Fairfield, AL Health and Fitness

Spanning 4,000 square feet, the climbing surfaces at First Avenue Rocks mimic the natural textures of the abundant local sandstone boulder terrain. One hundred varied climbing routes up to 17 feet high greet climbers who choose to ascend by bouldering without ropes on angled walls and roofs dotted with challenging foot-and handholds or on the facility’s ropes courses. For safety, the facility positions its vertical terrain above the floor’s 10-inch-deep Asana pads for safe landings in the event of missed holds or misguided urges to fly. Instructors are available to prep students of all ages and ability levels to tackle the gym's terrain, teaching three stages of introductory climbing courses and two advanced lead-climbing courses. When not on the rocks, guests can hone muscle cooperation through onsite fitness programs in weight training, yoga, CrossFit, and climbing-specific training. Outdoor excursions are also available with the gym's guides, certified by the American Mountain Guides Association, in top rope, sport climbing, and bouldering.

Firm Body Boot Camps blasts apart repetitive gym routines and packs the fissures with functional strength training and a blend of fun and no-nonsense equipment. During indoor and outdoor camps, clients may swing kettlebells to crank up triceps, wrestle with battle ropes, toss medicine balls, or use their own body weight to build muscle on suspension equipment. The 45-minute routines kick-start heart rates with cardio drills, and team-based exercises breed camaraderie among campers and ensure backup should the exercise equipment rise up against its masters. Because its maneuvers are fully modifiable, there's ample room at the fitness table for guests of every experience level, including those who have never set foot in a gym.

Supplementary dietary plans and progress-tracking tools collaborate to keep metabolism racing outside of class. To date, Firm Body Boot Camps has helped more than 13 individuals lose 100 pounds each, the weight equivalent of a compact car that refuses to exercise.

What began as Anita Gibson's struggling, two-person family business has evolved into Advanced Weight Loss Clinics, an organization with 17 corporately owned clinics and 3 franchise locations spread throughout the southeastern United States. Each center's team of doctors and weight-loss specialists encourages clients to win a similarly daunting battle by creating personalized plans for success. The program incorporates vitamins, supplements, and appetite suppressants with a low-calorie, low-fat meal plan that discourages using soft-serve ice cream as toothpaste.

After receiving her first colonic to ease a bout of chronic intestinal distress, Angela Brake was hooked. Impressed by the efficacy of the treatment, to which she also attributes her relief from lower-back pain and a boost in overall energy, Angela earned an I-ACT hydrotherapy certification so that she could share the holistic healing method with others. In 2008, Angela opened Natural Wellness, with a gravity-fed and double-filtered hydrotherapy system as the clinic's centerpiece. With Angela's guidance, her patients undergo the same cleansing process that helped her overcome her ailments and benefit from common posttreatment feelings of lightness and increased energy.

A golfer tees off at St. Andrews Links. A little leaguer sends a baseball soaring through the air. A confused family salutes each flag waving on a mini-golf course. These events could all take place at Southern Golf's indoor and outdoor facilities. The company's GolfAchiever simulator recreates the greens, fairways, and weather conditions of the world's most famous courses so players can whack balls toward a projected screen. At the pro shop, staffers fit clubs and sell gear from brands such as Bridgestone and Nike Golf; customers can then test out new equipment on an indoor putting green. Visitors can also practice their swings at the batting cages or on the 18-hole outdoor mini-golf course.

The 18 holes at Frank House Municipal Golf Course embroil golfers in a test of skills and mental toughness as they guide orbs over a lush, emerald carpet. After completing the relatively straight front nine, players must adjust aim for shots on the back nine, where all but three of the holes make severe dogleg turns. One of these doglegs, the 18th, forces players to lay up short of a lake, and then approach over its width or try to freeze it over with an icy glare.

Course at a Glance:

• 18-hole, par 72 course
• Total length of 6,346 yards from the back tees
• Course rating of 69 from the back tees
• Course rating of 119 from the back tees
• Three sets of tees per hole