After years of being ahead of the trends in food, nightlife and (more recently) arts and culture, South Florida has quietly infiltrated another arena over the past decade: fitness. Call it a beach-body by-product. Inspired by the sights and sounds of our diverse scene, local exercise innovators have developed—and continue to evolve—some of the nation’s most popular workouts right under our noses. Here are five butt-kicking classes tailor-made for and inspired by the Miami lifestyle, and the stories behind them.
The Attitude: Vixen Workout
Sex appeal and confidence are hallmarks of the Magic City, so it was only a matter of time before someone channeled that energy into a fitness routine. Today, former Miami Heat dancer Janet Jones and her ever-growing #vixenarmy are inspiring women across the country to tap into their inner superstar via stageworthy (and super sexy) choreography that not only helps them de-stress but also incorporates full-body workouts and toning into each of its 150 proprietary routines. “I was born and raised in Miami, and my teenage years were spent in the nightclub scene in South Beach,” says Jones. “Add to that my professional experience in the world of entertainment and you have Vixen. Like Miami nightlife, it’s hard to explain—you just need to experience it.” And lucky for Miamians, that’s easier than ever: Vixen, which started in 2012 at Street Jamz Dance Studios, opened its very first stand-alone studio in Wynwood this winter (547 NW 28 St).
The Vibe: Animal Flow
Life can get wild in Miami—blame our hedonistic tendencies. In 2011, Animal Flow founder Mike Fitch tapped into the city’s energy and his own background—in yoga and parkour and beyond—to evolve the bodyweight-based program (think moves like the Crab Reach and Side-Traveling Ape) that strings together a “flow” of movements to build flexibility, strength and endurance. It’s also designed to be taught at every level, making it a popular choice not only for fitness classes but physical-therapy programs as well.
The Music: Zumba
The OG of South Florida–based workout programs, Zumba Fitness has come a long way from its infomercial beginnings in 2001. Now a fitness behemoth, the class-based program (whose global corporate offices call Hallandale Beach, Florida, home) channels the sounds and moves of Miami’s melting pot of cultures, bringing Bollywood routines, Cuban salsa and West Coast hip-hop (among other dance genres) to suburban gyms around the world. This past year, the company launched STRONG by Zumba®: a combination of high-intensity interval training, bodyweight exercises and strength training that’s entirely synched to music. “Music plays a fundamental role in any workout, and we are creating infectious beats that will help fuel that concept and push participants to work harder and feel the afterburn,” says Zumba CEO Alberto Perlman. Add to that the newly launched Zumbini programs on BabyFirst TV and a full collection of activewear and it’s clear Zumba is here to stay.
The Pace: Orangetheory
It’s hard to remember a time when an Orangetheory franchise wasn’t popping up on every corner; in just seven years, the Fort Lauderdale–based company, founded by physiologist Ellen Latham, has grown to more than 400 franchise locations in 40 states and six countries. The workout—designed to allow people the highest metabolic conditioning—is like South Florida: it’s both eclectic and fast-paced. Students in the group fitness class move through treadmill, weights and rowing exercises while keeping track of their heart rate via a monitor as they aim to remain in the “orange zone”: 84 to 91 percent of your max heart rate for 12 to 20 minutes throughout the class. Technical, right!?!
The Technology: Thenx
SoFlo’s ever-evolving tech clique has a new member in Miami-based Thenx, the brainchild of city native Chris Heria. He’s maintained a gym in Allapattah since 2015, but Heria’s program uses streaming content and a newly launched app to teach users around the world the fundamentals of bodyweight training, step-by-step. Viewers—from first-timers to accomplished athletes—tap into daily content and progress through custom workouts to increase strength, burn fat and master a range of skills and movements. And you thought your phone was just for texting.
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