10 Local Fitness Classes That’ll Make You Forget You’re Working Out
Maybe you’re one of those “no pain, no gain” fitness types—the kind of person who wakes up at 5 a.m. to run before the sun rises, or who benchpresses weights that make mere mortals faint.
If you fall into that camp, more power to you. But if you want fitness to be, well, a little more fun, we found 10 local classes that’ll make you forget you’re working out.
A 305 Fitness class. Photo provided
1. 305 Fitness, at BSC Lab
If you’re long over Zumba but love to dance, give this club-inspired workout a try. Offered at BSC Lab, 305 Fitness is a cardio dance workout set to a live DJ. It also incorporates interval training and sculpting, but you’ll be having too much fun to notice.
$26. Boston Sports Clubs Studio, 699 Boylston St., Boston, 305fitness-boston.com.
2. Glow Yoga Fusion, at Acorn Yoga
Dragging yourself to the gym can be a hard sell in general. Doing so on a Friday or Saturday night? Virtually impossible—unless it’s for a glow-in-the-dark yoga fest, complete with glow sticks, glow paint, and an upbeat playlist. Class even includes a dance party.
$20. Acorn Yoga, 576 Washington St., Brighton, acornyoga.org.
3. Boss Chick Dance Workout, at Women’s Fitness of Boston and the Z Spot
This ladies-only cardio dance workout will make you feel more like Beyoncé, and less like a gym rat. Expect a hybrid of hip hop, dancehall, and Afrobeat dance—and, according to the system’s founders, to burn up to 1,000 calories per class.
$20. Women’s Fitness of Boston, 27 School St., Boston, and the Z Spot, 181 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, bosschickdanceworkout.com.
Aerial yoga at Swet Studio/Photo provided
4. AntiGravity Fitness, at Swet Studio
This South End fitness studio offers a variety of aerial classes, from barre to core. You’ll be so focused on mastering the aerial silks, you won’t even notice how much you’re working your muscles. Relaxing inversions are an added bonus.
$30. Swet Studio, 480 Tremont St., Boston, swetstudio.com.
5. Afro Flow Yoga, at the Dance Complex
Does a typical yoga class make you want to fall asleep on your mat? Try Afro Flow yoga, which fuses a gentle sequence with traditional African dance. You’ve never namasted like this before.
$16. The Dance Complex, 536 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, afroflowyoga.com.
6. Trillfit, at Studio 52
Thanks to a new partnership with yoga studio Studio 52, Trillfit has a permanent home. The brand is known for its hip hop-influenced cardio dance classes, but it also offers sculpting and yoga sessions that’ll help you “cheat on your gym.”
$28. Studio 52, 52 Province St., Boston, trill.fit.
BikeBus/Photo provided
7. BikeBus
Even if you’ve sworn off Spin classes, you may be intrigued by BikeBus. Classes take place in a converted city bus, so you can watch the world go by as you pedal—and spend your commute exercising, even when you’re stuck in traffic. Check the website for regularly scheduled rides, one-off events, and private chartering information.
Prices and locations vary, bikebus.com.
8. SurfSet, at Shred
Hang 10 at this Quincy fitness studio, one of the few in the area to offer surf-inspired workout SurfSet. You’ll move through squats, planks, burpees, push-ups, and more—all on a fake surfboard that simulates the feeling of being on the open water.
$16. Shred, 453 Washington St., Quincy, shredbody.com.
Pound at the YMCA/Photo provided
9. Pound, at various locations
Weighted drumsticks may be all you need to whip yourself into shape, minus treadmill-induced boredom. You’ll check off cardio, conditioning, and strength training, all while drumming and making music with “Ripstix.” Find a local class here.
Prices and locations vary, poundfit.com.
10. SkyFit, at SkyZone
Want to trade your gym for a trampoline park? SkyZone’s SkyFit class will have you jumping on wall-to-wall trampolines for an hour, and burning up to 1,000 calories in the process. We can attest: It’s tough but fun.
$15. SkyZone, 91-B Sprague St., Boston, skyzone.com.
