Health & wellness Types of gyms
BY ELLE BENT & ELISABETH JIMENEZ
Mixed martial arts gyms Mixed martial arts, or MMA, involves techniques from combat sports that include striking and grappling. People often train by sparring, using ghting styles such as boxing, Brazilian jiujitsu, muay Thai and kickboxing. • Good for: This sport helps improve endurance, functional strength, flexibility and reflexes, according to itness company Ronin Training Center. • Examples: BlackWidow MMA, Gracie Barra Round Rock, Premier Martial Arts Round Rock Powerlifting gyms Powerlifting consists of threelifts: the squat, bench press and deadlift, according to USA Powerlifting. Powerlifting gyms provide equipment and sometimes training needed to powerlift. • Good for: Powerlifting is good for building strength. • Examples: FeV Iron Forge Gym, Home Barbell Club, Gold’s Gym Pflugerville, Metroflex Austin Yoga studios Yoga studios often oer classes geared toward the practice of dierent yoga styles. • Good for: Yoga is good for flexibility, balance and strength in addition to its beneits for heart health, according to health system John Hopkins Medicine. • Examples: Black Swan Yoga Round Rock, Soul Strong
Boot camp gyms Boot camp gyms oer “boot camp” sessions of an intense workout in a short amount of time, focusing on cardio and strength training in one session. • Good for: This form of high-impact, full-body workout engages major muscle groups and focuses on strength training, which can reduce the risk of osteoporosis and fractures by maintaining bone density, according to itness company Peloton and health care center Mayo Clinic. • Examples: Bodies by Design, Cowboys Fit, Orangetheory Fitness Boxing gyms Boxing gyms can oer traditional boxing classes to teach sparring or tness boxing—a form of high-intensity interval training, or HIIT. Fitness boxing can include drills such as footwork drills and punching rounds. • Good for: Boxing exercises can improve endurance, balance and coordination, as well as provide full-body strength training. It can also improve heart health, according to Cleveland Clinic. • Examples: ArchetypeBoxing Club, AOA Boxing, Austin
Women’s Boxing Club, Crunch Fitness Climbing gyms
Looking for a new workout to try in 2025? Here is a noncomprehensive guide of dierent types of gyms to join around the Austin area. This list is in alphabetical order. Aquatic gyms Aquatic gyms often feature swimming pools, diving and oer swimming classes. • Good for: Swimming can improve health for people with chronic illnesses like diabetes, heart disease and arthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control. • Examples: ClayMadsen Recreation Center, Austin Aquatics and Sports Academy, Hutto Family YMCA Barre gyms A Barre gym oers barre classes, a low-impact exercise routine that combines elements of ballet, Pilates, yoga, and strength training. • Good for: Barre focuses on body strength and flexibility, according to gym franchise Pure Barre’s website. • Examples: barre3,Pure Barre Round Rock
Climbing gyms often oer dierent climbing styles like bouldering, top roping and lead climbing in an indoor facility outtted with textured walls designed to mimic rock surfaces. • Good for: Climbing is a full-body workout good for building strength, according to the CDC. • Examples: Austin Bouldering Project, Crux Climbing Center, Jungle Movement Academy Cycling gyms Cycling gyms oer indoor cycling classes, often referred to as spinning, for a low-impact, high-intensity workout. • Good for: Cycling focuses on various muscle groups, such as quads, calves, glutes and core, according to cycling studio VERVE and Harvard Medical School. This form of exercise puts less stress on joints, which may be ideal for those with orthopedic injuries, according to Harvard Medical School. • Examples: CYCLEBAR,SoulCycle, Cowboys Fit, Crunch Fitness
High-intensity interval training (HIIT) studios
Pilates studios Pilates studios oer classes focusing on strengthening core muscles, with an emphasis on proper technique. • Good for: This low-impact workout can improve core strength, balance and flexibility, as well as help with back pain, though research is limited, according to studies in the Muscle, Ligaments and Tendons Journal and the Journal of Orthopaedic & Sports Physical Therapy. • Examples: Reform You Pilates, HOTWORX Pflugerville, Pilates 512, Finding Flow Pilates
These studios oer sessions that involve short, high-intensity reps with active recovery periods in between. • Good for: HIIT sessions are often below an hour but provide beneits such as improved heart health, burning calories and increased strength and endurance, according to the Cleveland Clinic and an article from Harvard School of Public Health. • Examples: F45 Training, Orangetheory Fitness, HIT Athletic, Pvolve Austin
Yoga, HOTWORX Pflugerville This list is not comprehensive.
ROUND ROCK 201 University Oaks Blvd (512) 341-9066 ARBORETUM 10515 N Mopac Expressway (512) 342-6893
GEORGETOWN 1013 W University Ave (512) 868-6696 PFLUGERVILLE 19000 Limestone
Commercial Dr (512) 953-4070
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