40 | HealthLinksSC.com Fitness pioneers like Jack LaLanne started the workout momentum in the United States when he opened his first health club in Oakland, California in 1936. Gold’s Gym launched in 1965 and then Jane Fonda’s aerobics, which brought leg warmers and matching bodysuits to women’s fashion, continued the fitness evolution. Twenty-four hour gyms popped up, and over the next two decades, CrossFit, personal training and wellness studios expanded exercise options further. Fitness routines now cater to a diverse range of consumer preferences that include social opportunities, specialized environments, novel exercise workouts, technological integration and an emphasis on overall wellness. Charleston residents don’t have to look far to find the class, the environment and the community that ensure that their workouts are anything but mundane. The portfolio of possibilities is vast, but here are some highlights of three specialty fitness businesses in the Charleston area: 1. THE LONGEVITY CLUB Founded by Charleston native Jennie Brooks, a world-traveled and certified fitness trainer, The Longevity Club, located at 163 Rutledge Ave., Charleston, is a luxurious boutique health and fitness club with a spa feeling and the candles and scents to match. It is built upon a philosophy of mindful movement and improved body mechanics as a pathway to achieving wellness. Four floors house Pilates studios, personal training suites, an open gym and designated wellness rooms. The rooftop terrace overlooks Charleston and includes a private recovery lounge with an infrared sauna and zero-gravity massage chair. Enrollment includes about an equal number of men and women of all ages from youths to seniors. Families are welcome. Typical services include reformer and mat Pilates classes, As the fitness landscape evolves, gyms are no longer just a realm of treadmills and dumbbells; a new breed of fitness classes is reshaping exercise routines and creating a sense of community while sculpting bodies, building stamina and offering lots of joy along the way.
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