Fitness with a twist
March 17, 2013 11:33 AM Subscribe
I am moving to Boston in the near future and I am looking to find some form of interesting/unusual athletic activity.
At the moment I have a fairly routine lifting/running workout routine and I'm looking to add some spice to it by joining a class or activity. The caveat is that I'm looking for something interesting, something with some character. Maybe a semi-obscure martial art or similar activity (when I thought I might be moving to Chicago I had my eye on Forteza fitness) but also maybe something that might be the Boston equivalent of things discussed in this previous question.
Really I'm already getting bored with my current routine of bland workout and I think, having recently acquired regular employment, that it might benefit me to get excited about what I'm doing to get in shape so that I don't forgo it after long days of work.
Please, hivemind, help me add some uniqueness, theater, and pyrotechnics to my fitness!
At the moment I have a fairly routine lifting/running workout routine and I'm looking to add some spice to it by joining a class or activity. The caveat is that I'm looking for something interesting, something with some character. Maybe a semi-obscure martial art or similar activity (when I thought I might be moving to Chicago I had my eye on Forteza fitness) but also maybe something that might be the Boston equivalent of things discussed in this previous question.
Really I'm already getting bored with my current routine of bland workout and I think, having recently acquired regular employment, that it might benefit me to get excited about what I'm doing to get in shape so that I don't forgo it after long days of work.
Please, hivemind, help me add some uniqueness, theater, and pyrotechnics to my fitness!
Rock-climbing! There's Metro Rock, and I hear that there's going to be a Brooklyn Boulders opening around there soon, too.
posted by 168 at 11:49 AM on March 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by 168 at 11:49 AM on March 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
Hashing! Hash House Harriers. Check'em out. A great way to explore the city, too.
posted by princelyfox at 12:01 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by princelyfox at 12:01 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Boston has a really active lindy hop scene - you can go out dancing for 3-4 hours practically every night of the week!
posted by ChuraChura at 12:04 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by ChuraChura at 12:04 PM on March 17, 2013
Have you ever thought of taking up rowing? Great sport.
posted by Ideefixe at 12:49 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Ideefixe at 12:49 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Aerial yoga! (That one's in Somerville; there's also a studio in Southie that offers similar classes.) Or if you have a car, you can take classes at Trapeze School up in Reading.
posted by Pandora Kouti at 12:56 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by Pandora Kouti at 12:56 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
There's a massive outdoor bootcamp group that organizes free workouts a few times a week. They announce the workouts and locations on Twitter. I can't remember the name and am having a hard time googling, but maybe it'll jog (ha) someone's memory.
There are lots of other martial arts clubs here too, and of course, Cross Fit is everywhere.
But honestly, I'd pick something close to your office or home. The traffic is bad enough here that I can't imagine scheduling a bunch of cross-city trips in the car or on transit, on top of whatever other obligations you have. Make it easy, pick something local, unless it's so specialized (and you're so specialized) that you have to make a special trip for the training.
If you're a woman, Healthworks is awesome.
posted by barnone at 1:00 PM on March 17, 2013
There are lots of other martial arts clubs here too, and of course, Cross Fit is everywhere.
But honestly, I'd pick something close to your office or home. The traffic is bad enough here that I can't imagine scheduling a bunch of cross-city trips in the car or on transit, on top of whatever other obligations you have. Make it easy, pick something local, unless it's so specialized (and you're so specialized) that you have to make a special trip for the training.
If you're a woman, Healthworks is awesome.
posted by barnone at 1:00 PM on March 17, 2013
The aerial circus arts always look fun. Simply Circus is in Newton.
posted by Durin's Bane at 1:16 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by Durin's Bane at 1:16 PM on March 17, 2013
Came in to recommend rock climbing/bouldering as well. Rowing seems like a good Boston based activity as well.
posted by backwards guitar at 2:12 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by backwards guitar at 2:12 PM on March 17, 2013
Roller derby? Guessing you're a man from your profile, so your closest league will be Mass Maelstrom in Lancaster.
posted by corvine at 2:19 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by corvine at 2:19 PM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]
Hooping is fun, a good core workout, and did I mention fun? Looks like there's a pretty active scene in Boston; the Boston Hoop Troop offers classes and has frequent hoop jams.
posted by mogget at 2:21 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by mogget at 2:21 PM on March 17, 2013
Rugby! Boston has a lot of great clubs (both women's and men's), and they're very welcoming of newcomers. And if you've been working out and lifting for a while, that's good background. Lots of body types do well in rugby too; not just the big huge ones.
posted by forza at 3:36 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by forza at 3:36 PM on March 17, 2013
Capoeira is popular here. There are capoeira studios in the city and many suburbs.
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:46 PM on March 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Sidhedevil at 3:46 PM on March 17, 2013 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Hey everyone, I'm really digging the suggestions thus far, keep them coming.
I noticed that some were suggesting/asking things that were gender specific. So, that being said, if it is relevant to your answer, I am male.
Again, thanks for all the tips thus far!
posted by sendai sleep master at 4:42 PM on March 17, 2013
I noticed that some were suggesting/asking things that were gender specific. So, that being said, if it is relevant to your answer, I am male.
Again, thanks for all the tips thus far!
posted by sendai sleep master at 4:42 PM on March 17, 2013
Trampoline dodgeball leagues (if you're into that).
posted by wolfdreams01 at 4:56 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by wolfdreams01 at 4:56 PM on March 17, 2013
This is a little light on the fitness but definitely good for interesting/unusual--the MIT Assassins' Guild (a LARPing student group) runs an event on most Saturdays called Patrol; it's essentially tag with Nerf guns. You can just walk around or you can run like crazy, totally up to you; if you lean more towards running it can be reasonable exercise. Besides that there are a variety of games that run, usually on weekends, many of which are "high action" and are like tag with Nerf guns except with slightly more complicated rules and hit points. These involve a lot of running around, often up and down stairwells, so they end up being a reasonable workout. Patrol in particular is open to pretty much anybody who shows up; if you want to play in a more formal game you can ask to be put on the mailing list and apply to any games that look interesting to you.
posted by cheesegrater at 8:07 PM on March 17, 2013
posted by cheesegrater at 8:07 PM on March 17, 2013
Circus aerials! I've been doing them for 4 months or so in a much smaller city than Boston and they are excellent for strength, flexibility and endurance. There tends to be more women than men in the classes, in my observation, but it's by no means a female only sport. In fact, guys tend to progress a bit faster in the early stages because of an advantage in upper body strength (although it evens out in upper levels, I'm told).
posted by Kurichina at 7:33 AM on March 18, 2013
posted by Kurichina at 7:33 AM on March 18, 2013
Parkour! Google "Boston Parkour" - there are tons of resources. The Parkour community is amazing, you should give it a try!
posted by doorsfan at 8:59 AM on March 18, 2013
posted by doorsfan at 8:59 AM on March 18, 2013
For cardio, how about salsa? There is a pretty active salsa scene here, especially in Cambridge. I took classes for a couple years and really enjoyed it; it's a friendly crowd.
posted by hipscarf at 11:33 AM on March 19, 2013
posted by hipscarf at 11:33 AM on March 19, 2013
« Older Recently diagnosed with WDCDS and not sure how to... | What is this syringe-like thing? Newer »
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by treehorn+bunny at 11:47 AM on March 17, 2013 [1 favorite]