Fitness Classes in Brighton

In "Understanding CrossFit," founder Greg Glassman says CrossFit’s “specialty is not specializing.” Flower City CrossFit's dedicated instructors certainly follow that philosophy, providing their members with a slew of constantly changing exercises that incorporate everything from boot camp-style cardio and body-weight routines to Olympic lifting, climbing, throwing, and basic tumbling. Classes are held multiple times per day, and might feature the Workout of the Day, focus on athletes prepping for the CrossFit Games, or help children prepare to face another week of extreme recess. But exercisers will rarely see the same workout twice. In fact, some classes introduce completely new techniques, such as self-defense seminars, dodgeball tournaments, or the occasional Barbells for Boobs event, which supports low-income and uninsured women in need of breast cancer prevention screenings.

Helmed by two professional dancers and a martial artist with a second-degree black belt in karate, the certified instructors at Bounce Aerobics strive to infuse each of their classes with a party-like atmosphere. They lead guests of all ages and abilities through high-energy moves in a variety of weight-lifting- and dance-based fitness classes. When they're not disguising aerobic exercises as easy-to-follow dance moves in hip-hop, Zumba, and dance fitness classes, they slow the pace down in body-and-spirit rejuvenating yoga and Pilates classes.

Their studio encompasses an urban atmosphere reminiscent of Manhattan's downtown feel. This loft-like space is outfitted with brick walls, faux streetlights, and a lifelike subway car, as well as a full-length mirror to confirm that the instructor is not actually King Kong. In the onsite boutique, friendly staff members help shoppers pick out exercise gear and gym bags from Zumba, Turbo, and Bounce Aerobics' own line.

As if composed of liquid, William D'Ovidio, the co-owner of Aerial Arts of Rochester, cascades down from the ceiling of his studio, unraveling the bright fabric that keeps him from touching the ground as he performs one of his graceful aerial-silks routines. Along with a troupe of certified instructors, he leads circus arts classes for all experience levels inside his bright, yellow-walled space. He watches as students of all ages soar through the air, swinging on hoops and trapeze, as instructors correct form and a field of marshmallowy mats cushions occasional falls and provides a mid-class sugar boost. D'Ovidio and his instructors aim to create a community of soarers and circus-lovers, also offering circus-themed birthday parties for children and aerial yoga classes for students aged 13 and older.

Though CrossFit BoomTown’s owner, Chad Curtis, has been involved in fitness and athletics for half of his life—majoring in physical education, leading fitness programs for the Marine Corps, and conducting personal-training sessions—he has never been as excited about a fitness program as he is about CrossFit. He packs his gym with pull-up bars, kettlebells, and rings, and he assembled a team of fellow CrossFit-certified trainers to coach classes throughout the week. The team opens its studio to students of all ages and athletic backgrounds, guiding them through routines designed to foster strength, agility, and weight loss. After each high-intensity workout session, the instructors leave students with guidance on leading healthy lives outside the studio, from nutritional advice to encouraging them to walk up the stairs rather than renting a donkey to carry them up. In addition to CrossFit classes, the studio offers yoga and private training sessions.

Since its 1965 founding in Venice Beach, California, Gold's Gym has dotted the globe with more than 600 locations where professional athletes and exercise newbies gather under the umbrella of personal strength. Nearly 3.5 million Gold's Gym members chart and aim for their fitness peaks, perspiring beneath the gaze of certified personal trainers or pedaling beside peers at cycling sessions. In a diverse lineup of group classes, patrons strengthen cores with Pilates, finger-paint pictures of ninjas in martial arts, and amp up heart rates along to the pulsating soundtracks of Les Mills routines.

Many Gold's Gym locations stockpile futuristic amenities, such as cardio machines with individual iPod docks and televisions that help keep patrons motivated.

The certified personal trainers, licensed massage therapists, and physical therapists at Hive Lifespan Center all operate beneath an invisible umbrella of wellness. They continually widen their reach to cover the needs of those who enter the practice, uniting the spectrums of fitness, health, and nutrition services.

The gym floor buzzes with iPod-compatible cardio equipment and strength circuits, and specialty studios provide focused zones for spinning, Pilates, and yoga. The conditioning studio hosts the resistance workouts of TRX suspension training and the core-tightening moves of Ab-Lab. Interactive tracking programs such as exerspy and eFitnessSystem tools can chart factors such as calories burned and daily steps taken without hiring a private investigator to follow each foot. The health component of the center prevents and rehabilitates injuries with chiropractic, massage, and physical-therapy treatments.

Modern decor throughout the venue complements the contemporary idea of wellness integration. A 1960s-inspired concrete wall carved in a grid of flowering squares runs throughout the space, and as if to match its blooms, the towels stacked by the spa-like locker rooms emit scents of eucalyptus and lavender, much like a koala that has just gotten out of the shower.