South Florida Fitness Tour

It’s no wonder new gym memberships spike this time of year – getting fit is one of the top new year’s resolutions.

We know it isn’t easy to get motivated after months of holiday revelry. But a key ingredient to a lasting routine is discovering the type of exercise that works best for you – along with trainers and coaches who motivate and inspire you. Dance or yoga may do the trick. Or perhaps a boot camp is more up your alley. It doesn’t have to be boring, and it might even be fun. To help your quest, we’ve rounded up some South Florida spots offering a variety of classes that will have you breaking a sweat in no time.

TRX

What it is: Total resistance exercise, or TRX, is a suspension-based system that utilizes gravity and your body weight. Participants use a single strap, usually hung from the ceiling, with loops for hands or feet on either end.

Where to do it: Baseball star Alex Rodriguez (aka A-Rod) opened TruFusion, a Coral Gables fitness club, in 2018. The 11,000-square-foot venue offers TRX as well as other classes, including the “R-rated” Down ‘N’ Dirty Bootcamp (an adult version of boot camp with some fun bump-and-grind mixed in). TRX participants perform push-ups, rows, squats, lunges and other exercises on suspension straps that work the core. The club has an organic café featuring fresh grab-and-go foods and made-to-order juices and smoothies. Can you get a body like A-Rod’s? It’s worth a try!

Info: 301 Giralda Ave., Coral Gables, 305-851-5252, trufusion.com

CrossFit

What it is: CrossFit workouts incorporate constantly varied, functional movements, executed at high intensity in a collaborative environment.

Where to do it: CrossFit Boynton Beach offers group classes and private training sessions tailored to both experienced and novice participants. Its website describes the experience as “strength training meets endurance training meets gymnastics.” Coaches, who are experts in the field, give clients feedback on their progress, provide techniques for achieving optimal workouts and even advise on nutrition. A team of CrossFitters from the Boynton location has attended the regional CrossFit Games for five years in a row; clients have also gone to the CrossFit Games finals. But most members aren’t interested in competitions. They just want to get in shape and have a good time while doing it.

Info: 975 E. Gateway Blvd., Boynton Beach, 561-360-9598, crossfitboyntonbeach.com

Pilates

What it is: Pilates centers on low-impact movements that strengthen muscles throughout the body, particularly the core. Proper postural alignment, flexibility and balance are emphasized. 

Where to do it: Club Pilates, with two locations in Boca Raton, attracts clients with top-of-the-line Balance Body equipment; affordable memberships; and highly trained instructors, who are required to have a minimum of 500 hours of training. Seven signature class formats and four class levels are offered. The club boasts a strong sense of community and showcases local small businesses in the studio. Their motto? “We believe that being in control of your body helps you to be in control of your life.” 

Info: 190 E. Boca Raton Road, Boca Raton, 561-826-4284; 7050 W. Palmetto Park Road, #49/50, Boca Raton, 561-717-2125; clubpilates.com; other locations include Delray Beach, West Palm Beach, Lake Worth, Wellington, Fort Lauderdale and Miami

Zumba

What it is: A total dance workout, Zumba combines all elements of fitness: cardio, muscle conditioning, balance and flexibility. 

Where to do it: For nearly eight years, Zumba at the Beach in Boca Raton has been giving locals and snowbirds a fun, energetic workout on Saturday mornings. Led by certified Zumba instructor Nicole Gasparri, the 60-minute workouts bring heart rates to just the right point for optimal fat burning. All of this happens in a scenic setting, overlooking the Atlantic Ocean. And, as an added perk, it’s free! Gasparri’s take on the class? “Every class feels like a party. Come join me; I guarantee you will have a blast and feel a serious dose of awesome each time you leave class.”

Info: South Beach Park Pavilion, 400 N. State Road A1A, Boca Raton, 561-789-8236, zumba.com

Spinning

What it is: Spinning uses a special stationary exercise bicycle with a weighted flywheel in a classroom setting. Expect to sit and stand with intervals of high intensity. 

Where to do it: CycleBar opened in Palm Beach Gardens in 2017 but has since added locations in Wellington and Boca Raton. A rock-concert-type atmosphere keeps clients motivated during 50-minute workouts. Instructors – who are equal parts educator, DJ and coach – lead high-energy rides in the CycleTheatre, which has tiers for 48 bikes. The workouts are set to a playlist, which is available to download after each session. Riders can track their performance with CycleStats and cool down with complimentary fresh fruit and enhanced water (the aromatherapy in the studio imparts a soothing touch). The studio promises “pedal-turning, heart-pumping, mood-elevating fun every time you ride.”

Info: 5560 N. Military Trail, Ste. 320, Boca Raton, 561-672-7682; 4550 Donald Ross Road, Ste. 100, Palm Beach Gardens, 561-685-9449; 9312 Forest Hill Blvd., Wellington, 561-444-3185; cyclebar.com

Boot Camp

What it is: A boot camp is a group physical-training program intended to build strength and fitness through a variety of exercises. 

Where to do it: Open for 31 years, Michael’s Body Scenes in Boca Raton has students pushing their limits in small groups (no more than a dozen) during Boots-on-the-Ground classes designed to increase muscular strength and cardio endurance, enhance core strength, improve flexibility, lower blood pressure and more. From push-ups to boxing to working with kettle balls, campers are supervised and motivated by top trainers like Fotis Michael, who owns the gym with his brother Michael Michael (yup, he has the same first and last name). Instructors are CPR- and AED-certified – just in case.

Info: 5994 S.W. 18^th St., Boca Raton, 561-750-7945, bodyscenes.com 

Barre

What it is: Barre is inspired by elements of ballet, yoga and Pilates and focuses on low-impact, high-intensity movements designed to strengthen and tone your body. 

Where to do it: Barre Envy on Artist Alley in Delray Beach is a boutique barre studio and winner of the 2019 Best of Delray Beach Award for Best Physical Fitness Program. Owner Ashley Treadaway, a classically trained ballerina, is well-connected in the nationwide barre community. Clients, many of whom have been a part of the Barre Envy family since the doors opened eight years ago (Treadaway purchased the studio two years ago), enjoy energetic classes and personal equipment stations. And the always-evolving workouts (barre-lesque, anyone?) take place in a comfortable, art-chic environment.  

Info: 341 N.E. Third Ave., Delray Beach, 561-891-0006, barreenvy.com

Yoga

What it is: A discipline originating in India more than 5,000 years ago, yoga uses breathing, poses and meditation to improve health and happiness. 

Where to do it: Housed in Boca’s Wyndham Hotel, Yoga Journey offers a broad spectrum of yoga styles, including vinyasa and yin. Owner Leslie Glickman’s comprehensive approach to instruction is rooted in her “pause, breathe, notice, feel” ideology. She has spent the past 25 years teaching weekly classes and private lessons, running her studio and training more than 200 teachers locally and internationally. One of her favorite ways to share her expertise with the community is a complimentary weekly practice at Sanborn Square in Boca Raton, which is attended by more than 200. On New Year’s Day, she hosts a mega-class with more than 2,000 people. 

Info: Wyndham Hotel, 1950 Glades Road, Boca Raton, 561-479-7819, yogajourney.com O