Salmon Creek, WA Health and Fitness

Warm, humid air swirls in the blades of the ceiling fans of Bikram Hot Yoga Vancouver, helping to limber up the bending bodies during 90-minute classes. Bikram-certified instructors lead students of all skill levels through the style’s 26 postures and two breathing exercises, each of which build on the last to strengthen muscles throughout the entire body. Their classes are set in a 105-degree studio with 40 percent humidity to enable students to sink deeper into stretches, release toxins via sweat, and imagine they’re in the mouth of a peaceful dragon. To help foster a burgeoning community of yogis, the instructors open the studio every third Saturday of the month, inviting all newcomers to try a class for free.

Peering at freshly written lines on the page. Working to catch a glimpse of a bird on the wing. Myriad sets of eyes see their tasks more clearly because of Dr. Joseph King, who has performed more than 75,000 refractive surgeries in his 15-year career. He and the other LASIK specialists and doctors at King LASIK sharpen patients' vision with conventional and custom procedures, as well as PRK surgeries. Dr. King himself underwent LASIK eye surgery in 2000 to accommodate his active lifestyle. "Just 15 minutes after the procedure, I could read the computer screen at the office,” he recalls. “I experienced several hours of watery, sensitive eyes, but after sleeping for a few hours, I awakened and I could read the digital clock on the radio across the room."

From her days in the Navy to a love for yoga, Terri Chadney has always been into fitness. In 1994, she and her husband, Jay, opened West Coast Fitness to share that passion with her old neighborhood, which until then did not have a gym. "She wanted to reinvest in the neighborhood," Jay says. Here, the duo leads a staff of experienced trainers, who do everything from one-on-one training to group fitness classes such as yoga and spinning. As the yoga director, Terri requires that each yoga instructor have at least five years of teaching experience, thorough training, and a perfect letter B imitation. The rest of the staff boasts similar credentials, such as the Zumba instructor who has been dancing professionally for most of her life. And because they're not contractors, the trainers care about every aspect of the gym, not just making a sale. "They really invest themselves with the members," says Jay, "Our [trainers] come in, hang out, take classes, bring their dog."

For Jay and Terri, the most rewarding part of owning West Coast Fitness has been "seeing changes in the members," says Jay. He sees members who are in better shape than when they first joined 15 years ago—and Terri loves to see the seniors in her yoga classes up on their feet and doing strength-training exercises after coming in with crutches or walkers.

The St. John's location's spinning studio includes a 6-foot screen, sending riders on virtual trips via instructive DVDs even when a class isn't in session. Members can also log in to ActivTrax online or at the clubs' kiosks for custom workouts based on their goals and experience, as well as meal planning and progress tracking. The staff members engage parents' little ones with baby-sitting services in a colorful playroom. They have also stocked the gyms with tanning booths, and massage therapists help soothe stress and exercise-induced aches; the saunas and HydroMassage beds also help members unwind.

The knowledgeable staff at MediPro Slim Direct recognizes that not all weight-loss solutions work for everyone and customizes therapies to fit each individual's needs and lifestyles. The ideal protein program prompts the body to burn fat while maintaining muscle tissue and lean tissue. Nutrition programs use body-composition shakes and meal plans to teach people how to live off fewer calories without kicking the TV during every fast-food commercial. LipoLaser treatments harness laser energy to prompt fat cells to kick out their contents, and HCG programs goad the hypothalamus into healthfully seeking out stored fat to use as fuel.

As they enter the training circle at Curves, female guests come face-to-face with the smiles of other women. And just as points on a circle share a common distance from the circle's center, workout participants share the experiences of those nearby by trading stations throughout the 30-minute training session. One minute is spent on a piece of strength-training equipment built for feminine frames and designed to work two opposing muscle groups with a single movement. Exercisers then move on to a recovery station, where they run, jog, or dance to maintain heart rates and keep platforms in place during momentary losses of gravity.

It's hard to believe that Portland ever lacked a dearth of quality paddle outfitters, considering the many evergreen-lined rivers and nearby coastline. But back in 1986, the founders of Alder Creek Kayak & Canoe felt there were too few options serving the area, so they launched their own garage shop. Their passion for the outdoors and paddle sports steadily built the company, and today, a staff of equipment experts advises guests on kayaking, canoeing, standup-paddleboarding, and rafting supplies. Beyond selling gear from vessels to apparel, staffers lead on-the-water classes and organize group trips. The shop also outfits customers for independent exploration with a fleet of rentals.