Health & Fitness in Tulsa

Since 1909, YMCA of Greater Tulsa has helped build strong families and even stronger bicep bulges—keeping families and individuals active with fitness formats that are much more fun than underwater boot camps or being hunted for sport by eccentric millionaires. Firm up your form and increase your energy level with unfettered access to pools, basketball courts, weight gyms, and thumb-wrestling arenas, all included with your membership.

A sport and fitness enthusiast his whole life, owner and head trainer Patrick Hallock honed his discipline as a Sergeant in the US Army. Today, he channels his accrued wisdom and experience into CrossFit—a high-intensity, total-body fitness program that draws on techniques from across the athletic spectrum, including track and field, gymnastics, and weightlifting. In his 6,000-square-foot gym, he leads workouts that incorporate functional movements to work all muscle groups, having students flip tractor tires, jump atop plyometric boxes from a standstill, and sling heavy medicine balls into the mouths of ailing giants. Since each exercise features motions from everyday life, such as pushing, pulling, and lifting, it’s a system that can help prepare participants for anything from playing sports to carrying heavy groceries.

Licensed and certified acupuncturist Chris M. Ohman combines his specialty with a range of complementary procedures that together coax discomfort out of his patients’ bodies. During consultations, he pores over medical histories, chats with patients, and answers any questions about acupuncture and whether or not he considers his current lab coat his lucky one. Through the careful placement of very fine needles at key points on the body’s energy pathways, the practitioner works to address such maladies as insomnia, allergies, pain, and stress. Should he deem it necessary, he couples the acupuncture service with the complementary services of far-infrared heat and moxibustion, a treatment based on the belief that mugwort has soothing powers.

No one knows the pain of never enjoying a panoramic view like someone with a spinal misalignment. The doctors at Brooks Spinal Care save clients from immobility and pain with adjustments and massages that allow them to enjoy the office's panoramic view of Tulsa from 34 stories up. Dr. Robert Brooks and Dr. Scott Hanson work in tandem to provide new clients with complimentary consultations and a full spinal x-ray to help identify misalignments and why clients can't sleep comfortably in their refrigerators. Their reception staff adds luxury to appointments by refreshing waiting clients with all-natural juices and teas.

A staff of male and female massage therapists, headed by Alicia Fleming, distinguishes between spinal problems and areas of tension to eradicate muscle pain with heated stones and traditional touch. The massage room could be more aptly called a suite; Fleming says it's the size of a master bedroom with windows overlooking the city, ambient lighting, and soft music.

The experienced staff of Elite Sleep guides shoppers through a large inventory of soft comforters, sheets woven from Egyptian cotton, and mattresses crafted by brands such as Therapeutic and Naturepedic.

At Synergy Holistic Health, certified yoga instructor Abigail Engel tones bodies and clears cluttered minds during private and small-group lessons. One-on-one yoga sessions begin with students discussing their skill level, interests, and injuries caused by overenthusiastic YMCA-dance renditions with Engel, who then designs a highly personalized yoga regimen. Students hone simple, equipment-free routines that can be practiced whenever chakras slip out of alignment. Alternatively, small classes of no more than five students congregate in the sunlit studio during morning beginners’ yoga classes, where gentle stretching and meditation soothes bodies bedraggled by tackling roosters. An intermediate class delves into more challenging postures, which students perfect atop provided mats and equipment. Check the schedule for upcoming classes.