How well would you fare in an apocalyptic battle royale where you’re pitted against poisonous fog, blood rain, vicious robot birds and fellow humans looking to kill you because their lives depend on it?
Probably not so well, but a new fitness class aims to help get you in fighting shape — or at least battle the bulge this holiday season.
Starting Monday, the New York Spots Club on 62nd and Broadway will be offering a 45-minute “Train Like a Tribute” classes for “Hunger Games” fanatics (free and open to both gym members and non-members) who aspire to be as fit as Katniss (Jennifer Lawrence) and Peeta (Josh Hutcherson) are in “Catching Fire,” the latest installment in the hit franchise which opens today.
The class debuted last year for a limited time after the first “Hunger Games” movie was released, but this year’s workout is taking things to a new level.
“The second movie is a little bit more intense and so is the program.,” says NYSC master trainer Eli Ingram. “We wanted to make the exercises that much more difficult, that much more challenging. But knowing some people who come to the class are beginners, each exercise can be modified.” Click through to learn about some of the exercises the class is torturing participants with:
Katniss Killers
Just like “Hunger Games” heroine Katniss Everdeen, gym bunnies will wield a bow — though instead of using it to hunt and kill, they’ll just be getting a resistance workout for the upper back and biceps.
Peacekeeper Battle Ropes
Crack a whip to work the biceps and shoulders, just like the evil, white-hazmat-suit-wearing peacekeepers use whips to punish any citizens who attempt to rebel.
Heavensbee Hills
Named after Plutarch Heavensbee (Philip Seymour Hoffman), the head gamemaker who orchestrates the “Hunger Games,” this a challenging cardio interval on the treadmill. “We use the highest incline possible, so it mimics running outside alongside a mountain,” says Ingram.
Finnick Trident Presses
Participants will do tricep presses with a weighted trident, the weapon of choice for Finnick Odair (Sam Claflin), a devastatingly handsome tribute who fights alongside Katniss and Peeta.
Peeta Pull-Ups
Named for the film’s hero in camouflage, Ingram says this exercise, which entails doing a squat into a jumping pull-up, is the most challenging in the circuit. “A pull-up is one of the hardest exercises to do anyway so the squat and jump makes it more intense.”
Paralyzing Fog Flips
In the film, some of the characters are paralyzed by a poison fog, leaving their fellow fighters to carry to them to safety. This exercise attempts to simulate that by having participants flip and lift a large punching bag above their head. Heavy stuff!
White “Rose”
It’s named after the signature boutonniere worn by the evil overlord President Snow (Donald Sutherland), but it’s actually just an inverted push-up using the TRX machine.
Beetee Biceps
Beetee (Jeffrey Wright) fights alongside Katniss, and his secret weapon is his intelligence and skill with electrical wiring. Here, you’ll be developing your own secret weapon: big guns.
“Train Like A Tribute” classes take place at New York Sports Club every Monday at 1:30 p.m. and Friday at noon; 61 W. 62nd St.; 212-265-0995