Classes in Mint Hill

At Trim Up, a gym run for and by women, trainees exercise independently on meticulously cleaned machinery or bask in the communal vibes of workout classes in disciplines such as yoga, Pilates, and Zumba. The gym’s whole-body vibration plates stimulate rarely used fast-twitch muscle fibers, working 98%–100% of muscles up to 3,000 times per minute, a feat usually only achievable when measured in dog minutes. The center’s detox diet retrains stomachs to crave healthy foods by sifting out late-onset allergens. Members can also enjoy discounted onsite sunless spray tans, which bronze skin to a choice of three shades with Mystic Tan’s MyMyst System.

During your two personal training sessions, one of ZX Fitness’ experienced personal trainers will work with you to assemble exercises that help you best accomplish your fitness goals, be they tightening your core, shedding extra pounds, improving muscular strength, or picking winning bingo cards. Then you’ll be let loose to use your newfound knowledge and six-week pass during all ZX Fitness group fitness classes and in its fully-loaded facility, which has cardio decks, basketball courts, free weights, large locker rooms, circuit training equipment, juice bars, a supervised children’s area, and more. Group fitness classes, of which there are more than 20, include cycling, dance, kickboxing, yoga, Pilates, and strength training. Unwind after a day of sweating and stretching by watching a sports game on one of the many HDTVs, or warm your socks while dehydrating fresh prunes in the sauna. Class schedules differ at each location.

At Music Matters, each instructor is a highly qualified, professional musician. In fully equipped studios and practice rooms, they lead private lessons with custom instruction for more than 15 instruments, including the piano, guitar, drums, voice, violin, and most orchestral instruments. They also inspire the next generation of modern Mozarts with special programs such as the Rock Band 101 class, which teaches students how to rehearse with a band and play with other students. Rock Band 101 includes hands-on experience playing songs from each decade beginning with the 1960s, and teachers also encourage students to write and develop their own songs.

The Tipsy Paintbrush gives creative types the space, brushes, and paints to create their own masterpieces while socializing with friends away from the home or office. As experienced artists lead BYOB canvas-painting classes, instructing students in brushstrokes and colors, students sip wine or their favorite beverages. During spring and summer breaks, The Tipsy Paintbrush also organizes half- and full-day art camps for kids. Aside from classes, groups can find inspiration at the studio during private parties for up to 34 guests.

At Curves, exercisers of all fitness levels move around a circuit of hydraulic-resistance machines that have been designed to work with women's bodies and promote weight loss, protect against osteoporosis, and deal with arthritis. An experienced trainer is always nearby to help manage machine-maneuvering and muscle making. Instead of fiddling with weight stacks, filling medicine balls with medicine, and losing your momentum, the hydraulic machines account for different body weights and fitness levels to create resistance that matches one's abilities, which thereby decreases the risk of soreness or injury. Because traditional lift-and-lower motions create bulky muscles, each machine uses push-and-pull motions to create toned, lean muscles perfect for crushing a grapefruit without looking like you can.

As a certified personal trainer and "marathon maniac," Empowered Personal Training Studio founder Emily Knudson often saw other runners performing cardio workouts without achieving the results they expected. She realized they were missing a key ingredient in their fitness regimen: strength training. Unlike cardio exercise, building muscles lets the body continue to burn calories hours after exercises end. That’s why her six-week boot camps mix body-weight and hand-weight exercises into cardiovascular routines and high-intensity Q&A sessions. Empowered’s team of trainers includes other competitive marathoners as well as a triathlon coach, a competitive female bodybuilder, and a former Army infantryman and combat medic. Their studio's intimate setting of weight machines, medicine balls, and cycles contrasts with the impersonal vibe of a traditional large gym full of blaring TVs and barking dogs.