Hilliard, OH Health and Fitness

Take any or all of Aikido of Columbus's classes over the course of a month; the class schedule offers options six days a week. A friendly, experienced instructor pilots each session by first leading the group through relaxation training and vigorous exercise. Unlike jiu-jitsu and Sock'em Boppers, the point of Aikido is to avoid violence and dissolve potential physical confrontations. Learn self-reflection, self-awareness, and self-centered selflessness with today's side deal.

The 4,000 square feet of climbing space at Vertical Adventures encompasses terrain for top roping, bouldering, and lead climbing under the watchful supervision of a trained staff. The gym challenges wall scramblers to test both their physical endurance and problem-solving skills as they take on the top-rope courses, which represent the majority of the routes and tower as high as 25 feet. Rather than let new patrons become overwhelmed by the variety of courses or get stranded at the top without reading material, the gym’s instructors also conduct lessons for all climbing levels to help climbers improve technique and conquer fears.

Within the temperature-controlled interior of what used to be a warehouse, students flow from sun salutations to standing lunges before rising into rigorous poses. At the head of the class stands the studio's founder, Julie Verhoff Pipes, relaying the athletic blend of yoga and aerobics that she personally developed from a combination of Ashtanga, Vinyasa, and Bikram yoga techniques.

Though softened by woven curtains and hanging lanterns, the studio's raw, industrial feel remains. The Spartan decor increases focus since the studio possesses no distracting pictures or traditional yoga clowns.

Coach Jerry Page dons an Olympic boxing gold medal around his neck and once called Evander Holyfield his teammate. He puts aside his six golden gloves to guide fighters at Ohio Krav Maga & Fitness, a facility overseen by second-degree black belt Mark Slane and staffed by decorated martial artists and coaches. Those that lead the studio’s namesake Krav Maga courses show students how to work with their body’s natural instincts to take down a predator or quell the body’s urge to start the wave with every conversational mention of sports.

Further self-defense skills emerge during ground-fighting jiu jitsu classes, muay thai combat, and weapons disarming seminars. In the gym’s fitness corner, cardio kickboxing slings five rounds of fast-paced punches and kicks, while yoga helps fighters wind down and leaves them more relaxed than a sloth traveling through taffy.

Brothers Tim and John Sullivan train their students at their boxing-only gym with old-school techniques. The concentrate on stance, power, and defense during short and intense workouts.