La Porte Gyms and Fitness

A full-service healthcare and wellness practice formerly known as InterFit, RediClinic pairs licensed nurse practitioners and physician assistants with patients seeking services ranging from physicals and vaccinations to cosmetic consultations and diabetes testing. Typically found inside retail stores, RediClinics don't require any appointments, making walk-in service as seamless as the plot of most Newhart fan fiction. In addition to preventive services, RediClinic has also expanded its services into the realms of proactive health, promoting wellness with weight-loss counseling and programs to help patients stop smoking.

Master Zuhair Hillail first encountered Shotokan karate at the age of 10, when he enrolled in a school in his native Kuwait. During his first two years of study, he advanced quickly, earning a medium-level belt and constant praise until his teacher left the school indefinitely, leaving the school's future uncertain. Unwilling to see his fellow students abandon their training, the 12-year-old Zuhair took up his former instructor's reins, and he hasn't looked back since.

Now a resident of Houston and mentor for hundreds of black belts throughout his lifetime, Zuhair owns and operates each of Tiger's Den Martial Arts & Fitness's three locations. Outfitted with custom foam-padded hardwood floors and matted floors—as well as outdoor training arenas, where grasshoppers perch on students' outstretched feet—the spaces host everything from fitness-oriented kickboxing classes to intensive studies of martial arts. Believing that all should be given the opportunity to learn Shotokan karate, Zuhair and his sensei take on any protégé, whether they are young or old, or live with ADD, autism, or other physical or mental challenges. As patient and gentle as a Trappist teddy bear, all instructors employ a "praise, correct, praise" method of instruction, always positively reinforcing actions and offering expert advice on how to improve.

Light floods the cozy studio and streams through the wall-to-wall windows to bounce off the mirrors lining the practice space. High-energy music thumps through in the studio, giving students the extra oomph needed to motor through cardio moves or shake hips in a variety of fitness classes. Latin-inspired Zumba and ME (Movement & Energy) classes keep the mood playful, while stretch classes offer a tranquil respite in which muscles can elongate or practice imitating rubber bands. Expert instructors fuse yoga, ballet, and Pilates in barre classes, which help tone and sculpt muscles in 45- to 60-minute sessions.

At each of its 31 area locations, the YMCA of Greater Houston pursues a mission to bring health, wellness, and personal growth to communities. Kids leap into activities ranging from swim lessons and youth sports to a teen Youth & Government program that stirs up confidence and leadership abilities in students, preparing them for mudslinging student-council campaigns.

Zumba, ballroom dance, and Les Mills group exercise classes shake up adult workout routines, as complimentary childcare frees up parents to pursue fitness goals. Meanwhile, adult sport leagues such as basketball and racquetball result in friendly competition and hyper-literate team names inspired by obscure philosophers.

Inside the 1,667-square-foot, multilevel house-turned-yoga-studio, certified instructors bring their own practices and interpretations of several yoga styles to classes for students of all skill sets. During by-demand introductory courses, teachers help students design customized practices that cater to their bodies' needs. Other group classes focus on particular disciplines, such as kundalini yoga, a combination of low-impact aerobic activity and breathing exercises that burn calories and detoxify bodies; and flow yoga, which incorporates positions that increase flexibility and tone muscles. Instructors also guide students through poses during private sessions and workshops, which include occasional retreats and a forthcoming trip to India.

Along with yoga, the healing and learning center's personnel keep visitors healthy with services such as reiki, nutritional counseling, acupuncture, and astrology. More health and beauty enhancers are stocked in Yoga Lola Studios' storefront, including organic cosmetics, aromatherapy oils, and tonic herbs from Dragon Herbs, which are often used by dragons to recuperate from knight attacks.