Health & Fitness in Westford

Koko FitClub’s automated personal-training system rockets both men and women toward fitness goals with 30-minute custom workouts that incorporate cardio and strength training. An initial consultation determines fitness levels and baseline measurements, which Koko’s computerized equipment uses to design a tailored workout plan that precisely measures the weight, pace, and rest time appropriate for each exerciser. The Koko machines guide exercisers through each workout and adapt as the user’s fitness needs change in order to constantly challenge the body. Designed by professional trainers, workouts maximize the body’s lean-muscle mass, which can boost metabolism and help fight off disease by challenging viruses to kickboxing matches. Exercisers can track their shrinking waistlines and swelling muscles online by analyzing workout scores and comparing individual fitness levels to the Koko FitClub community.

True to their name, the instructors at Inspirations Dance Academy aim to share their passion for dance with everyone who enters their studio. They welcome in dancers of all levels, hosting classes ranging from tumbling for tots to advanced ballet for teens and adults. Group classes teach techniques associated with jazz, ballet, and hip-hop, along with special styles such as poms. Summer intensives entertain youngsters with dance- and craft-filled days, while older students concentrate on honing their skills before flapping their pointe shoes and flying south for the winter.

The LED lights dim, and a driving rhythm begins to pound through the professional-grade sound system. An instructor mounts a Star Trac Spinner NXT cycle—the same model all the students are riding—and begins to call out instructions. The class uses the bikes' advanced mechanics to simulate uphill climbs and smooth straightaways. Such is the scene during every class at InMotion Cycling Studio. Afterward, staff members provide towel service or show visitors to the water cooler, where they can replenish a depleted water bottle or attempt to engage strangers in office small talk.

Drawing from more than 20 years of experience, certified trainer Bobby Spindell doesn’t rely on intensity alone to draw calories from his clients—he also uses rest periods as a fitness tool. Recognizing that fitness is a process that occurs in phases, he motivates clients during boot camps and training classes to complete the full number of reps before giving their muscles strategic rest periods. He advises clients on how to help their bodies recover for the next workouts with low-resistance training, proper sleep, and what to eat after workouts.

To help women achieve their fitness goals, the certified personal trainers at Get In Shape For Women focus on four areas: weight training, cardio training, nutrition, and accountability. In small group sessions, trainers modify exercises to suit up to four ladies' fitness levels, beginning by calibrating strength-training sessions—such as free weights, lunges, and squats—to each client's abilities while still ensuring they are challenging themselves. Then comes high-intensity cardio interval-training sessions in which trainers encourage exercisers to achieve optimal results on the treadmill or elliptical. The trainers supplement the group workouts with nutritional planning centered around the concept of eating six small, balanced meals six days a week. They set aside the seventh day as a "free day" for a bit of indulgence, be it eating a favorite sweet or lusting openly after bacon. To hold their women accountable, trainers talk nutrition on the floor during scheduled appointments, and the ladies' progress toward reaching their goals is measured by trainers each week.

For more than 18 years, the licensed practitioners at Harvard Therapeutic Massage have relaxed and healed patients suffering from stress, injury, and chronic pain. Each member of the team specializes in relaxation massage and pain relief therapy. The former uses oils and lotions with a combination of gliding, kneading, and stretching all over the body to help muscles unwind and put minds at ease, while the latter sees therapists focusing on trigger points, helping blood flow to contracted areas in order to bring relief to the surrounding nerves. Select members of the team are also specialized in styles of treatment such as hot stone massage, reiki, and pre-natal massage, which helps bring relief to expectant mothers and unborn babies tired of sitting in the same position for weeks on end.