Mauldin Gyms and Fitness

Sunlight pours in through the arched windows of the Tribe Fitness studio as clients sweat through workouts under the guidance of certified personal trainers. The gym eschews monotonous cardio machines or the gladiator-style death matches favored by other gyms for individualized, high-intensity exercises.

Fifteen personal trainers—including four with bachelors degrees in exercise science—meet with clients throughout the week to design or retool individualized routines and keep exercisers on the footpath to fitness with motivation and nutritional counseling. They host regular one-hour group classes to create a communal environment for workouts—a workout archive can be viewed here to glean a sense of specific workout possibilities. To boot, the team offers free onsite childcare for parents.

Couture Pole Fitness’s flexible dress code—sweatpants and sexy stage outfits are equally welcome—speaks to the studio’s emphasis on comfort and openness. Women of all persuasions can saunter up to poles and swing their bodies through five levels of classes, as well as flexibility and conditioning lessons. An affiliate of Upstate Strut Dance Studio, Couture encourages women—and even some men—to let their hair down and have fun as they work their way through warm-ups and workout activities that include floor work, spins, plyometrics, and inverts. The studio’s girls-only pole-dancing parties supplement traditional lessons with lap-dancing classes that can help students woo lovers or lure loveseats home from the furniture store.

Doro MMA staff, such as mixed-martial-arts fighter Ace Samples—whose fighting style is described as "elusive striker" in his online bio—train students in combat sports such as kickboxing. Opponents aren't the only thing the center's students learn to defeat; they also overcome body fat during cardio-boxing classes that consist of bag and pad work, running, and plyometrics. The center even holds kids' kickboxing classes so that children can learn to defend themselves when they're picked on by Don Rickles.

When Russell Cooper decided to found an archery course, he drew inspiration from his Native American heritage and built it along the Saluda River following the archery-rich tradition of his Saluda ancestors. When the course isn't hosting state South Carolina Archery Association and National Field Archery Association tournaments, experienced instructors guide novice and experienced archers through the natural wilderness to shoot at targets lining forest trails and dodge spitballs from bears. Outside, visitors aim their compound bows at targets from marked stands, whereas in a 15-lane indoor range, they aim down a concrete hall at hanging paper targets and model deer. Halfway through the outdoor course, targets give way to a clearing populated by café tables and chairs, and benches surrounding a fire pit where visitors can compete to see who can shoot a s'mores in midair. Staffers at the clearing's snack stand serve breakfast ham and sausage biscuits, or lunches of hot dogs and barbecue sandwiches until the light sinks behind the trees.

Professional Weight Loss Center doesn't rely on gimmicky marketing, nor does it make grandiose promises about weight loss. Their program, designed by an experienced RN, is grounded in nutrition fundamentals. A mix of lean meats, fresh vegetables, and protein supplements keep dieters eating substantial, heart-healthy food that is diabetic-friendly. The doctor-supervised program includes tests such as EKGs and one-on-one counseling sessions to keep clients on track. The center's products include calorie-burning drink additives, omega-3 fatty acid supplements, and B12 injections that can be burned on your bathroom scale as a sacrifice to fat-burning deities.