Sports in East New York

Kickboxing classes deliver a knee to the face of fat, burning up to 860 calories an hour with the high-energy striking moves of martial arts and boxing. All four limbs get in on the bag-bludgeoning action at iLoveKickboxing as each class provides a full-body workout that tones arm, leg, and tentacle muscles while tightening the body’s core and improving balance. Hitting the heavy bags won't skin your knuckles once you don the included boxing gloves, which also double as excellent spring-loaded props for re-creating Three Stooges gags. Class times and dates vary based on location.

Zen & Yoga's staff leads students of all levels and ages through holistic exercises that incorporate ancient Asian techniques. During the studio's signature Zen & Yoga class, instructors teach a series of Hatha and Vinyasa poses that move energy through key spinal areas known as chakras. Classes are offered to meet any skill level. Beginners may seek to join All-Level Yoga or Yoga I, while more advanced students may join Yoga III or Zen Yoga.

Zen & Yoga's instructors don't limit themselves to just yoga, they also lead Pilates and Hot Pilates classes. The staff also leads specialized workshops and trains new yoga instructors.

Newcomers might walk into Dance Reverie with two left feet, but they leave with a graceful waltz-tempo spring in their step. Emphasizing a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere, instructors lead first-time students through an energetic array of dance styles including tango, swing, fox trot, samba, and merengue. Classes break down each dance into its constituent parts while participants learn with partners or solo. But whether the studio is hosting private lessons or group parties, the enthusiastic staff ensures each experience is as enjoyable as it is educational.

Brooklyn Golf Center invites players to swing at a buffet of practice areas, a newly renovated 18-hole executive course, or an 18-hole mini-golf course. The center’s driving range boasts 75 stalls, 25 of which are covered and heated, keeping the sun from burning fair-complected golf balls. After working on their long game, players can move to the putting green or chipping area to warm up before hitting the 18-hole executive course or putting through the mini-golf course. Those seeking educational guidance can take lessons with PGA Director of Golf Anthony Rodriquez or Joel Garyn, who harnesses more than 35 years of competitive golf experience. Before visiting the links, players can drop into a 900-square-foot pro shop stocked with gear from brands such as Mizuno, Nike, and Wilson. The center’s golf experts can match players with clubs from these brands during custom club fittings that determine ideal pairings. In addition to serving its own customers, Brooklyn Golf Center also supports community efforts as part of The First Tee program, which brings golf to young people who would never otherwise get the chance to grip a club.

Argentina–born soccer enthusiast Gustavo Szulansky opened Super Soccer Stars to provide the boroughs with a program that championed the personal development of youngsters rather than solely a skill-based focus. Since its debut in 2000, it's grown throughout the city, helping countless youngsters learn teamwork, boost confidence, and decrease arguments during home games played on the dining-room table. This rapid growth is due in part to the positive values Gustavo instilled from the first class. His coaches are carefully selected for their ability to cultivate a noncompetitive, sensitive approach to learning the game, and they dole out their knowledge in both classes and camps.

Super Soccer Star's Kick & Play program features family-friendly classes that help tots 12–24 months old develop pre-soccer skills and physical skill sets simultaneously. During classes, a team of talented and enthusiastic instructors and an athletic duo of puppet friends named Mimi and Pepe buoy budding soccer players with positive reinforcement, individual attention, and the merry clickety-clack of cleated tap dances. Designed with the help of early-childhood specialists, each age-specific class helps players build skills at their own pace with positive reinforcement, individual attention, and engaging original music.

World Martial Arts Center isn’t just a gym where individuals can improve their muscle tone or fine-tune their roundhouse kick—it’s a refuge designed to help clients build both inner and outer strength. These lofty aims motivate the center’s instructors, who help students achieve their goals. During hapkido classes, they teach seven techniques—strikes, blocks, holds, throws, weapons, internal techniques, and healing—that combine to create one fluid and versatile mode of self-defense. Alternatively, trainers also lead groups through a series of punches and kicks during kickboxing classes, which use combat moves to create a high-octane, total-body workout. Equipped with 25 years of hapkido and kickboxing training and instruction, Master David Herbert teaches beginner classes, available at both locations.

Inside the dojang, or school, Eastern-style tapestries and plants set guests at ease as they work toward physical or metaphysical improvement. To that end, World Martial Arts Center complements its training regimens with health and nutrition advice. In addition, both the Brooklyn and Manhattan locations boast locker rooms for men and women, where guests can shower after a vigorous training session or lock up their Bruce Lee bobble heads while they work out.