Keep cozy and get physical: Indoor workouts for Evanston winter

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Illustration by Gemma DeCetra

TITLE Boxing Club, Pure Barre and F45 Training are among Evanston’s many locations for indoor fitness during the winter season.

Nixie Strazza, Senior Staffer

Frequent snowfall and frigid climate may have put an end to outdoor exercises like running along the Lakefill and doing HIIT cardio in the park. But inclement weather doesn’t mean exercise should grind to a halt.

From rock climbing to wellness workshops, the city is full of indoor options to work up a sweat.

TITLE Boxing Club Evanston
1029 Davis St. 

Even beginners can step into the ring and improve their jab cross with TITLE Boxing Club’s dynamic boxing, kickboxing and Mixed Martial Arts classes. Part training and part stress relief, boxing workouts teach students proper punching technique through warm-up drills, shadowboxing, HIIT exercises and three-minute heavy bag rounds. 

Instructors incorporate a Combo of the Day into their lesson plan. The combo is a movement pattern designed to improve performance based on a Weekly Boxing Focus. Kickboxing classes build upon foundational techniques, with the addition of elbows, knees and all types of high-energy kicks. 

TITLE provides a free trial class for new boxers, student discounts and frequent events like monthly technique weeks, member giveaways and first responder classes highlighted on their social media pages.

Evanston Athletic Club
1723 Benson Ave. 

With swimming, rock climbing, group classes and basketball, Evanston Athletic Club has it all. One of seven Chicago Athletic Clubs located across the greater city area, EAC’s all-access membership is geared toward flexibility. 

Sports facilities and swim classes are catered for younger athletes, with dance, studio pilates, cycling, yoga, strength and LES MILLS classes — a preset strength, cardio and full body program set to specific songs — open to the 18+ crowd. Join the Triathlon Club for an extra challenge or improve your form with a personal training session. Memberships are available on both an annual and monthly basis.

TruFit Personal Training & Wellness Studios
TruFit Wellness Studios at 604 Davis St. ​TruFit Personal Training Studios at 610 Davis St.

Trained professionals at TruFit Personal Training & Wellness Studios help members craft a personalized fitness plan. Members select a trainer based on their area of expertise — be it muscle building or mobility — and participate in virtual or in-person sessions with one-on-one support. 

MVMT Evanston Physical Therapy also operates within the TruFit Wellness Studio and specializes in rehabilitation, joint mobilization and manipulations, and soft tissue work to keep clients in shape and ready to work.  

F45 Training East Evanston
1723 Benson Ave. 

P90X fans, meet F45: a fitness revolution the company describes as “sweat-dripping, heart-pumping fun.” The “F” in F45 stands for functional training, a combination of intense HIIT and circuit training workouts packed into 45 minutes of all-out effort. 

Resistance training takes place on Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, with a cardio focus on Wednesday and a hybrid session Monday, Friday and Saturday. The specific schedule gives each part of the body a chance to work and recover, according to F45 trainers, while building strength for everyday life. 

Pure Barre Evanston
910 Church St. 

Pure Barre offers ballet-inspired total body workouts that target muscles through precise movements and toning exercises. The music-driven classes aim to improve flexibility, agility and confidence through a mix of high and low-intensity strength training and specific technique. 

Beginners are introduced to the Pure Barre method through a free Foundations session before advancing on to Classic, Pure Reform and Pure Empower classes. Throughout the 45 to 50 minutes, students use various weights, sliders and resistance bands in a routine of low-impact moves. The result is a full-body burn that is sure to challenge principal dancers and amateurs alike. 

Email: [email protected] 

Twitter: @NixieStrazza

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