For Atlanta's frugal fitness fans, ClassPass was basically the final word in cheap exercise: For $100/month, members could take an unlimited number of classes at a variety of fitness studios (across all types: yoga, barre and more) in Atlanta. Then came the great ClassPass price hike (from $100 to $160 for unlimited classes) earlier this year, and now those same frugal fitness fans have had to turn elsewhere to get their calorie-burning fix.
Fortunately, plenty of places offer many of the same perks that make ClassPass a hit, including its affordability. Here are five of the best options.
Tough Love Yoga
With a reasonable drop-in rate of $10/class (and even lower specials for yogis who choose to buy in bulk), Tough Love Yoga offers an inclusive experience and a refreshing challenge to both beginners and experienced participants. Members comment on the welcoming staff, creative soundtrack and (of course) the butt-kicking workout, and it won't take more than a few classes for new yogis to notice an increase in flexibility.
Specials pop up from time to time on platforms like ScoutMob and Groupon, but Tough Love won't break the bank even for those who buy in at full price.
Exhale Spa Fitness Membership
For those who found variety and flexible timing to be the big draw of ClassPass, former members will find a happy home at Exhale, a luxurious and intense spa and fitness entity with locations in Midtown, Inman Park and Avalon.
Get a free taste of one of their fusion classes at select installments of Avalon's weekly AvalOM classes, held on Wednesday evenings throughout summer, and purchase a monthly membership — at a similar price point to Classpass' previous monthly cost — for unlimited access to barre, yoga, cardio, and fusion classes along with a full-service gym and locker room.
Atlanta Beltline
Most people are aware of the free fitness opportunities that Atlanta's popular Beltline trail holds for runners, bikers and walkers, but there are plenty of organized activities for those who miss the community and expertise that comes with a well-organized class.
The Beltline's website keeps a regular calendar of upcoming events ranging from free aerobics, led by Young At Heart fitness, to FitWit boot camp, skateboarding and yoga. Many of the events are free of charge or come with a low per-class fee, all of which can be taken care of online before participants show up at the park.
BLAST Charity Classes
Atlanta-bred BLAST has expanded far beyond the Georgia state lines, taking its hardcore classes to Washington, D.C., on top of the multiple locations in the Atlanta area. With varying levels of intensity for runners, walkers and joggers, the workouts are suited for all levels and mix up time on the treadmill with intermittent weighted strength training stints.
While a regular class at the studio will run BLASTers upwards of $30, it periodically offers classes on Sundays at 5 p.m. for $10 in support of a rotating charity cause each month — keep an eye on the studio's social media accounts for up-to-date details.
#KOPyoga
Trying a King of Pops Popsicle has become somewhat of an ATL rite of passage, and trying its free weekly yoga offering shouldn't be far behind it on any new resident's list of to-dos. The one-hour class is taught by megaphone-wielding Charlie Baxter Graham and is held in the Old Fourth Ward Skatepark on Tuesdays at 7 p.m.
While it may not be the only regular free offering in metro Atlanta — there are plenty of new free fitness trends to try every week — #KOPyoga is easily one of the most well-known and well-attended. And King of Pops isn't just spreading the good vibes to broke yogis: It supports Centering Youth, an organization giving kids access to yoga as a means of empowerment, too.
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