Classes in Holtsville

Essence of Yoga Studio feels like a sacred space. Amid its polished honey-colored floors and warm, earth-toned walls, certified instructors teach Hatha and Vinyasa-flow yoga to students of all skill levels. Believing that the mind is just as important as the body, the instructors help students gain strength and flexibility in an atmosphere of support and acceptance.

A ringleader at Venice California’s Muscle Beach, Joe Gold founded World Gym in 1976, creating what would become an iconic spot for Hollywood’s brawniest bunch, including Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno. Today, that gym is a worldwide franchise spanning more than a dozen countries. World Gym in Ronkonkoma comes with all the perks clients have come to expect from the franchise, including a free-weight room stacked with dumbbells, barbells, and plenty of plates. Cardio addicts can head to one of several group classes, such as spotlight cycle, which utilizes stationary bikes for heart-racing, indoor exercise. After a workout, exercisers can grab a towel and a snack or re-energize with a drink from the juice bar.

The expert coaches at Revolution Athletics help athletes of all ages and sports preferences fine-tune their game with activity-specific training. Their impressive facility boasts 5,500 square feet of indoor turf and thousands of pounds of weights. The coaches also work with athletes to improve their speed and agility with age-specific training groups.

Fully licensed by the New York State Department of Education, Allstar Bartenders Training educates students in the art and science of mixed-drink pouring and presentation. Apprentice mixologists get acquainted with the functions of different bar tools while learning which cocktails should be shaken, stirred, or whisked using a handful of uncooked angel-hair pasta. Allstar's seasoned tenders aid students in memorizing the recipes, garnishes, and matching glassware of the most popular concoctions. The school's classrooms resemble mock cocktail lounges with ample shot glasses and jukeboxes, giving students a realistic setting to practice drink vending. Allstar treats its graduates to complimentary lifetime job-placement assistance and refresher courses.

The patter of fists against a punching bag. The bass clang of weights in racks. Cardio and resistance machines from Matrix, Life Fitness and Hammer Strength purr in Soleil Total Fitness’s 20,000-square-foot facility as visitors work toward fitness goals. During more than 45 group exercise classes in three studios, a hush falls over yoga pupils and sweat leaps from the brows of Zumba and kickboxing participants. In the spin studio, stationary bikes help torch calories, and in a boxing and mixed-martial-arts area complete with a 20-foot boxing ring, patrons learn to fend off the punching bag stalking them in their nightmares. The gym’s team of certified personal trainers, alternatively, can tailor workouts to patrons’ fitness goals, whether they are trying to make their high school’s baseball team or the Olympics.

Though Shaolin Self Defense Center teaches students how to punch, kick, and defend against opponents, the lesson its instructors find most important is to maintain self-esteem, discipline, and respect. Drawing upon a rich tradition that spans more than 1,500 years, instructors introduce students to Shaolin kung fu's signature blend of targeted strikes and debilitating grapples. However, classes are about more than just physical form. Instructors also encourage emotional and mental balance, leaving students with a quiet confidence that lasts long after lessons conclude.