Things to Do in Indiana

Above all else, Sifu K.L. Brown understands two things: first, that a physical change can trigger a spiritual change; and second, that most martial-arts training caters more to men than to women. K.L. discovered that first truth as a boy in the Bronx, where his passion for the Boy Scouts, martial arts, and dance led him to several defining accomplishments. Namely, he was one of first African-Americans from his borough to earn the rank of an Eagle Scout and won both Silver Mittens and Golden Gloves titles before going on to a career as a professional boxing coach.This experience contributed to his second realization, that women needed a style of martial-arts training tailored for their fitness needs and style of learning.

Thus, K.L. designed Sweat Box, a form of martial-arts-based fitness training that dispenses with the rigidity of formal training studios in favor of a high-energy, celebratory atmosphere. As he leads participants through exercises, he also mixes in hip-hop moves and gymnastics. Leading each class, he adjusts exercises for all fitness levels, scaling difficulty where needed. In addition to helping students attain an improved physique, his fitness programs—which include classes, personal training, and competition training—encourage students to expand their perceptions of who they are and what they're capable of.

Still upholding the humanitarianism he learned with the Boy Scouts, K.L. also uses Sweat Box to promote community mindedness. Through his philanthropic venture Sweat Box, Inc. Rose Foundation, he donates proceeds from Sweat Box and Sweat Box Couture toward research into breast cancer, diabetes, and how to make donuts less delicious.

Plopped in downtown Indianapolis across from the Indiana Convention Center, Indiana/World Skating Academy fosters skills for winter sports on a pair of NHL-size rinks. I/WSA's coaches, whose instruction has helped produce regional, national, and world-class competitors, direct the facility's programs, including learn-to-skate courses designed for skaters with varying levels of experience. In addition to skating, the facility also offers private rink rentals as well as opportunities for speed skating, broomball, and adult hockey leagues. Off the ice, the academy offers less slippery activities, such as weight training, aerobics, jazz, and ballet. A rinkside deli open during public-skating hours keeps legs primed, and an onsite pro shop keeps equipment bags stuffed with the latest gear.

A climber dangles from his belay rope, punching his fists into the air victoriously after reaching the top of the wall. At Climb Time Indy, more than 8,500 square feet of indoor climbing space host 4,000 different holds, giving the walls the colorful appearance of the bench where giants dispose of unwanted chewing gum. The climbing routes are changed regularly by meticulous and experienced climbers, granting regulars new challenges every week. Kids can join in the fun and learn the ropes with coaching during weekly club meetings; private lessons help more mature scalers brush up on skills.

More than 50 years old and 8,500 members strong, the Percussive Arts Society (PAS) strives to promote percussion through education, research, and performances across the world. To carry out this mission, the organization includes more than 50 chapters in the US and 28 chapters abroad, all of which communicate online via resources such as lessons, free practice exercises, and annual events. Each year PAS hosts the annual Percussive Arts Society International Convention—the largest of its kind in the world—in which exhibitors convene to showcase the newest developments in percussion technology, instruments, and publications. The convention also includes over 120 clinics and performances with lauded artists covering all genres and styles of music.

Kristen Abbott and her troupe of passionate instructors motivate guests through TRX Suspension classes—a rigorous total-body toning system designed by a Navy SEAL—and equipment-based Pilates classes. Upon entering the studio, guests step onto bamboo flooring, which stretches out beneath airy vaulted ceilings, all painted with extra-buff versions of Michelangelo’s Sistine Chapel ceiling. The studio—which earned the CityVoter award for Best Pilates Studio from 2008 to 2011—hosts small group classes, leading students through moves that challenge them to use their body weight as resistance in functional exercises. With continued practice, students can evenly tone and develop muscle groups across the entire body, with an emphasis on the posture-supporting core muscles.

Though it's an airy indoor facility, The Crag Indoor Rock Climbing gym gleans its name from the jagged outdoor cliffs that climbing enthusiasts often strive to summit. Designed by a respected indoor rock-wall builder, The Crag safely recreates the excitement of inching up a punishing rock formation. However, not every wall at the facility is so challenging. It's frequently populated by skilled youth climbers and kids as young as 8. The younger climbers at The Crag often become adept through joining the youth climbing team, or by attending the gym's skill-building summer camp, where campers learn to scale walls by practicing belaying, top roping, and stealing Batman's utility belt. The facility's designer also kept adults and seasoned practitioners in mind by creating more than 100 routes that range in difficulty from beginner to more advanced.