NY Fit Fest returns to Long Beach: 5 classes to try

Picture this: You’re dancing on the beach with one of Debbie Gibson’s backup dancers or maybe you’re getting fit under the direction of Andy Cohen’s trainer. The best part? You didn't leave Long Island to make it happen.

The NY Fit Festival returns to Long Beach on Sept. 25. This year’s roster features more than 60 vendors, and 30-plus fitness classes, lectures, workshops and other activities.

The day gets underway at Edwards Boulevard (where Riptides is on the boardwalk) at 9 a.m. and runs until 3 p.m. On Sept. 26, there will be a "mini fest" hosted on the Allegria Hotel rooftop starting with morning meditation at 7:30 a.m. and ending with an 11 a.m. Barre and Beer class at nearby Bright Eye Beer Company.

For the first time in its four-year history, co-founders Colette Lee Morales, who's a certified fitness instructor, and Ingrid Dodd, a publicist, are opening up the festival to children 12 and older. Also new: a family workout session dubbed "stronger together" led by David Freeman, whose graced multiple magazine covers, including Men's Health, and his wife Mechelle, a 2021 Olympic track and field coach and 2008 Olympian.

The anticipated turnout this year is "a million dollar question," says Morales. Classes are filled on a first-come, first-serve basis and each cap at a different number of participants.

One participant-turned-instructor, Mariel Hunerberg, says every year, modifications are made to better serve the attendees, like cutting in half the duration of each class. "It’s kind of like speed dating of fitness," she says of the now 20-minutes-or-so classes.

"If you pack out your schedule, you can probably take seven or eight classes throughout the day. It would be a lot, you’ll be really exhausted, but you could do it," she says. Classes may overlap with others that pique your interest, so plan accordingly.

Here are five classes (and a lecture) to check out. Other classes include Zumba, yoga, HIIT training, boot camp, aerial hoop and dance sessions. A full list of classes and schedules can be found at nyfitfest.com.

M.S.T.A.N.Y.: Retired United States marine Tony Hernandez will push you to your limits with this military-style boot camp. Prepare to do lots of running, push ups, sit ups, and the like, plus workout with props, like tires.

Stronger Together: Bring the family to the beach for some quality time, but this time, leave the chairs at home. The Freemans will guide you through a low-level total body workout that the whole family can participate in.

CycleBar: Garden City's CycleBar brings their high-energy cycling workout to the boardwalk with stationary bicycles and a live DJ. Must be at least 14 years old to participate.

Beachfit TRX: Break a sweat with BeachFIT Training owners Michael and Christina Boccio, the latter of which holds a black rank coach title, at one of their high-intensity workouts that focuses on total body resistance exercises (TRX). The duo set up suspensions and other tools from their Oceanside studio right on the beach.

Sand Barre: Ballet and Pilates become one (sort of, at least) at this class directed by Long Beach's Core 95, meant to focus on isometric movements to strengthen the body's muscles.

Self-care lecture: Breast cancer surgeon Dr. Jennifer Montes, and founder of Evolve Pink, a breast cancer support network, is on deck to discuss preventive care, allopathic and integrative medicine, among other self-care topics.