By Steve Bowman
Editor, The Brentwood Spirit

Those of us who are out of shape may have many excuses for not going to health clubs. But the one excuse we Brentwood and Rock Hill residents cannot use is lack of convenience. There are at least a dozen places to work out within a mile of us and most open early and close late.

As you’ll see below, there’s something for just about everybody, and many of the prices are lower than you might think.

Now is a great time to join a local club. Some of them offer special deals for signing up by Jan. 31. You’ll be able to keep up your workouts even when it’s frigid outside. And you’ll have plenty of company. Pass by any of these places and you’ll see a roomful of people having fun working out together.

College student Alex Brungardt of Brentwood works out on free weights and the treadmill at Club Fitness in Rock Hill.

“It’s on my way home from work,” he said. “It’s cheap; you have access to all the Club Fitness locations in the St. Louis area for 20 dollars a month. Also, they keep it clean in here.”

For those who want a more structured, guided workout, there are places like Complete Fitness Results, just south of the Mobil station. CFR will design an exercise and nutrition program just for you. Trainer Mike Klaus said that these days too many people are doing workouts that get them injured, so “Screening is a crucial part of what we do.”

Here’s some basic info on a few places within a mile or so where you can get or stay in shape. Keep in mind that there are also two dance studios we’ve already profiled in The Brentwood Spirit: The Studio Inc. in the Hanley Industrial Park and the Mayer-Torno School of Irish Dance on Hanley Road.

If we’ve left out anybody, let us know in the comments section at the end of this article. To update or correct information, contact bowmansj@sbcglobal.net.

Club Fitness, Brentwood

8536 Musick Memorial Drive
Phone: 932-2800
Established: 2010
Website: http://www.clubfitness.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Club-Fitness-Brentwood/141050699265921
Facility:
Differs from the Rock Hill Club Fitness in that it has 24-hour access but no day care. Cardio area (recumbent bikes, upright bikes) treadmills, adaptive motion trainers, Stairmasters, elliptical machines, circuit weight training, free-weight area.
Amenities:
Lockers and private showers.
Membership costs:
$10 a month, $19.95 a month for access to all 12 Club Fitness locations in St. Louis County.
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday and Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.
24-hour access is available.

Club Fitness, Rock Hill

9550 Manchester Road
Phone: 961-2582
Established: 2010
Website: http://www.clubfitness.us/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/clubfitnessrockhill
Facility:
Cardio area (recumbent bikes, upright bikes) treadmills, adaptive motion trainers, Stairmasters, elliptical machines, circuit weight training, free-weight area.
Amenities:
Daycare, lockers, private showers
Membership costs:
$10 a month, $19.95 a month for access to all 12 Club Fitness locations in St. Louis County.
Hours:
Monday to Thursday, 5 a.m. to midnight
Friday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Saturday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Sunday, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Complete Fitness Results, Brentwood

2200 S. Brentwood Blvd., just south of Mobil
Phone: 402-2238
Established: Sept. 2009
Website: http://completefitnessresults.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/completefitnessresults/info
The program:
Steve Long and his staff will develop a training, nutrition and fat-loss program for you regardless of your fitness level. They do sports performance training, nutrition education from a registered dietician, medical services and rehab, and yoga. Workouts employ free weights, Olympic bars, weight balls, rope training, calisthenics, etc. Use a personal trainer or work out in a small or large group. Trainer Mike Klaus said that these days too many people are doing workouts that get them injured, so “Screening is a crucial part of what we do.”
Costs:
$99 a month for Smart Group training
Hours:
Monday to Friday, 6 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Two morning classes (6 a.m. and 9 a.m.), three evening classes

CrossFit St. Louis, Brentwood

1345 Strassner Drive, in Hanley Industrial Park just west of Twin Oak Wood Fired Fare
Phone: 269-1035
Established: 2006
Website: www.CrossFit.STL.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CrossFitStLouis
Program:
The three tenets of the CrossFit method are metabolic conditioning, gymnastics movements and weightlifting. Take a free intro class, followed by an “on-ramp”, six-session coaching series on the basic movements. Among the many offerings, there’s a class that includes rowing, one for marathon runners and triathletes, one for kids and one for high school athletes. On a recent Thursday there were 13 classes scheduled from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., taught by seven different instructors and each lasting from 60 to 90 minutes.
Costs:
On-ramp, six-session class: $99
Hours:
Open seven days a week, with hours depending on the class schedule. On a recent Thursday, there were 13 classes scheduled from 5:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., taught by seven different instructors and each lasting 60 to 90 minutes.

The Heights Recreation Center, Richmond Heights

8001 Dale Avenue
Phone: 645-1476
Established: 2000
Website: http://www.richmondheights.org/index.aspx?nid=322
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/THE-HEIGHTS-Recreation-Center-and-Memorial-Library/192333540327
Facility:
73,000 square feet, youth fitness facility, double gym, indoor water park, indoor walking track, treadmills, free-weight and cable machine area, cardio area with elliptical machines, bikes, adaptive motion trainers, etc.
Amenities:
Locker rooms, family locker room, childcare, hot tub, steam room, sauna, massage therapists, personal trainers.
Costs:
Nonresident daily: $4 youth, $8 adult 16-59, $5 senior.
Annual nonresident member: $214 youth, $390 adult, $222 senior, $600 family up to four.
Monthly debit rates and 20-visit cards are also available.
Hours:
Monday to Thursday, 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.
Friday, 5:30 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 8:30 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Mid-County Family YMCA, Brentwood

1900 Urban Drive
Phone: 962-9450
Established: 57 years in Brentwood
Website: http://www.ymcastlouis.org/mid-county-family-ymca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Mid-County-Ymca/149808968374871
Facility:
25-meter indoor pool and diving well, gymnastics facility, gym, indoor track (one mile is 18 laps), fitness center (strength and cardio equipment), free-weight center.
Amenities:
Steam room, sauna, whirlpool, child watch, locker rooms.
Membership costs:
Costs: were unavailable. Membership types include:
Adult − access to the branch where you signed up
Household − access, for you and your family, to the branch where you signed up
Metro adult − access to 18 branches in the YMCA of Greater St. Louis
Senior (62-plus) and senior household
Single parent
Student (ages 13-23).
Branch hours:
Monday to Thursday, 5 a.m. to 10 p.m.
Friday, 5 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Saturday, 6 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Steel Plate CrossFit, Rock Hill

9228 Manchester Road, just east of Schiller’s Camera & Print Center
Phone: 618-727-2279
Established: 2012
Website: www.steelplatecrossfit.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/nic.hays.5?fref=ts
Program:
CrossFit is metabolic conditioning, gymnastics movements and weightlifting. Owner Nic Hays, a former college football player, started out offering only personal training but now has classes.

St. Louis’ Original Spinning, Brentwood

524 Hanley Industrial Court
Phone: 645-7746
Established: 1995
Website: http://stlouisspinning.com/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Louis-Original-Spinning/296586857124
The program:
A variety of workouts include spinning on their nearly 50 Star Trac spinning bikes, stability ball for core strengthening, weights, bands, medicine ball and yoga. On a recent lunch hour, manager Sue Smith was leading a spinning class of 25.
Costs:
First class, $10; pay as you go, $15; five-class series card, $50 (but $19 through Groupon); 10-class card, $90; 20-class card, $170; monthly unlimited, $79 to $89; lunch box special, $5 per noon class when 10 are purchased for $50.

St. Louis Strength Academy, Brentwood

8617 Manchester Road, next door to American Locksmiths
Phone: 619-1156
Established: Dec. 28, 2013
Website: www.stlstrengthacademy.com
Email: stlstrengthacademy@gmail.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/St-Louis-Strength-Academy/206759249506594
The program:
Owner, founder and head strength coach Nathan Williams offers workouts using free weights, Olympic lifting equipment and platforms, medicine balls, sledgehammer/tractor tire and other techniques. He consults in sports performance, physique building, weight loss and orthopedic strength training for the elderly. The athletes he sees most commonly are football, baseball and soccer players.
Costs:
Costs vary widely based on service, from $15 for a class to $65 for one-on-one.
Hours:
5 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Title Boxing Club, Rock Hill

9494 Manchester Road
Phone: 717-1171
Established: May 2012
Website: http://rockhill.titleboxingclub.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TBCRockHill
The program:
An exercise gym that offers one-hour fitness classes, or one-on-one personal training, centered around boxing and kickboxing. All fitness levels are welcome. Website: “You will never get hit in a fitness class.”
Costs:
Pay month-to-month: $99 enrollment, $79 a month
12-month agreement: $39 enrollment, $69 a month
Hours:
Monday to Thursday, 6 a.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Friday, 6 a.m. to 6:15 p.m.
Saturday, 8 a.m. to noon
Sunday, 10 a.m. to noon

Wise Warriors Mixed Martial Arts and Fitness, Brentwood

8514 Manchester Road, next door to Sideline Bar & Grill and Meals to Go
Phone: 630-7280
Email: wisewarriormma@gmail.com
Website: www.wisewarriormma.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Wise-Warriors-MMA-and-Fitness/144409132243670
Program:
Fitness classes using kickboxing and boxing. The customized “warrior training program” is offered. Classes have names like “kickboxing, butts and guts,” “boxing and bodybuilding,” “rehab and rebuild” for those with injuries, “kids MMA” and “yoga for everybody.” Owner and head trainer Ray Norris has a background in karate, MMA, personal training, bodybuilding, kickboxing and massage therapy. The yoga instructor is Lindsey Swift.