2011 and will not only help you get those abs, but also develop core strength. The workout, which follows the Lagree Fitness Method, fuses strength training and cardio with the principles of Pilates, and is anything but easy. 

Within the first couple of reps of the warmup, your muscles will be shaking. One minute of Megaformer burpees are no joke, and it sets the tone for what is to come the rest of class. What’s great about this workout is that the resistance from the springs allows the body to increase flexibility while strengthening muscles at the same time. You basically get two for the price of one, and not a single part of your body is overlooked. SLT’s instructors are also great at helping with modifications should you need them, so don’t be afraid of speaking up and discussing any injuries or concerns you may have.

Stretch: Stretch*d

Stretch*d has a great approach to recovery: come in, lay down, and have an expert stretch you without you having to do the work. What’s not to love about gaining flexibility and preventing injuries without having to do the work? Stretch*d takes an dynamic approach to stretching, meaning that rather than holding a stretch for a period of time, your body is moved through varying ranges of motion to improve flexibility and mobility. This is necessary for functional movement and safety, and it’s also great for recovering from any fitness class.

Prior to your session, your Stretch’r (the therapist) will take a couple of minutes to talk to you about your body and tailor the session to your needs. While held in place with a belt across your lap, your body will twist and turn from a light stretch, to a medium stretch, to a deep stretch, leaving you feeling open and more mobile after just one session. Definitely come regularly to keep yourself injury-free!

Mind: Inscape

If you are looking to get into meditation, look no further than Inscape. Walking into the studio, the storefront is a wellness mecca filled with crystals, self-help books, journals, and all-natural body care and beauty products. Classes take place in the back of the space, and the front desk staff kindly greets you with a small dosage of CBD (completely optional) to help promote further relaxation for class. Meditation occurs in a dome-like structure, and the relaxation classes take place in the alcove, which looks like a cave from Avatar. Classes are either lying down or seated.

Go all-out and opt for the 70-minute sound bath session with the optional CBD supplement. Fully immersed in sound, the class is lightly guided and gives gentle directions to focus on the various layers of sound created. After drifting in and out of a light sleep, which seemed to last about three minutes, the class is concluded seated. You leave feeling lighter, clearer-headed, happy, and grounded. It’s a great way to conclude the weekend, prepare for the week ahead, and fight off the Sunday Scaries. It is sure to become part of your weekly routine.

Wondering what to wear? Workout clothes are best, especially for 305 and SLT, where you will sweat a ton. We love Michi, a fashion-forward activewear brand that is flattering for all shapes and sizes and can be worn anywhere, anytime (believe us, we do it).

To top it all off, tie back your hair with Teleties! We’ve been obsessed with these fashionable, waterproof hair ties for months. They don’t leave marks, look cute on your wrist, and, best of all, when they stretch out you can pop them in hot water and they’ll shrink back into shape. They come in two sizes and tons of fun colors, like this pink pack. Once you try Teleties, you’ll never use another type of hair tie again.

Categories
Health

Be Time, Me Time! Mobile Meditation Studio in NYC

New York City — one of the busiest cities in the world, like many large cities — is witness to hard-working, overstressed, overly busy people, sometimes zombielike. Although as Alicia Keys makes a valid point, “These streets will make you feel brand new, big lights will inspire you, concrete jungle where dreams are made of,” New York city takes over and among chasing and attaining your dreams, this city may cause you to feel worn down. Discovering a location or place to meditate, relax and breathe can be hard to find. Luckily, Be Time is here to assist in helping people attain mind space no matter where the person is. They bring the meditation to you.

Meditation on Wheels

Be Time is a meditation studio on wheels that offers meditation classes to every neighborhood. “Meditation for the People,” is Be Time’s motto, and they offer you a mental break in their mobile studio. The purpose of meditating is to bring in all the positive vibes surrounding and finding the mindfulness in oneself.

The founder Carla Hammond, a dedicated NonProfit worker in the New York area to many start-up organizations; found her enjoyment of meditation and wellness at the age of 15. She decided to build a unique meditation studio to bring mindfulness to busy New Yorkers at their convenience.

Carla believes, “It has been proven that just meditating 10-20 minutes a day increases your productivity and creativity, reduces stress, anxiety, and risk of cardiovascular disease, improves insomnia and relationships with yourself and others, amongst other amazing benefits.” Boosting energy and finding oneself peace can help fight busy city stress.

The Experience

Be Time believes a 30-minute meditation session so that people can disconnect and reconnect to improve their self-care. Be Timers will come out of class feeling more relaxed and connected with themselves. In the bus, New Yorker will find aromatherapy, light + Chromotherapy and weighted blankets to add to your meditation experience. Be Time wants people to continue to practice and practice meditation.

Classes

Be Time will offer first-timers a 30-minute session at $10. From then on, classes will regularly be available for $22 (30 min classes) and $11.00 (Open Space Sessions). Packages available, 5 for $99 and 10 for $190. Classes can be scheduled on Be Time’s website. To find out where the exact location the mobile studio is, you can check out their website or Twitter and Instagram @betimepractice.

Give it a try and see if this new mobile meditation practice can help you stay sane in the city.

Photos: Courtesy of Be Time

Categories
Events Featured Living

Downtown TripPicks: Dec. 25 – Jan. 1

Trip by Skyscanner is an innovative planning tool that tailors recommendations for places to stay, eat and play, to your specific tastes. It also allows you to share your experiences with people who have the same interests as you; people in your “tribes.” Trip by Skyscanner’s TripPicks This Week feature empowers you to discover and take advantage of great events, openings and exhibits throughout the city each week.

Here are some exciting events and sites to check out this week in Downtown New York City, courtesy of Trip by Skyscanner. Visit the Trip by Skyscanner website or download the app for more upcoming events.

 

Naked! New Year’s Yoga & Meditation

Strip away 2017 with naked yoga and meditation! During this special workshop, participants will have the opportunity to reflect on the past year and set goals for 2018! While nudity is mandatory, women and transpeople have the option to wear bottoms for any reason. Tickets start at $15.

Wild Studio (Chelsea)
Saturday, Dec. 30 from 11am-1pm

 

Poetry Marathon

Spend the first day of the year listening to 150 poets read their work at the annual New Year’s Day Marathon Benefit Reading. Let’s make 2018 all about art, inspiration, and self-expression. Tickets start at $20.

St. Mark’s Church (East Village)
Monday, Jan. 1 from 2pm-1am

 

Time’s Up New Year’s Eve Bike Ride and After Party

Don’t stand around waiting for the New Year! Get on your bike or skates and take a ride through the city before hitting the Musical After Party at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space. Highlights include slideshows by East Village activist/artists, ’80s dance music and live punk bands! FREE

Check website for complete list of locations
Sunday, Dec. 31 from 9pm-2am

 

Demimonde: New Year’s Eve 2018

Party it up in a four-story speakeasy that’s making the new year all about the vice and decadence of a 19th-century French bordello! Dances of Vice “Demimonde” will feature live bands, cabaret and a host of other hedonistic surprises. Dress code: “historical harlots, dashing dandies, and glamorous ne’er-do-wells.” Tickets start at $85.

Down Town Association (FiDi)
Sunday, Dec. 3 from 9pm-2am

 

New Year’s Eve Party for the Whole Family

Eataly invites you to celebrate New Year’s Eve Italian family style, with food and fun. Enjoy the offerings of various pasta stations, Roman pizza, mocktails for kids and Prosecco for adults, games, and activities, a photo booth and panettone! Kids $40; Adults $80.

Eataly Downtown (FiDi)
Sunday, Dec. 31 from 5-9pm

Categories
Health

Former INTERMIX CEO Creates INSCAPE, the First Meditation Oasis of Its Kind Downtown

Khajak Keledjian at INSCAPE

Khajak Keledjian at INSCAPE
Khajak Keledjian at INSCAPE

For my part, I absolutely adore meditation, and I absolutely hate silent meditation.

I especially hate 35 minutes of silent meditation.

Fortunately, a new studio called INSCAPE has opened at 45 W. 21st Street, welcoming all those who need a break—and a bit more than just a room full of fellow meditators and silence—to dwell in one of their two sanctuaries.

Colored lighting, ethereal sounds, music and ambient noise are all paired, in most cases, with a guided meditation over a speaker that echoes throughout the whimsical, open space. If you’re one of those Buddha-on-earth types who loves a nice long stretch of silence, you can book one of those sessions , too. Delivered by audio guidance, the content incorporates three primary meditation techniques: focus, mindfulness and mantra, while music cues gentle body movements and breath work to engage and center the meditator.    

There’s nothing quite like this in the city right now, and, of course, it’s happening downtown. It is a high-end experience to be sure, but actually costs about as much as the average yoga class.

Designed by renowned architect Winka Dubbeldam—who Khajak Keledjian met at INTERMIX 10 years ago—the space honors the traditions of meditation while infusing modern design and technologies to foster immersion and reflection.

INSCAPE's Alcove
INSCAPE’s Alcove

“We thought it was too small for her, but she was actually inspired by the idea. Turns out we have parallel interests in yoga and meditation,” Keledjian said. “Winka’s been meditating since her early 20’s. We collaborated to design the space thoughtfully. Working with someone who authentically understands not only the design you’re imagining, but its essence, is invaluable.”

Khajak Keledjian says that INSCAPE is the first multi-platform meditation and relaxation experience that incorporates a studio and an app, one that provides audio-guided direction to bring the meditator through a unique flow of movement, breathing and meditation technique, step-by-step.

“We created INSCAPE to empower people to connect with their best selves, find balance and live life to its fullest potential, anytime, anywhere,” said Keledjian.“We wanted to create modern, secular and accessible meditation online pharmacy and relaxation experiences that represented an of-the-moment approach to an age-old practice.”

By combining modern technology with ancient techniques, Keledjian hopes INSCAPE will not only help busy city folks find a little Zen, but increase their ability to focus, think creatively, and up their “emotional intelligence.”

INSCAPE_Storefront

Over the last 10 years, as Keledjian practiced and refined what mediation style worked for him, he constructed his “mindful space” internally.

“It all started as a bet that I could not sit still for 15 minutes, when I was leading a hectic lifestyle. It ended up inspiring me to make meditation more relatable and accessible,” he said.

A New Yorker since his teenage years, he built his first business here and knows firsthand the need for balance and calm.

“If you can connect with yourself, you can better connect with others, which makes urban settings like this more manageable,” he said. “If we can reimagine meditation here, and create a cohesive community bringing together like-minded individuals in a big, over-stimulated city like New York, we can do it anywhere.”

Interestingly enough, in a world full of distractions and devices that make us reachable at all hours and threaten to push our boundaries of availability every day, technology is not, he says, the enemy: like with our thoughts during meditation, we have to learn to use it in our favor.

“There is a misconception that people need to detach from technology to find balance and create mindful environments. We want people to understand they can control how they interact with technology, rather than feel they are controlled by it,” he said. “The reality is that technology is part of the evolution of our society and it can enhance and enrich our everyday lives if we utilize it mindfully.”

If you ask me guided meditation is a great way to go—just the right amount of gentle stimulation when you’re seeking a break from an apartment or office full of screens and a city full of: insert frustrating/loud/rude/noisy/annoying/delayed thing here.

Book a session here.

Categories
Events Fashion

The Rubin Museum to host a workshop with Satya Jewelry on Nov. 19

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On Saturday, Nov. 19, 2016, The Rubin Museum will be hosting a mala-making workshop with Satya Jewelry. The event is scheduled to run from 1:00 to 4:00 PM.

In this workshop, as led by Satya Scainetti — co-founder of Satya Jewelry — participants will learn the sacred art of mala-making and how the beads are used in daily practice. Each participant will leave the workshop with a one-of-a-kind mala, a traditional garland of 108 prayer beads.

The beads are intended for use in personal meditation and, said Scainetti, the natural stones have healing properties that people are “just naturally drawn to.” Those who are not familiar with the philosophy or religious principles behind the mala are bound to learn something during the workshops three-hour runtime.

Satya Jewelry's Satya Scainetti
Satya Jewelry’s Satya Scainetti

“Making your own mala is really a personal journey. Each knot represents the challenges we face and the stone after is the triumph,” Scainetti said. “People feel an incredible accomplishment when they leave with a mala that they have made and set an intention with.”   

Every bead represents a truth, and meditating on them with an affirmation, or mantra, is used to bring peace of mind. The mala can also be seen as a metaphor for life: a small knot between each of the beads represents a challenge between the smoother, more beautiful aspects of life.

Scainetti has a background in social work and education and is a shivananda yoga teacher.

Tickets are $108.00, and $97.20 for members. More info can be found on the Rubin Museum website.