Social Workout

It's All Free

Social Workout Guide to July 4th and Deep Summer

(via Etienne Frossard)

You may think you have the NYC free summer fun game down -- Bryant Park movies, Shakespeare in the Park, yada yada yada.  But how about free Boot Camp in the Park? Free lap swimming in city pools?  Free pilates mat classes overlooking the Brooklyn Bridge?  Yes, yes, and yes. And that's just the start. Impressed by the wealth of activities on offer, and with our Feats of Summer challengers front of mind (yes, stragglers still welcome), we've gone and compiled the following Social Workout Fit and Thrifty Guide to 4th of July Weekend. Enjoy....

• Begin Saturday morning with free kayaking lessons on the Hudson. Just show up at the 72nd Street Boat Launch in Riverside Park between 10 A.M. and 5 P.M., and instructors will show you the ropes.  (If you're busy Saturday ayem making your potato salad for your pot luck picnic, no sweat. You can kayak any Saturday or Sunday all summer long). 
• Saturday afternoon, take a free audio walking tour of Central Park. Who knew that turn-of-the-20th-century New Yorkers were obsessed with ice skating -- and as many as 40,000 skated on the lake in Central Park in one day? Walking + trivia = total mind-body hotness.  
• Sunday, hit the beach. The New York City Parks Department maintains 14 miles of beaches. Open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Underwater swim anyone?
• You may be back at work Monday, but that doesn't mean the fun is over.  July 6th marks the opening of free lap swimming in NYC pools starting Monday (every Monday - Friday till September 4th).
• Tuesday, hit up the weekly free pilates mat class in Riverside Park South on Tuesday evening at 6:30 p.m. For Brooklyn peeps, try the 7:00 p.m. pilates mat class in Brooklyn Bridge Park, also free.
• Watch the sun go down on Wednesday with Sunset Yoga in Fort Tryon Park, Wednesdays, 6:45 - 8:00 p.m., now through August 12th. 
• And nothing says good morning to your Thursday like Brooklyn Bridge Boot Camp Cardio in Union Square, Thursdays, 9 a.m. through August 13th. 

Feeling fit? Excellent. Feeling fit and thrifty? Even better. Feeling fit and thrifty and well-informed? The best!