Upper Arlington, OH Health and Fitness

At South Beach Fitness’s two Columbus-area locations, experienced trainers lead exercisers through calorie-torching classes such as kickboxing, Pilates, and Zumba. In addition to the more than 20 classes offered each week in the cardio cinema and aerobics studio, the spacious club houses high-tech cardio equipment and free weights. A 40-yard dash area facilitates intensive speed training or very short walks. After all the hard work, a nutritional-counseling area helps clients keep fitness goals in line with their dietary habits.

In 2002, former Houston Astros pitcher and certified CrossFit Level 1 coach Ralph Hicks decided to increase the accessibility of his all-time favorite fitness regimen by devising CrossFit programs for everyone from children to dedicated athletes. Today, his seasoned staff of trainers guide exercisers to physical peaks during innovative classes that borrow from CrossFit's workout philosophies and focus on such areas as endurance, baseball skills, and kids' fitness. The motivating trainers also light fires under those wishing to compete in the CrossFit Games. While pursuing personal records in reps, students hoist barbells, lift their own bodyweight, and toss homesick meteors back to their belts amidst the gym's vibrant wall graffiti.

Founder Doug Owens leverages the vigorous fitness aspects of boxing to train clients, and in the past he has whipped into shape a number of pro athletes, including NFL quarterback Brady Quinn and NHL wing Jody Shelley. He translates his personally devised program into group and one-on-one sessions that incorporate weight training, conditioning, flexibility exercises, and a healthy diet. Doug places an emphasis on uniting these facets of physical fitness into a mutually reinforcing symphony, rather than focusing his program on one area, all while imparting the fundamentals of sparring, such as not sparring at the dinner table.

Owner Angie Althoff discovered personal fulfillment, camaraderie, and a greater level of fitness when she first attended a Les Mills class in 2006 at the behest of a friend. That day planted the seed of her passion, which grew into an instructor certification in 2011 and, eventually, Flow Studio. With the help of her husband, she's acquired the services of 21 other instructors, all certified to teach various Les Mills or Zumba exercises.

Flow Studio's bright yellow and orange exercise rooms reverberate with the sounds of upbeat tunes and top 40 hits as students punch, kick, dance, and cycle. The gym schedules classes each day of the week, providing plenty of opportunity to attend and re-attend sessions throughout the week.

Murals of forests and beaches greet students as they enter Oreste Dance & Fitness Studio, inspiring them to move their limbs like soaring branches and majestic ocean waves. Ballroom classes invite singles and couples to hone waltzes and rumbas, and Zumba cardio workouts pair Latin-inspired dance steps with rhythmic world music. Non-dance options such as Vinyasa yoga cultivate strength and flexibility with flowing stretches and poses.

A carefully curated collection of fitness equipment furthers toning outside of class with a treadmill, spin bike, elliptical machine, and strength-building equipment. Cable TV, WiFi, and cushy leather furniture help weary bodies and rhythm-addled brains recharge after class in the lounge—which, like the rest of the facilities, is open 24/7.

During 20 years of industry experience, Nick and Sharon Osborne have witnessed countless gym members lose interest in monotonous workouts and detached trainers. To combat exercise lethargy, they founded Go: Fitness, a center that focuses on functional training and attentive service. Either Nick or Sharon is always onsite to oversee their coaching staff during group classes and free monthly one-on-one sessions for members.

The gym's equipment—kettlebells, battling ropes, sledgehammers, and machines such as the Power Plate—complements routines that mimic real-life movements and strengthen muscles through natural actions. To round out their wellness goals, members receive access to nutrition and fitness software that helps them plan healthful meals without going to the trouble of hacking into the Food Network's mainframe.