West Park Gyms and Fitness

At two locally owned locations, The Electric Bicycle Store team tends to a herd of battery-powered steeds that carry riders along the smooth pathways of South Florida. The shop stocks bikes by Pedego, Sanyo, Schwinn, Stromer, Trek, and others, and the staff helps outfit riders with accessories such as helmets and solar chargers. With rental packages, riders take to bike paths with helmets, lights, locks, chargers, and baskets that can fit a few pounds of spaghetti for midride snacks.

Participants of all ages, sizes, and experience levels are welcome in classes that blend cardio, flexibility, and strength training with sensuality. Polestars focuses on environment health with party-ready lights that are designed to be energy efficient and music from a local free-range dubstep farm. Hypoallergenic, recyclable materials soften the sustainably grown bamboo of the dance floor, and all cleaning products are nontoxic and biodegradable. The welcoming studio invites a variety of students by featuring some poles that are specially designed for smaller participants.

Lifelong dancer Carmen Garson chose the goddess as the symbol of her fitness studio and boutique because it represents a loving, feminine energy. She aims to channel that energy throughout each of her belly-dancing, flamenco, Bollywood, African-dance, and yoga classes, helping earn her establishment the Hollywood Gazette’s Best Place for Yoga award. Within the wood-floored studio decked out with creations by local artists, she and her team host 33 dance and fitness classes a week.

Garson also opens her space for monthly art and poetry events where women come to share their creativity and boast about how many arms their inner goddesses have. She stocks the on-site boutique with exotic clothing and jewelry, as well as with spiritual books, essential oils candles, and incense.

The professionals at Medi-Weightloss Clinics know that healthy weight reduction doesn't happen overnight and isn't achieved without hard work. Each member of the staff, from the medical practitioners to the counselors, has worked to help develop a three-phase system that encourages clients and nurtures the lifestyle changes that keep weight off. The first phase prepares patients for the program with a nutrition plan drafted based on a series of medical exams and tests and backed by supplements, educational materials, and access to the Medi-Weightloss website. Next, the maintenance phase keeps them inspired with weekly consultations and continued analyses. The final phase is designed to help keep the weight off with monthly consultations, metabolism tests, and additional supplements.

The program’s patient website features tools for tracking body-fat percentage, sharing and ranking healthy recipes, and discovering exercises that work new muscle groups like a slap fight with a squid.

In addition to sabers, fencing coaches Dan Berliner and Jake Friedman both wield razor-sharp resumes; Dan won the USA Fencing National Championship in 2011 and 2012 and is a member of the USA Fencing World Cup team, and Jake Friedman is a national-level fencing medalist. At SON DuelLIFE Olympic Fencing Center, both athletes divulge their secrets during classes for students as young as age 4, covering everything from fundamentals to advanced techniques. As their pupils learn to parry and repost, the teachers strive to also impart less tangible virtues such as honor and the determination to read The Three Musketeers in its original French. As a testament to the duo's success, many of the center's past protégés have gone on to compete on the national circuit in numerous divisions.

After stints at Bally Total Fitness and Gold’s Gym, trainer John Nittolo founded his own exercise emporium, The Edge Fitness, almost a decade ago. Its fitness programs range from boot-camp classes held on the beach to workout sessions held at John's appointment-only training studio, and they are tailored like a six-and-a-half-fingered glove to suit participants’ unique skill levels. For even more practical muscle, self-defense instruction is also available for both men and women. Additionally, the staff complements workout courses with wellness and nutrition education, providing comprehensive fitness expertise.