Rochester Athletic Club, Rochester

When Rick Rugg and Bob Schiffhauer founded the first Athletic Club in Buffalo in 1980, they chartered their gym around three values: service, cleanliness, and having owners operate their own facilities. True to the founders’ original vision, each of the Rochester [locations'](http://www.rochesterathletic.com/locations) employees strive to keep their cardio and resistance equipment spic and span as they care for facilities that range of up to 30,000 square feet.

In addition to [personal training](http://www.rochesterathletic.com/personal-training), instructors lead more than 400 [group fitness classes](http://www.rochesterathletic.com/group-classes)—including cycling, yoga, and Zumba—offered each week across their five locations. After workouts, guests can slip into saunas and private showers; most locations also have steam rooms, and the Perinton location has a pool. Three of the RAC locations are for women only, allowing them to workout uninhibited by the company of men or asexual mermaids.