Gyms in West Hartford

Equipment: Zebra mats and cage, Combat Sports boxing ring, Precor and Cybex machines Students should bring: Workout clothing (i.e. sweatpants and a t-shirt) Average class length: 60 minutes Number of Staff: 11?25 people Class location: Indoors only Established: 2002 Registration required: Yes Good for beginners: Yes Guests allowed: No Parking: Parking lot Pro Tip: Capoeira offers a great workout that is mentally and physically engaging. Aikido is more traditional.

Many cultures and belief systems converge at Sacred Movement Yoga, drawn together by a diverse teaching team. Julie Miller contributes expertise in Anusara yoga, Julie Erasmus adds mastery of teaching yoga to people of all ages, and Rebecca Totti brings intimate knowledge of Restorative yoga. Though Miller, Erasmus, and Totti represent only three of more than twenty teachers, they embody the studio's mission to help students realize their potential. Instructors offer restorative and rigorous yoga classes in both ancient and modern styles, and also host guided meditation and third-eye exams in the studio's ZenRoom.

The Fit Playground's premise is simple: exercise should be fun. The team strives to take adults back to a time when clambering up trees and leaping over imaginary lava pits was the only workout they needed. Inside the indoor playground, participants scale ropes and swing from monkey bars, toning muscles, burning calories, and doing something gym goers rarely get to do: having a good time. The fitness-focused play isn't just for adults, of course—The Fit Playground also has classes designed for kids and teens.

Equipment: Top Ten, Macho, Century, Top Pro Students should bring: Uniform, sparring gear, water bottle, and a towel Average class length: 60 minutes Number of Staff: 1?5 people Class location: Indoors only Established: 1993 Registration required: Yes Good for beginners: Yes Parking: Parking lot

Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness first opened its 35,000-square-foot fitness centers in 1979, and the specialists have since maintained a commitment to helping their members lead healthier lifestyles. They work in partnership with hospitals and medical professionals to stay keen on current research, turning this information into personal-training programs and professional advice for members of all fitness levels. In addition to programs in fitness and recreation, health education, and nutrition, Healthtrax Fitness & Wellness offers more than 60 group fitness classes. Members can shake up their routines with group cycling, yoga, and Pilates sessions, or tune out the surrounding world while burning calories on TV-equipped cardio machines. Member amenities also include basketball courts and an aquatics center in addition to outlets for kids including a youth activities center and babysitting services for kids that are tired of pretending to be their mom's fanny pack as she works out.

Tyler English knows the look of frustration. In his eight years as a fitness professional in Connecticut, he has helped thousands of health-seekers who feel bored or fatigued by solo workouts at big health clubs find a better path. At his gym, he promotes what he calls an ?anti-health-club? environment, enlivening workouts while aiming to quickly whittle fit and healthy bodies through his innovative programs. English, a professional natural bodybuilder and author, leads metabolic-conditioning workouts, which boost the body?s anaerobic and aerobic capacity with interval-based cardio. He also folds in a series of strength sessions that incorporate moves with dumbbells, resistance bands, kettlebells, medicine balls, and medicine balls encased in concrete. Tyler also counts on The Diet Doc's weight-loss program through nutritional guidance.