Astoria is chock-full of restaurants and bars—and luckily it is has an equally impressive number of gyms where you can work out after overindulging in baklava and craft beers. Those who find it difficult to commit to any one regimen or discipline will be delighted by the neighborhood’s numerous multipurpose gyms, where you can lift weights one day, run a treadmill the next, and take any number of classes the day after.
31-11 Broadway (between 31st and 32nd Streets)
This 40,000-square-foot facility has plenty of cardio machines and weight-training equipment for when you want to train on your own, plus a number of personal trainers to provide individualized guidance. And when you want to work out with a group, you have a variety of classes to choose from. In addition to such standbys as spin, yoga (Vinyasa and power), Pilates, and Zumba, you can opt for belly dancing, boxing, and the high-intensity BodyShred. After your workout, pamper yourself in the steam room, the sauna, or the Jacuzzi. There’s a day spa on the premises where you can indulge in a massage or a man-pedi and childcare facilities so that you cannot use the lack of a babysitter as an excuse for missing out on your workout.
34038 38th Street (between 34th and 35th Avenues)
At the Complex NYC, you can swim year-round, courtesy of a four-lane lap pool. Formerly the Astoria Sports Complex, the facility recently expanded its aerobics studio and added a spin studio on its first floor, as well as added a turf flooring to one area on its second floor to create an area for push sledding, tire flipping, and the like. Other features include a three-foot Jacuzzi, a boxing area, and two indoor soccer fields, one of which is the only FIFI-certified turf in the city. Three to five classes, ranging from aqua aerobics to rugged boxing, are held a day. Personal training is available too, along with ellipticals, treadmills, bikes, and other machines.
43-60 Ditmars Boulevard (between 43rd and 45th Streets)
If classes such as Absolutely Bootylish and Ripped pique your interest, so will Matrix Fitness Club. In addition to those body-sculpting classes, offerings include Pilates, high-intensity interval training, yoga, Zumba, kickboxing, and the delightfully named Barre Belle. In addition to classes, the 25,000-square-foot facility hosts a wealth of cardio and strength-training machines plus an indoor cycling studio. Personal trainers can work with you to create 21-Day Shred and 6-Week Rapid Results programs, and one of the trainers offers massage therapy.
38-11 30th Avenue (between 38th and Steinway Streets)
The Astoria branch of New York Sports Clubs offers as many as 11 classes a day, These include PiYo, a Pilates-yoga hybrid; SilverSneakers Classic for members 55 and over; and both Hatha and Vinyasa yoga. Of course there are the usual machines and weights too—and plenty of them—plus an indoor turfed area.
30-33 Steinway Street (between 30th and 31st Avenues)
Planet Fitness. Image: osseous/Flickr
Does a crazy schedule make it difficult for you to squeeze in a workout? Then Planet Fitness might be a good fit: It is open round-the-clock Mondays through Thursdays, closing at 10 p.m. on Fridays and open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on weekends. When you’re not working on one of the fuchsia machines or lifting weights, you can take part in classes that range from stretching sessions perfect for after a workout to the hard-charging PF360 Burn to classes focused on the back and triceps or the chest and biceps. Those pressed for time can partake of a 30-minute “express circuit” or work with trainers to create a personalized workout. Planet Fitness also has massage chairs, HydroMassage beds, and Total Body Enhancement machines, which are said to improve skin tone via red and infrared light.
32-32 49th Street (between Broadway and Northern Boulevard)
Retro Fitness offers even more-extensive hours than Planet Fitness: It closes only between 10 p.m. Saturday and 7 a.m. Sunday, and again from 8 p.m. till midnight on Sunday. Class offerings are limited; the emphasis is more on one-on-one training and solo workouts, and you will find a wealth of machines to ensure you never grow bored.
The Rock Health & Fitness Club
22-15 31st Street (between Ditmars Boulevard and 23rd Avenue)
The Rock Gym. Image: therockhealthandfitness.com
The Rock is also open 24 hours a day during the week, closing at midnight on Fridays and open 7 a.m.-9 p.m. Saturdays and 7 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays; complimentary childcare is available during some of those hours. In addition to machines, weights, and punching bags, the facility includes a rock-climbing wall. The studio categorizes its classes as Beats, Burn, Balance, and the non-alliterative Other. Zumba falls under Beats, while Burn includes kickboxing, boxing conditioning, cycling, and the cleverly named HIIT It! Various yoga and Pilates options make up the Balance category, with rock-climbing and SilverSneakers falling under Other.
23-35 Broadway (between 23rd and Crescent Streets)
Synergy is another club open virtually 24 hours with plenty of machines and weights to choose from. Classes include spin, several types of yoga, and cardio kickboxing, along with individual and group kinesis training, which combines cardio, strength, and flexibility work. The studio emphasizes not just physical training but also holistic lifestyle guidance, from individualized weight management and nutritional programs to lifestyle coaching.