It’s about that time: Where you’re finally going to invest in a gym so that you have the motivation to work out. Picking a gym isn’t an easy task, it’s a commitment to a place where you’re going to get fit and enjoy your time while doing so. Michigan is home to a variety of gyms, with a variety of amenities, all with the goal of helping you get (or stay!) in shape! Here are the 7 best.
Once again, Traverse City offers a fine entry for our list, giving us the Fit For You. Boasting cardio and strength training options, Fit For You has been declared Traverse City's best gym for 10 years running, a feat by most any standard. Throw in the free seven-day pass to give it a try before signing up and the reasons to get in on this one make themselves quite clear.
While it's a chain gym that can be found in a huge number of locations in Michigan, it's hard to mention the best gyms around without bringing up Curves. A gym devoted to the advancement of women above all else—whether it's on the workout floor or behind the scenes—Curves is a powerhouse in the exercise field for a variety of reasons. Offering the standards in workout material, but also some corporate wellness and similar programs, the result is a start-to-finish workout experience for the ladies that shines above many others.
The Old Town Gym has perhaps one important feature going for it above many of its competitors: It boasts two locations. You'll find an Old Town Gym in both Bay City and in Essexville, which is basically “Bay City East.” Once you get to either location, you'll have access to the fullest range of equipment, a week's free trial, and even childcare options to allow you to exercise with peace of mind, knowing that the children are safe.
Out in Southfield, there's a gym that's a bit of a specialty shop. Before, we saw a gym devoted to gymnastics and cheerleading, but the Michigan Top Team gym has a bit more of a martial bent. Founded by Daron "The Detroit Superstar" Cruickshank, a professional mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, in 2013, the gym he founded focuses on MMA training and coaching alongside general fitness, making it a versatile choice for anyone looking to buff up, strengthen up, or toughen up in general.
Winner of the “Best Gym” in the Detroit CityVoter rankings, Pulse Fitness goes big in just about every facet of gym operations. Between the array of cardio and strength training devices, and the personal trainers and attention individual guests receive, it's obvious that Pulse Fitness in Royal Oak (and two locations in Detroit) wants to help people improve physical fitness, and are offering just about everything under the sun to make it happen.
Head on out to Troy for an encounter with some hot, hot fitness at 6 Degree Burn Fitness Studios. Featuring not only kickboxing, but also indoor cycling and a slate of fitness classes including Yaw Yan martial arts and a set of corporate wellness programs, 6 Degree Burn Fitness Studios works to make fitness happen one way or another. The risk of getting bored with a setup like this seems fairly low, and that's good news for anyone who wants to keep active.
One of perhaps the best-kept secrets in Kingsford is the 4 Ever Fitness 24 location, a gym that kicks off with a quote from Edward Stanley, who noted "Those who think they have not time for bodily exercise will sooner or later have to find time for illness." With a philosophy like that leading in, you can tell that the place clearly has an attitude that pushes success above all else, however the individual user defines success. That's a pretty good attitude, and when you couple that to the array of services and equipment the place has, that makes it a winner among winners.