With Atlanta's community of boutique fitness studios busting at the seams, an exciting amount of local businesses are finding a devoted following, and many of the area's most popular and up-and-coming spaces have women at the helm. As you choose how to get your sweat on this weekend, consider checking out some of these women-owned businesses.
Define
1833 Peachtree St NE, definebody.com , cycling, barre, yoga
Atlanta native Jessica Smithgall had a career in the music industry before leaving New York to found DEFINE Atlanta last year, but between the welcoming classes and immaculate studio, Atlanta is lucky she found a change of course. The first branch of this Texas chain to leave the Lonestar State, DEFINE offers "Rev," a cycling class with push-ups and tap-backs that revolves around a pulsing beat, "Body," a muscle-toning workout with elements of barre and Pilates, and "Mind," an restorative yoga-based class that uses hammocks for inversions and balls to massage tired muscles.
Forme Studios
365 Peachtree Hills Ave #204 , formestudios.com , barre, cardio
Although Forme founder Donna Burke has dabbled in just about every fitness crazy, it was an injury that drove her to seek the low-impact (but top-notch toning) barre workout. What began as a hobby sprouted into a remarkably comfortable and welcoming studio in Peachtree Hills, and her innovative approach to the popular barre-based method has resulted in her own unique class, BarreFusion, and a growing community at Forme.
Vibe Ride
950 West Peachtree St NW #225 , theviberide.com , cycling, fusion
Vibe Ride co-founders Courtney Anderson and Rebecca Colett may not have always been spin class heroes--a law professor and a project manager, respectively, the two met at an indoor cycling class and saw a need for a studio that offered the community of their big-box gym with the convenience of smaller, boutique fitness studios. Enter Vibe Ride, the midtown cycling studio with high-tech stats and motivating classes characterized by themed rides and outgoing instructors. Cycling classes mix in fun elements like lighting effects and team races, while
FIT: To Be
842 North Highland Avenue Northeast #3 , fit-to-be.com , barre, TRX, circuit, stretch
Fit: To Be finds its home in the heart of Virginia Highlands and has over 50 classes on the schedule each week, ranging from butt-scupting barre to butt-kicking cardio and all the regenerating stretching you'll need in between. The community feel that makes this place special is due largely to its founder Julie White, whose attention to the emotional benefits of a fitness regimen as well as the physical ones delivers fast results and a fun atmosphere.
Infinity Yoga
Dunwoody, Brookhaven & Buckhead , infinityyogaatlanta.com , yoga
Becky Nickerson's growing Atlanta yoga community in Infinity offers stretch, strength and serenity for all kinds of students, from classes specifically tailored to runners and athletes to offering "karma" for students who may prefer to work/volunteer in exchange for spots in class. A Dunwoody native who found her practice in Miami before returning to found Infinity Yoga, Nickerson is certainly enriching the community she came from and--with a new location in Old Fourth Ward--offering a welcoming space for yogis old and new across the metro area.
The Daily
981 Joseph E Lowery Blvd NW #108, doitonthedaily.com , pilates, cardio fusion
Lily Collins had a reputation to uphold when she opened The Daily at King Plow Arts Center last year--she'd been working in fitness and physical therapy for more than two decades, and her happy client base was only growing. With her studio, she's created a sleek space for quick-fix cardio workouts, mat-based Pilates and plenty of more personalized Pilates classes on the reformer. Students rave about her individualized modifications and the studio's fresh atmosphere.
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