Free Fitness Is On The Schedule At NYC Parks’ ShapeUp Aerobics, Zumba, Dance Fitness, And Cardio Classes

Heather Chin -
Photo by Justina Wong/NYC Parks.

Now we can stay fit while also staying warm this winter/spring, thanks to an expanded lineup of free Shape Up fitness classes at five locations in Fort Greene and Clinton Hill, courtesy of the city Parks Department’s Community Parks Initiative.

In total, Shape Up NYC offers more than 370 weekly free classes spanning all five boroughs; here in our neighborhood, there are nine (9) classes in aerobics, zumba, tai chi, lengthening and strengthening, and cardio sculpt.

The full schedule for us is as follows:

Ingersoll Community Center (177 Myrtle Avenue)

  • Lengthen, Strengthen, and Burn
    WEDNESDAYS from 7-8pm
    January 14 through July 14, 2016
    Inspired by ballet movements, this exercise class focuses on muscle control and strength exercises. You will definitely feel the burn.
  • Dance Fitness
    WEDNESDAYS from 7:15-8:15pm
    Ongoing
    An exciting workout that uses easy-to-follow dance steps to increase cardiovascular fitness and tone the body.
  • Fundamentals of Tai Chi
    SATURDAYS from 10-11am
    Through May 14, 2016
    Contemporary movements with the laws and principals of Tai Chi Kung (Qigong), Yoga, and Meditation.

Cumberland Diagnostic and Treatment Center (100 North Portland Avenue)

  • Zumba
    MONDAYS from 5:30-6:30pm
    Class meets in he 4th Floor Auditorium. Zumba is a fusion of Latin, International and popular music dance themes creating a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic, fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body with easy to follow dance steps.

Atlantic Terminal Community Center (501 Carlton Avenue)

  • Cardio Sculpt
    SATURDAYS from 11am-12pm
    This total body workout addresses muscle strength and endurance while keeping the heart rate up to burn calories and strengthen the cardio respiratory system. Continuous movement to great music makes it fun!
  • Aerobic Fit
    SATURDAYS form 12-1pm
    January 23 through July 23, 2016
    Low impact aerobic exercise using light weights to tone and strengthen the body. Perfect for when you are first getting started, dealing with an injury or just want to try something new.

YWCA of Brooklyn (30 Third Avenue)

  • Cardio Burn
    THURSDAYS from 6:30-7:30pm
    Through March 17, 2016
    This total body workout addresses muscle strength and endurance while keeping the heart rate up to burn calories and strengthen the cardio respiratory system. Continuous movement to great music makes it fun!
  • Zumba
    SATURDAYS from 12-1pm
    Zumba is a fusion of Latin, International and popular music dance themes creating a dynamic, exciting, effective fitness system! The routines feature aerobic, fitness interval training with a combination of fast and slow rhythms that tone and sculpt the body with easy to follow dance steps.

St. Temple Church of God (399 Classon Avenue)

  • Aerobic Fitness
    MONDAYS from 10-11am
    An exciting workout that uses easy-to-follow dance steps to increase cardiovascular fitness and tone the body.

The new classes are heavily targeted to areas identified by the CPI as densely populated and growing neighborhoods with higher-than-average concentrations of poverty.

All classes are led by volunteer instructors who successfully completed NYC Parks’ Fitness Instructor Training (FIT) program — 10 weeks of training in basic anatomy, exercise physiology, injury prevention, music, cueing and choreography. These classes count as their six-month internship.