When your hobby is eating and drinking your way through Colorado Springs, it’s pretty easy to gain weight. And while some weeks I eat healthier than others, I make it a point to work out regularly to stay healthy. In a place like Colorado, there are fitness studios and gyms around every corner, not to mention a million different hikes, trails, and other ways to be active outside, but it can be hard to figure out where you’ll actually work out regularly when you have so many options. While Colorado Springs Fitness Week gave community members the opportunity to try out new boutique fitness studios, there are a ton of great places to work out that may not have been a part of the event. I know I frequent a few places in Colorado Springs that have amazing instructors, awesome clients and nice amenities. Here are some of my favorite places to break a sweat.
Hot Asana Yoga
I thought I’d start by telling you about this great yoga studio. I personally suck at yoga, so when it comes to taking a class, I want instructors who are going to give me the corrections I need, and an atmosphere that isn’t intimidating. Hot Asana is beautiful, the instructors are amazing (Essie, Heidi and Sarah are just a few of my favorites), and at the end of class they give you a quick neck and shoulder massage and a cool, lavender towel to help you relax before you head out. I like to take the 7:30 p.m. warm flow class because it’s super relaxing and the lavender towel at the end of class gets you ready to head to bed.
Cycology Studio
I’m not huge on cardio and running is literally the worst, so Cycology Studio is my savior when it comes to getting my heart rate up. This spin studio is super fun because you bike to the beat (think SoulCycle style). The instructors are so nice and obviously have great taste in music, and class will kick your ass. I don’t think there’s been a time that I’ve went in and didn’t leave dripping wet with sweat. I can’t even pick out one instructor to check out because they’re all so good. They provide the shoes and towels, and at the end of class they hand out a cool, eucalyptus towel which is great since you’re pretty disgusting at that point. This is especially my go-to workout when I’m not feeling motivated because it’s so easy to get lost in the music – it’s seriously like going to a party with a bunch of strangers.
Progressive Fitness CrossFit
So CrossFit tends to get a bad rep because people get injured, blah blah blah, but you can get injured at any fitness studio if you don’t use proper form and don’t have good instructors to help you. I’d never done CrossFit and always wanted to check it out, and I am so happy that I picked Progressive Fitness CrossFit to take my first class. The coaches really know what they’re talking about, they answer your questions, and they don’t make you feel intimidated when you have no idea what you’re doing and trust me, even after my foundation classes I still had plenty to ask about. The community there was really great too – everyone was so welcoming and although I obviously was a newbie they made an effort to encourage me and give me tips when I was confused. Honestly, if I wasn’t an instructor at a different fitness studio (it limits time to go to other gyms), I’d totally have a monthly membership here.
Pure Barre
Full disclosure, I am an instructor at Pure Barre Colorado Springs, however I think even if I wasn’t I’d still want to take classes here. The workout is hard – it’s all about isometric movements and really squeezing your muscles (you can hear me explain more about the workout in an interview HERE), so think high intensity but low impact. The instructors are really knowledgeable and encouraging, and Pure Barre Colorado Springs truly has the absolute BEST clients ever. They’re so welcoming, so kind, and it’s rare that a studio has such a strong community. I definitely recommend taking advantage of the free first week deal to get a better idea of if you like the class.
Orange Theory Fitness
I already mentioned I’m not a huge fan of cardio, however I am a pretty big fan of Orange Theory Fitness – especially the North Academy location. A heart rate monitor tracks your workout and is especially helpful to tell you to push yourself more or take it down a notch. You rotate between rowers, treadmills, and TRX/free weights and the workout is a killer. I typically burn between 650-800 calories per workout. Although all of the coaches are great, my favorites are Erik and Emily. They’re motivating but don’t distract you in the way they coach and they are great about checking in to make sure you don’t have any questions. Your first class is free, and I definitely recommend signing up for a class ahead of time as the classes tend to get full.
FIT365
I’m sure that there are quite a few people reading this who are thinking, I’m not a fan of group fitness classes. That’s fair – sometimes you just don’t want to deal with other people, let alone a peppy instructor or coach who won’t shut up (I can say that since I’m an instructor). There are many gyms around Colorado Springs, even huge centers like Lifetime Fitness or VillaSport, and while those places have a ton of machines and a ridiculous amount of amenities, they can get crowded. My new favorite place to work out on my own is FIT365, which is downtown on Cascade. If you’re a member of the 365 Grand Club, your FIT365 membership is free, but if not, it’s very reasonably priced. Although it’s a smaller gym, there is nice, newer equipment, locker rooms with towels and even things like hairdryers and Q-Tips, and a sauna that makes leaving the gym really difficult. I could live in the sauna at this gym. The one thing I really liked is that the trainers are super helpful. They answer questions, and give you tips on form, which some people may not like, but I’ll take free fitness advice from an expert any day.
Whether you prefer group fitness or training on your own, there are so many great centers throughout Colorado Springs. I encourage you to take advantage of free first classes, ask instructors and coaches questions, and bust your ass at every single workout. The best way to find what’s right for you is to take a class and see for yourself.
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