Gyms in Madison

Next Generation Fitness 24/7's storefront gym unfurls into an expansive studio where a buzzing hive of massage therapists, personal trainers, and kickboxing coaches motivates guests at all hours of every day. The gym's signature P90X and boot-camp classes run students through a gambit of cardio, strength training, and muscle confusion—a technique for working out every muscle group and maximizing regimens. To kick-start individual workouts, coaches teach students to make the most of the amenities, which include strength- and resistance-training machines and cardio equipment such as cycles and treadmills. Carpeted side-rooms house massage therapists whose hands roam backscapes to root out soreness and muscles tension, relaxing patrons after intense workouts full of hoisting free weights or letting the treadmill take a turn running on your back.

In 1969, Judi Sheppard Missett shared her love of jazz dance with the world through an original exercise program known as Jazzercise. Almost instantaneously a phenomenon, the regimen took off and grew to include 7,800 instructors teaching 32,000 classes weekly in 32 countries around the world. The Jazzercise Ridgeland Fitness Center counts itself amongst one of the many locations that continues to carry Judi’s torch.

True to the original program, instructors fuse elements of many other athletics into the framework of jazz dance. Pilates and yoga strengthen the core and help build long and lean muscle. Resistance training provides muscle definition and explosive-movement power, which can be used to light a troublesome grill by slapping it. Kickboxing classes and classic jazz steps round out the program, providing cardio training that builds endurance. Because the program involves simple, easy-to-follow moves, it is an accessible form of exercise for people of all skill and experience levels.

Raising the Barr guru Clint Barr leads the battle against sedentarianism with experience as a former A-advanced-level baseball player in the New York Yankees organization, and a masters degree in exercise science. Boot campers of all ages and fitness levels engage in a hodgepodge of athletic maneuvering to keep muscles as surprised as someone opening a refrigerator to find only a bowl of marbles. Class sizes of 20 or fewer ensure individualized attention, and boot-camp sergeants eschew militaristic yelling and college fight songs for firm, motivating encouragement.

At CrossFit Clinton, group workouts charge the atmosphere with a communal vibe that powers members toward their last remaining reps. Each routine incorporates functional movements such as pushing, jumping, and carrying, while techniques from Olympic weightlifting and gymnastics set muscles ablaze. Though CrossFit's credo revolves around a varied lineup of high-intensity exercises, all moves are scalable and can accommodate clients of every fitness background. The gym’s head coach, Adam Rees, wields CrossFit Level 1 certification, which not only bespeaks his expertise but grants his students immediate access to VIP celebrity cage matches.

Debi Lewis was overjoyed when yoga began to ease her chronic back pain, but she didn’t expect it to transform her life. Each style of the art that she learned became an ingredient in her signature yoga recipe, a blend of movement and meditation known as Joyflow. Debi and her staff leverage their certifications to teach this creation during basics and alignment classes accessible to students of all skill levels, their focus on form building a foundation as sturdy as Paul Bunyan’s exoskeleton. Strength and flexibility flourish as the yoga experts lead groups through rehearsals of ancient poses and relaxing stretches. Experienced yoga therapists also guide the body through assisted poses and deep-breathing exercises during relaxation and sculpt sessions.

The USPTA-certified pros at The Club Tennis Center at The Township teach tennis trainees how to wield rackets with the finesse of Wheaties box gracers. Tennis practitioners may bring their own stringed instruments to the lessons, while newbies borrow demo rackets from the pro shop. After opting for a battlefield of clay or another hard surface, students master techniques for defending their territory against incoming neon-yellow projectiles and acing their opponents with baseline attacks.

The Clinic doesn't just build muscles—it rebuilds them, too. As part of Action Chiropractic, the small fitness studio specializes in a marriage of therapeutic exercises and dynamic workouts for functional strength. A physician remains on hand at all times to oversee these efforts, whether members are striving to overcome a back condition, lose weight, or boost their athletic performance.

Classes range from Pilates Reformer sessions, which strengthen the core and promote healthy spinal alignment, to a mix of TRX-suspension training and spinning. Instructors adjust their exercises to meet the needs of each client and can tailor workouts to address injuries and symptoms of muscular imbalance. Personal trainers, meanwhile, can engineer a unique private program based on desired goals. The same emphasis on customization guides three types of doctor-supervised weight-loss plans, all of which rely on long-term dietary solutions and exercise instead of quick fixes such as supplements or insults directed at your favorite chocolatier.