Aquatic gyms
Aquatic gyms often feature swimming pools, diving and offer swimming classes
- Good for: Swimming can improve health for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control.
- Examples: Jamail Texas Swimming Center, Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy, The Swim Studio
A Barre gym offers barre classes, a low-impact exercise routine that combines elements of ballet, Pilates, yoga, and strength training.
- Good for: Barre focuses on body strength and flexibility, according to gym franchise Pure Barre’s website.
- Examples: barre3, Pure Barre, TruFusion South Austin
Boot camp gyms offer “boot camp” sessions of an intense workout in a short amount of time, often focusing on combining cardio and strength training in a single session.
- Good for: This form of high-impact, full-body workout engages major muscle groups and focuses on strength training, which can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures by maintaining bone density, according to fitness company Peloton and health care company Mayo Clinic.
- Examples: F45, HIT Athletic, Orangetheory Fitness
Boxing gyms can offer traditional boxing classes to teach sparring or fitness boxing—a form of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. Fitness boxing can include drills such as footwork drills and punching rounds.
- Good for: Boxing exercises can improve endurance, balance and coordination, as well as provide full-body strength training. Like many forms of exercise, it can also improve heart health, according to the Cleveland Clinic.
- Examples: Archetype Boxing Club, Rumble Boxing, Austin Women’s Boxing Club
Climbing gyms often offer different climbing styles like bouldering, top roping and lead climbing in an indoor facility outfitted with textured walls designed to mimic rock surfaces.
- Good for: Climbing is a full-body workout good for building strength, according to the CDC.
- Examples: Austin Bouldering Project, Crux Climbing Center, Mesa Rim Climbing Center
Cycling gyms offer indoor cycling classes, often referred to as spinning, for a low-impact, high-intensity workout.
- Good for: Cycling focuses on various muscle groups, such as quads, calves, glutes, and core, according to cycling studio VERVE and Harvard Medical School. This form of exercise puts less stress on joints, which may be ideal for those with orthopedic injuries, according to Harvard Medical School.
- Examples: CYCLEBAR, SoulCycle, RIDE Indoor Cycling, LOVE Cycling Studio
These studios offer sessions that involve short, high-intensity reps with active recovery periods in between.
- Good for: HIIT sessions are often below an hour but provide benefits such as improved heart health, burning calories and increased strength and endurance, according to the Cleveland Clinic and an article from Harvard School of Public Health.
- Examples: F45 Training, Orangetheory Fitness, HIT Athletic, Pvolve Austin
Mixed martial arts, or MMA, involves techniques from various combat sports that include striking and grappling. Participants in gyms often train by sparring, using fighting styles such as boxing, Brazilian jiujitsu, muay Thai, kickboxing and karate, among other styles.
- Good for: This high-intensity sport helps improve cardiovascular endurance, functional strength, flexibility and reflexes, according to fitness company Ronin Training Center.
- Examples: Black Widow MMA, Kings MMA Austin, Gracie Humaitá Austin, Fit and Fearless
Pilates studios offer classes focusing on strengthening core muscles, with an emphasis on proper technique.
- Good for: This low-impact workout can improve core strength, balance and flexibility, as well as help with back pain, though research is limited, according to studies in the Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal and the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy.
- Examples: Reform You Pilates, Club Pilates, Fire & Flow Pilates, Soma Lux Pilates
Powerlifting consists of three lifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift, according to USA Powerlifting. Powerlifting gyms provide equipment and sometimes training needed to powerlift.
- Good for: Powerlifting is good for building strength.
- Examples: FeV Iron Vault Gym, Twisted Steel Barbell, Gameday Barbell
Yoga studios often offer classes geared toward the practice of different yoga styles.
- Good for: Yoga is good for flexibility, balance and strength in addition to its benefits for heart health and managing stress, according to health system John Hopkins Medicine.
- Examples: Black Swan Yoga, Flow Yoga, YTX Yoga
