About the author: Tribeca-based nutrition counselor Rebecca Sadek (eatrightnyc.com), who received training at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, believes that being healthy is not about restraint or isolation, and she helps clients find a balance that works for them and their lifestyle.

If you’re anything like me, the amount of snow we’re getting makes you want to curl up and hibernate until spring. Tribeca Beauty Spa seems to have had us winter-hating, busy New Yorkers in mind when it added a Monday-evening Body Rolling class to its list of services. In 75 minutes, you can get a core workout and a relaxing massage—all without leaving a relaxing, Zen-like room on the bottom floor of the spa.

Instructor Jennifer Greenlees demonstrating Body Rolling at Tribeca Beauty Spa

Going into the class my main concern was how could it possibly be relaxing? My idea of a massage is passing out and letting someone else do the work. A New York State–licensed massage therapist, instructor Jennifer Greenlees is also certified and trained body rolling and yoga instructor; she trained with Yamuna, the originator of the Body Rolling method. Jennifer lay my concerns to rest by informing me that Body Rolling is really “lazy-man’s yoga.” You lie on a yoga mat and apply pressure by rolling over a small ball, which serves a similar function to those foam rollers that can be found in the stretching area of just about every gym (but the shape of the ball allows you to hit muscles that are more difficult to reach with a foam roller). While massaging the front of the body, you are mostly in a plank-like pose, strengthening your core. It was tough at certain points, but it was also a very relaxing experience that flew by the same way a traditional massage does, and it left me wanting more. Another bonus was the size of the class; with only three other people in the room, there was a lot of personal attention, which is a deal for a $30 class ($100 for a four-class cycle)—especially considering fitness classes four times the size charge the same amount.

Recent articles by Rebecca Sadek:
• A Workout With Punch
• Dancing for Yourself
• Stroller Boot Camp
• Butt Kicks and Suicides, All Before Sunrise
• The Tracy Anderson Way