Shorewood, WI Health and Fitness

First a teacher, and then a stay-at-home mom, Melissa Spredemann turned to indoor cycling to help her get into shape. With 12 years of experience under her belt, she decided to become certified to teach others the exercise form she loved so much. Just one year into teaching, she knew she wanted to pursue her passion full-time, so she opened Velocity Cycling Studio to share stationary cycling's benefits with others. She handpicked a team of instructors, each chosen for their commitment, enthusiasm, and innate ability to bike while not covering any distance. Melissa made the conscious decision to open a niche gym, focusing on indoor cycling and only indoor cycling. In the studio, an army of Spinner NXT bikes with SPD clips seats students as they bike through poses, drills, and movements designed to mimic outdoor riding. Thumping tunes pump up pupils as they ride, keeping them motivated to pedal to the upbeat tempos. Unlike big-box gyms and arranged friendships, Velocity Cycling Studio never requires a contract—guests simply pay per ride.

The chi master at the Apex Acupuncture & natural Health Clinic seamlessly weaves Chinese medicine stretching back 3,000 years with modern medicine's focus on disease and pathology. At the clinic, third-generation acupuncturist Nancy Yuan Luan adds express lanes to the body's energy highways through the shallow insertion of pre-sterilized, disposable needles at precise points. In addition to her mastery of ancient Chinese techniques, Yuan Luan's expertise led her to cofound the AcuBeauty anti-aging system, the AcuFit weight-loss system, and the AcuRelief pain-management system, which all blend acupuncture methods with specially selected herbal remedies. A pivotal component of the AcuBeauty system, the microcurrent Acu-FaceLift treatment gently transmits electrical impulses and AM radio signals into facial cells to help increase the production of elastin and collagen to combat signs of aging.

While the Funke Family Dentistry practice may have begun in 1928, there's absolutely nothing old about its approach to dental care. Although Dr. James E. Funke and his daughter, Dr. Laura J. Funke, carry on the family legacy of friendly service and lasting doctor-client relationships, they aren’t afraid of modernity. In addition to keeping a banner that reads “Welcome Robot Overlords” on hand, they greet the future by offering a selection of advanced dental services, using state-of-the-art equipment, and operating in a newly remodeled office.

Like mobile Knights of the Round Table, bikers sit in a circle on Science and Fun’s seven-person conference bikes. One rider steers while all passengers pedal, powering bikes as they cruise through the city or serve as low-key parade floats. Groups with sufficient manpower for two bikes can turn open, paved spaces or Bucketworks’ indoor arena into bicycle basketball courts. Each bike constitutes a team, and both teams launch a barrage of foam balls at their opponent’s bike-mounted hoop during four-minute rounds in a game adaptable to all ages and pending NBA contracts. While advance bike reservations ensure a circular steed, Science and Fun happily reschedules or cancels reservations that coincide with inclement weather.

Physicians Weight Loss Centers of America, Inc. peppers the nation, doling out slim-down tips honed during the course of three decades in business. Each center staffs a physician, who, in tandem with a team of skilled counselors, selects one of six weight-loss and lifestyle programs to guide each client toward his or her desired results. The center’s sextet of plans are tailored to those who prefer not to exercise, those who travel often, those who cook at home, and those who cook in nonfunctional stage kitchens. Patients chat with their counselors often, soaking up the tips the staffers learn from continual training programs. Clients are encouraged to build a bond with their counselor, as camaraderie not only eases the process, but also improves one’s chances of finding a lifelong three-legged-race partner.