The Basic Training Academy, Wood Dale

Basic Training Academy programs—captained by personal trainers who have either earned or are completing their NFPT certification—enlist the power of positive reinforcement to keep patrons sprinting toward their fitness goals. The 60- to 90-minute sessions, which trade in the shrill screams and sarcastic parrot sidekicks of a drill sergeant for supportive mantras, focus on flexibility, strength, and conditioning. Three levels of boot-camp classes put physiques through challenging calisthenics, torching fat while attendees hustle through picturesque landscapes and vault over elk in parks and forest preserves.

People who want to augment their training experience can enlist in Basic Training Academy's AZPAC (A-Z Physical Assessment Consultation) program. Personal trainers work one-on-one with clients to assess lifestyle patterns before creating personalized long-term fitness strategies. To cement the bonds of workout camaraderie and give students a chance to bask, the academy also holds an annual retreat to Devil's Lake State Park, where participants escape the noise of the city and learn that Devil's Lake is just like a normal lake, only with more chocolate in it.