7 LGBT-friendly workout spots
As we cruise into the new year, few places await folks hoping to embrace their resolutions as much as gyms do. Whether maintaining last year’s workout regimen or starting a new one, you need to be at the right place for you. Gyms and fitness centers should be sacred realms where people looking to stay healthy can test their bodies and minds in a safe environment. Most of us like to feel comfortable wherever we workout, a place where few judging eyes stare, so here’s a list of queer-friendly area gyms to check out.
Club Dallas. This specialized 18-and-over Swiss Avenue sauna and fitness center caters to Dallas’ gay men always looking to keep fit and stay well. Just steps away from a DART station, Club Dallas provides its members a full gym, cardiovascular-focused area, whirlpool, steam room, outdoor pool and private dressing rooms. But most important, the Club prides itself as a safe and discreet place for its members to rejuvenate and stay healthy with others. Membership costs $32/mo., with one-time visits costing $8 on weekdays and $10 on weekends. The-Clubs.com.
Diesel Fitness. This uptown gym located in City Place off North Central Expressway offers weekly classes to help members work on their body tone. On Mondays and Wednesdays, the Iron Body Bootcamp could whip any newcomer into shape, and the spot’s Bun’s & Gun’s workout suits the more advanced types on Tuesday nights. And along with the usual fitness amenities, such as barbells and various lift machines, Diesel features a designated space for boxing and an indoor turf. DieselFitness214.com.
Equinox Fitness. For those looking for a facility promoting luxury, Equinox provides high-end equipment and machines, with membership usually running about $180/mo. Locations are in Plano, Highland Park and Preston Hollow for Dallasites of all types. And members can utilize the establishment’s cycling space, personal trainers, Pilates studio and spa, featuring massage and facial stations. Along with purchasing one-on-one training sessions, members can take unlimited group fitness classes for free. Equinox.com.
Gold’s Gym. One of the definitive health centers nationwide, the Uptown branch of this national chain has remained popular in the community for years. GoldsGym.com.
LA Fitness. The sprawling center in the gayborhood, with its pool area, weights, treadmills and more, is perennially popular with queer fitness folks in Dallas. LAFitness.com.
Planet Fitness. One can find a PF almost anywhere, but the membership rates here offer the convenience at a real bargain. For about $10/mo., members can exercise in a 24/7 facility that prides itself as a Judgment Free Zone. PF even allows its members to use the restrooms and locker rooms they identify with as their preferred gender. But if patrons upgrade to Black Card membership, they get exclusive access to the gym’s massage and tanning center.
Utopia Food + Fitness. Utopia offers a unique take on fitness for those always conscientious about their diet before and after workouts. Different from a typical gym, this establishment focuses on pairing personalized workouts, which last about 20 minutes, with healthy meals ordered, prepared and ready to pick up on site. Utopia keeps a chef and dietician on site that aim to create organic cuisines to supplement the short workouts. Membership of $129/mo. comes with a $40 food credit, customized 20-minute workouts, free full body measurements and body composition analysis.
— John Carder McClanahan
