ExerBlast: This Family Adventure Gym Makes Fitness Fun for NYC Kids

Lots of kids in NYC need to get more exercise, but let's face it, so do we as parents. A new gym in Tribeca has created a completely different way for families to exercise together, making it a fun group activity. ExerBlast is so unique it's kind of hard to even explain. See our photo gallery and review—and then check it out for yourself.

ExerBlast uses high-tech gaming technology to create a real-world obstacle course for a heart-pounding adventure. Groups work together, moving through stations with different activities and challenges, and each person has an iPod that tracks energy expended and awards points. This is one game where kids actually have an advantage over adults!

High-tech experiences like Kinect-style movement sensors and a rotating climbing wall are mixed with surprisingly simple activities that get your heart racing. Between stations, you cruise the power path, hopping, skipping and squat-walking. My family really loves the ball room; crawling, walking and bouncing around on giant balance balls isn't only super-fun, it also seriously kicks your butt.

And that's what I like most about ExerBlast: It reminds me that exercise is something families can do together and that everyday activities can be turned into sweat-inducing workouts. It also shows how important it is for every member of our family to exercise, and helps us add fitness into our routine, even if we're not sporty people. Plus it's really fun. (I'm working on another post about other easy ways you can integrate exercise into your kids' daily lives. Watch for it soon.)

ExerBlast is great for children ages 5 and up and works surprisingly well for families with members of different ages and abilities. Since you all work together, your strengths and weaknesses balance out. A program tailored for preschoolers is going to be introduced later this fall.

ExerBlast offers single blasts (reservations are recommended), memberships, after-school programs with pickup from nearby schools, classes for teens and birthday parties. The prices vary, but a family of four non-members can drop in for a one-hour blast for $80. Plus, ExerBlast has added a new Preschooler Blast, Bend and Breathe Series for children ages 2.5-4 years and is offering Mommy Poppins readers 20% off through 3/16/2012 with code MPXB201201. Visit exerblast.com for class days and times.

ExerBlast
100 Reade Street between Church Street and West Broadway
888-898-9797

Disclosure: One of the founders of ExerBlast is a friend of mine, however my reporting was not influenced by our acquaintance.

For more great kids' programs, check out our Classes Guide, and for more indoor activities take a look at our Indoor Fun Guide.