When you make the decision to get in shape, the options can seem endless. You may not know whether to start with that cute, trendy, boutique studio in your neighborhood or the big box gym to sweat it out among the masses. As a basic rule of thumb, the trendier, more unique spaces will cost you more but you can get a lot of amenities like towels and a lavender spritz after your workout. For the smaller budget, the big box gyms like Golds Gym and Planet Fitness can give you the basics and even group fitness class offerings, usually for an additional cost.
Fortunately, we are here to help you navigate through the latest trends in gyms and studios to help you find the right one for you!
Treadmill Classes:
Even though you can always lace up your sneakers and to run outdoors for free-99, treadmill studios are the trendy way to keep you motivated and push you to new speeds and distances. If you are very serious about perfecting your running form, learning techniques to increase speed, or you just need that extra push that comes from being surrounded by runners, these classes may be perfect for you.
Most of these classes are taught by lifelong runners who can share their personal experience to help you and your stride! Not really a runner? These classes can still be the right fit to help you learn how to start running and you can always adjust your speed to match your fitness level.
Looking for a treadmill class? Check one of
these out:
Aqua Workouts
If you asked us ten years ago about aqua or water-based workouts, we might have pointed you to the nearest senior citizen facility. But, times are a changing. Now getting a workout underwater is not just for your silver-haired relatives, but people of all ages are dipping their toes in the latest aqua classes.
Taking your workout to the pool can help you perform the same moves that you do on land with much less stress on your joints and bones. So, if you’re recovering from an injury or have a pesky pain in the knee or elsewhere, the water can relieve some of that pressure. That’s not to say water workouts are easy. They can actually be more difficult than your land-based workouts since the water creates added resistance to every move you make.
Ready to try out an aqua fitness class? These are just a few that are offered around the nation:
Yoga + Weights
Yoga studios are plentiful in every city. But the latest trend is to
add weights to your flow. While these classes are low impact and slower-moving, you will absolutely burn up a sweat, since most studios can warm upwards of 80 degrees to help those muscles get good and loose.
During these classes, you’ll perform your typical yoga poses with weights, so think multiple reps of chaturangas and crescent pose with a bicep curl. Whether you’re a bonafide yogi or a novice, the moves are simple enough so that you can keep up, and with the added weights and repetition, advanced yogis will get a new challenge too.
The leader in these “yoga sculpt” classes is by far Core Power Yoga, which has locations nationwide.
Pilates Reformer Classes
Pilates is another old-school workout that is making a comeback among the boutique studios. Basically, pilates on the reformer machine lets you tone tiny muscles throughout your body with yoga-like poses and dozens of repetitions of every move.
The new spin on these traditional workouts is to add resistance to the reformer machine and even give you weights to hold while you’re pulsing for what can feel like hours (but in reality, it’s just seconds). This workout is the best out there for building core strength and getting abs you can really see. The secret is holding muscle contractions until your muscles give out and multiple reps of tiny lifts to boost your glutes, abs, arms, and everything in between.
Looking for a reformer class? Try
these studios out:
Boxing and Kickboxing Classes
It’s really as if the 90s are making a comeback with the latest fitness trends. Boxing never really went out of style, as you can likely find kickboxing in your local gym without a problem. What is making a comeback, however, are classes that focus more on boxing technique and heavy bags to help you learn how to throw a punch and sweat your butt off in the process.
Boxing is a challenging workout that is not for the faint of heart. If you have shoulder injuries, you may want to skip this workout as throwing those jabs and crosses can exert your shoulders much more than you think. And if you don’t love jumping up and down, opt for a traditional boxing class over a kickboxing class so you can avoid the high impact from the kicks.
If you’re looking for a way to burn hundreds of calories in one workout and you want to feel like a bad a**, try one of these trendy boxing studios:
Sharita Jennings is a fitness and travel enthusiast and creator of Get Fit Like That, LLC. She is a health policy attorney and ACE certified group fitness instructor and fitness nutrition specialist. She provides online fitness plans and leads group fitness classes in Washington DC. Check out her fitness tips and workouts at GetFitLikeThat.com.
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