Sharonville Gyms and Fitness

Having amassed almost 30 years' worth of fitness expertise, Linda Mitchell doesn't believe in age as a limiting factor. The AFAA-certified personal trainer, Ms. Fitness USA competitor, and regular contributor to Ms. Fitness magazine teaches clients how to woman-handle their exercise goals regardless of their backgrounds. She founded Linda Lu Fitness as a studio where women could work out among friends and nonintimidating teachers. There, her signature sessions—which range from boot-camp classes to cardio-kickboxing rounds—tone physiques, tap into wellsprings of confidence, and ready bodies for beach season. She weaves a common thread of compassion and skill through heated yoga sessions, jogging seminars, and dance-fueled aerobics classes, encouraging guests to "embrace their age" as they bypass fitness milestones, such as pole-vaulting through a ring aflame with birthday candles.

When skaters of all ages aren't perfecting figure eights on its NHL-size rink during public-skating hours, Northland Ice Center plays host to the Cincinnati Cyclones' practice squad, uniting amateurs and pros on its flat, frozen playground. Open year-round since 1973, the frosty arena also sets the stage for skating and hockey lessons, during which instructors impart their skills according to a curriculum formulated by U.S. Figure Skating. Athletes slap pucks and hot potatoes to teammates in youth and adult hockey leagues, and friends and families feast on pizza and cake in private party rooms before taking to the ice.

With a snack bar refueling legs and a pro shop sharpening blades to razor edges next to the ice, outings can stretch on into the evening or until a triple axle gone awry slices the zamboni's power cord.

At The Better You Clinic and Spa, board-certified physician Dr. Karen Jobalia makes one-on-one support the pillar of her practice. A certified supervisor of hCG-supplemented diet plans, she encourages her weight-loss patients to call and text for moral support and meets with all dermal-filler recipients a week after their treatments to administer touchups and help fill out each wrinkle’s change-of-address card.

As twilight approaches, Mary Beth Nishime can hardly sit still. Her inner party animal is purring, and its insatiable hunger can only be quelled with a hearty helping of beats, moves, and action. Fortunately, Zumba provides all three, plus the joyful atmosphere common to Latin salsa and merengue. So Mary Beth and her crew move the party to local churches, schools, and senior centers, where students of all fitness levels melt calories and stress with each chest pop and hip swivel. A team of teachers leads many of the church-based classes, filling the room with more energy than a newborn quasar. And to help students vary workouts, Mary Beth also hosts boot camps, yoga classes, and kickboxing sessions at her dojo, Nishime Family Karate.