News

The 20th anniversary of the Life Time Miami Marathon and Half Marathon took place Sunday morning and runners were on pace towards the finish line before the sun was even up.

The course started the same for both full and half marathon participants - beginning at FTX Arena in Downtown at 6 am, headed over the MacArthur Causeway and through South Beach, before looping back on the Venetian Causeway. The half marathon finished in Miami while the full marathon runners continued down into Brickell and Coconut Grove before returning to finish near Bayfront Park.

Jackson Limo (Kenya) won the men's marathon with an unofficial time of 2:21:34. Birhanu Dare Kemal (Ethiopia) and Jordan Tropf (USA) finished second (2:24:26) and third (2:26:11) respectively. For the women, Martha Akeno (Kenya) finished first with a time of 2:29:00. Palmenia Raquel Agudelo Berrio (Colombia) finished second in 2:42:30 and Nina Zarina (USA) finished third at 2:51:50.

DJ Diplo was one of the notable participants who ran the half marathon on a bet and tweeted after "I’m sleeping in my medal tonight." Hundreds of firefighters and first responders also walked in full gear to raise awareness for PTSD.

Congrats to all of the participants! Find all of the results by clicking here.

“Don’t cha wanna dance? Say you wanna dance. Don’t cha wanna dance? DANCE!” For dance fitness lovers, DanceBody, a dance-inspired fitness company, is hosting their first ever retreat in Miami Beach February 3-6, 2022 at the Sagamore Hotel.

The four-day retreat kicks off on Thursday, February 3 with a Welcome Workout and Sunset Sips. This will be a 45-minute Sculpt and Stretch with DanceBody Founders Katia Pryce and Courtnay Mariani followed by light hors devours and libations. 

The days that follow (full schedule can be found here) entail lots of movement, connection and fun. We caught up with DanceBody Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer, Katia Pryce about the upcoming retreat and here’s what she shared.‍

What are you most looking forward to about the #DBRetreatMiami? 

The ability to be together! One of the most important aspects of DanceBody is being able to be in the same place, move in the same way, and feed off that addictive good energy. It’s truly uplifting - also doing that under the Miami sun after a very cloudy and cold northeast winter doesn’t hurt either! DanceBody is really meant to be done as a group, and I know some of the amazing clients we have coming will make our first-ever retreat a huge success.‍

What can those attending expect? 

In short: fitness, community, and FUN. We will host our DanceBody workouts outdoors each day, including stretch, dance cardio, and sculpt classes. We have festive evenings planned, wellness activations, lots of surprise goodies, and a pretty awesome swag bag. My co-founder Courtnay and I will be there for the entire 3-day event, leading the charge…and when we are involved, it’s always a good time. Also, our good friend Maddie Gentile, founder of Manual Movement, will be joining us on site to do bodywork for all our retreat attendees by appointment only. It’s the perfect time to take a wellness weekend during the doldrums of winter. We are even going to Kiki on The River one night.‍

This the first ever retreat, how did Miami get so lucky? 

DanceBody classes have been a huge hit in Miami since 2016, and last winter especially we did a 3-month long pop-up. This year, we knew we needed to up the ante, so a retreat was certainly in order. All our clients (especially the ones coming from NYC) are thrilled to get some sun! But this retreat isn’t just for those flying in - many of our local Miami DanceBody Babes will be joining us too. Courtnay and I are so excited to be back on the beach, it’s like our home away from home!

For us locals looking to get in on the fun, you can purchase Solo Retreat tickets without having to book a hotel, which includes:

• Six classes with DanceBody co-founders
• Two dinners with open bar
• Welcome reception with hors d'oeuvres and open bar
• Intimate talkback with DanceBody co-founders
• Wellness event with freebies and giveaways
• DanceBody beach SWAG, and healthy juices and snacks

Most events will take place at the Sagamore South Beach Hotel. For all the DanceBody Retreat details click here. And if you can’t make it but want to check out a DanceBody class, shimmy your way into a pop up at Dance House in Coral Gables or Green Monkey in Sunset Harbor. If it’s your first time booking a DanceBody Miami class use code STAYFIT305 and the class will be $20.

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BE21 Fitness is holding a grand-opening celebration for their new gym this Saturday, January 29th from 9:30 am - 1 pm.

Founded on its two pillars, 'build habits, shape your future,' BE21 Fitness is a 4,000-square-foot multi-purpose gym whose mission is to help guide individuals to achieve healthier lifestyle behaviors, improve their fitness, and fight and prevent chronic diseases through exercise, nutrition, and mindset. The facility is equipped with a team of qualified professionals.

The event will kick off with a partner workout of the day (WOD) at 10 am, followed by a cool-down stretch. Afterwards, guests will have the opportunity to relax, network, and connect with local Brickell businesses and other South Florida vendors. BE21 Fitness believes in the importance of building habits to help shape your future, creating an immersive space to achieve an individual's goals, and supporting local businesses within the community.

Local Brickell businesses in attendance include Licensed Massage Therapist Steven Menard from Menard Therapy, Stretch Zone Brickell, and Sproutz, who will be providing complimentary açaí cup certificates. Additional vendors include Gett activewear, Vive by design meals, Bang Energy, and MUSH.

RSVP for the grand opening event and workout through Eventbrite by clicking here.

BE21 Fitness is located at 53 SW 11th Street in Miami and offers memberships for all fitness levels. For more information, visit www.be21fitness.com or call 305-904-4557. You can also find BE21 Fitness on Instagram @be21fitness.

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VirtuRide in North Miami will once again be hosting the indoor cycling event Parkinson's Revolution on Saturday June 11, 2022. The national event is organized by the Parkinson’s Foundation with the goal to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s Disease.

Parkinson’s is the second most common neurodegenerative disease in the US, affecting over 1 million people. In support of the cause, similar Revolution events take place across the country on the same day for inspiring, high-energy rides that bring awareness and advance the mission toward a cure.

Riders of all abilities are welcome to gear up and join the fundraising event. VirtuRide combines exercise and a great theater experience into one, featuring moving bikes in front of a mega screen. The event includes pre-class activation with a Parkinson’s disease education table and an interactive photo booth, in-studio mission moments and an opening ceremony, and a post-class closing ceremony with a toast and fundraising celebration.

Parkinson's Revolution Miami is hoping to raise $25,000 through the event. For more information or to register click here.

Mercedes Benz Corporate Run announced 2022 dates today for their three annual 5K races in South Florida. This will be the 37th anniversary of the downtown Miami race.

Fort Lauderdale - April 7, 2022

West Palm Beach - April 13, 2022

Miami - April 28, 2022

The Mercedes-Benz Corporate Run presented by Turkish Airlines and hosted by Team Footworks is an institution in South Florida and is one of the largest 5K races in the nation. Though the first Miami Corporate Challenge had just 1,315 participants, local runners now had a fun event that they could share with their co-workers and participation grew exponentially over time. In 2018, Miami alone drew 28,265 participants and over 850 companies.

The purpose of the Mercedes-Benz Corporate Run is to promote running and walking as a means to a fit, healthy lifestyle for people from all walks of corporate life. The runs are held in the evening during the work week and all levels of fitness are welcomed. Beginners and walkers participate in the event, taking as much time as needed to complete the 3.1 mile course while competitive runners have the opportunity to shine amongst their co-workers.

While registration deadlines are not until March, these races sell out quickly and often weeks before the deadline date.

You can sign your company up by going to mercedesbenzcorporaterun.com.

For the third year in a row, Miami was ranked the healthiest city in America as part of the annual Mindbody Wellness Index. This means that we ranked higher than Los Angeles, San Diego, and 47 other most populous US cities.

Being the healthiest city involves a holistic look at wellness, not just exercise rates, including factors like levels of stress, amounts of rest, and connection within the community, among others. Here are some of the reasons that Miami ranked #1, according to Mindbody:

"The Magic City is the least stressed and the most well rested. They eat their fruits and vegetables, stay hydrated, engage in mentally stimulating activities, and feel connected to their community. This city is one of the fittest, it has the highest number of residents who engage in exercise at least once a week (over 80%) and do so for at least 90 minutes a week (over 56%). Residents are willing to stay up late to fit in movement, earning the title of most likely to book an evening workout. They’re also spending more than any other city at salons and spas, wellness businesses, and fitness studios and gyms."

To see the entire list and read more about the top 10 cities, click here.

Vitruvia is taking wellness and recovery to the next level in Miami Beach with their science-backed and physician-approved methods. Their goal? Transform lives by restoring your quality of life.

Vitruvia has helped hundreds of the world’s top performers, athletes, musicians, CEOs and leading medical experts take back control of their bodies and live life to the fullest through its natural approach to restore and repair tissue. High profile clients include home-run king Miguel Cabrera and Boston Red Sox legend David Ortiz, among others, as you’ll learn below!

We got a chance to speak with Julia Sutton, Chief Growth Officer at Vitruvia. Prior to Vitruvia, Sutton established herself as a powerhouse in the industry as the co-founder of Exhale Spa. Now she is telling us all about Vitruvia, her experiences there, and more!

Do you have a personal background in sports or fitness? If so, how did that impact your work and choice to be with Vitruvia?

"Growing up with four older brothers, sports and fitness was the very foundation of my life.  From high school basketball to college softball, I learned discipline and competitiveness at a young age. Playing sports really helped shape my career.  I began my career in the space as a certified personal trainer and witnessed the effects of training without proper instruction or recovery.  

When I got the opportunity to join the Vitruvia team, I took on the role because I appreciated Vitruvia’s holistic approach that combines cutting edge medicine with state-of-the-art recovery methods to restore the body and dramatically improve an individual’s active lifestyle."

Does the name Vitruvia have a meaning?

"The Vitruvian Man is a drawing by Leonardo da Vinci made around 1490.  The drawing is based on the ideal proportions of a human body, and how it relates to geometry.  We settled on this name because we found that it perfectly encapsulates what we are doing at Vitruvia, helping people get back into their optimal selves. With tension, pain, and lack of mobility a part of everyday life, we at Vitruvia strive to bring the human body back into perfect alignment to relieve these common burdens."

Who is a candidate for Vitruvia? What are some of the wellness and recovery offerings?

"An ideal candidate for Vitruvia is anyone suffering from an injury, recovering from surgery, having issues related to poor posture, or simply experiencing aging and struggling physically.  

The Vitruvia offering is a three-step process:  Evaluate, Renew, and Restore! Our expert clinicians perform a comprehensive assessment of your movement patterns and ask you to perform the motions that cause you the most discomfort while we observe with our ultrasound to evaluate the health and pliability of your tissue.  We utilize proprietary imaging software ScarMap® and treatment RELIEF® when restoring your damaged and scarred tissues to their normal (pre-injury) state.

We work with high-performance athletes, but that doesn't mean that the average person should feel discouraged. We are all owners of a fine-tuned machine, and we are there for when your machine needs a bit of maintenance to function optimally."

Can you explain more about the RELIEF procedure?

"RELIEF begins with ScarMap. ScarMap is our proprietary imaging software that our physicians use to see a patient’s tissue in real time. This is really unique in that it guides our physician’s evaluation when creating a treatment plan for a specific patient’s injury. This changes the playing field because the physician will know exactly what is going with the tissue and can then perform RELIEF. This treatment rehydrates, repairs and rehydrates damaged or scarred tissue with natural proteins. Making long term tissue regeneration and future scar prevention a reality for our patients, they can now go back to living their best pre-injury lives."

Are you able to share the specific success stories of some of your high-profile clients?

"We feel really blessed to have a variety of success stories at Vitruvia. We were lucky enough to treat the home run king, David Ortiz. We treated him after he retired from professional baseball. Due to severe scar tissue buildup in his ankles, he was experiencing an immense amount of inflammation and pain. He felt immense frustration after meeting with several doctors and finding that the answer to this pain always seemed to be medication. David after trying the different options available, nothing gave him long lasting results.

After he met our team, who he affectionately calls, “his boys” and received his first session of RELIEF, he felt the degree of pain subside and couldn’t believe it. He was also incredibly surprised by how quickly he was able to get back to his normal life. David is now back to his normal life working out, walking and proudly salsa dancing."

What are your tips for things that people can do to improve their mobility and performance as a preventative measure before needing to go to a place like Vitruvia?

"Tune in everyday and truly listen to your body and make educated decisions on how you will move every day. Meditation, stretching and yoga can be extremely beneficial in helping improve your self-awareness and your mobility and performance. Beyond moving your body in a way that works best for you, we tell all of our clients to make taking care of themselves (mentally, spiritually and sexually) their first priority. If individuals can operate from a place of fullness, everything else in life will fall into place and our bodies will thank us for it."

Anything else you want our readers to know?

"It’s an exciting time to be living in the world today. We have so many options to keep our body and minds healthy. Vitruvia is a fantastic example of how medicine is evolving and changing for the better. Don’t be a spectator in your life. Participate in your wellbeing and when possible, assist others on their journey."

For more information or to book a consultation, visit vitruvia.co or call (305) 414-0610. Vitruvia is located at 1900 Purdy Ave, Suite #1A, Miami Beach.

ClassPass releases an annual report on the fitness trends that they observed throughout the year. Here are some of the highlights from the latest report!

How We Worked Out in 2021

This is the first time that dance made it into the top 10!

When We Are Working Out

Most popular day of the week: Tuesday

‍Most popular rest day: Sunday

• With Sunday coming in as the most popular rest day, we are getting back to our pre-pandemic routines of slightly more social weekends and setting fitness intentions earlier in the week.

Most popular workout duration: 60 minutes

• If we are stopping by fitness studios, we are going to make it count with a one-hour workout!

Working From Home and Working Out

People are twice as likely to discover and sample a new fitness class or studio they have never visited on the days they work from home. After all, testing a new class is the perfect change of scenery after working in a home office all day.

To read more about the 2021 trends, click here for the full report!

While our late-night scene is unrivaled, Miami got an award for being the city most likely to book a workout class in the evening. ClassPass released their annual fitness trends report today and our nightlife-loving city earned itself the Night Owl award.

Using their robust database of fitness and wellness search behavior, ClassPass compiled insights over the past year to determine trends in 2021 as businesses reopened and people returned to IRL experiences.

Last year Miami was awarded the "Wildcard" title for being most likely to book a class minutes before it starts. While we're sure this is still true, late night workouts reigned supreme. The biggest Night Owl in Miami attended 187 classes after 6 pm!

One thing we should be proud of? Not winning "most likely to cancel a workout at the last minute," which went to New York City this year. New Yorkers cancel 1 in 10 classes at the last minute and are the only city to cancel classes at such a high frequency.

Wondering how some other cities ranked? Here is the full list of awards.

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To read more of the survey results, click here.

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Anatomy Fitness is holding their 5th Annual Push Up Challenge this Sunday, December 12, at Anatomy Coconut Grove. Starting at 9 am, members and guests are challenged to complete as many pushups as they physically can in a one-hour timeframe to raise money for both the Udonis Haslem Children’s Foundation and Make-A-Wish Southern Florida.

Prior to the challenge, each of the participants are collecting monetary pledges, donated on a per-pushup basis. Supporters of the event also have the opportunity to offer a flat fee donation. 100% of the funds raised will be donated to the Udonis Haslem Children’s foundation and Make-A-Wish Southern Florida to help enrich the children's lives from underserved communities and grant wishes to local wish kids.

To date, the push up challenge has raised more than $353,000 and granted over 70 wishes for kids. This year the minimum goal is $250,000.

Udonis Haslem, 3x NBA Champion and Miami HEAT Captain, has created TEAM UD, which will be led by 5 people in hopes of completing 2,000 push-ups in an hour with the goal of each push up being worth a minimum of $30. Members of TEAM UD Include:

• Erik Spoelstra, Head Coach of the Miami HEAT
• Caron Butler, Assistant Coach of the Miami HEAT, 14 year NBA Veteran
• Eric Foran,  Head Strength & Conditioning Coach for the Miami HEAT
• Michael McCullough, Executive Vice President & Chief Marketing Officer of the Miami HEAT

"I couldn’t be more excited to be partnering with #HourPushUpChallenge. I am a believer of pushing your limits, hard work, living a healthy lifestyle and helping give back to the community that I grew up in," said Haslem. "This event encompasses all those things while showing that if everyone contributes in one way shape or form, great things can happen. We hope that this year’s event raises well over our goal of $250,000.00 and sets the stage for years to come.”

To donate and or participate in the event, click here.

Elev8tion Fitness, with three locations in Miami and Miami Beach, has announced a partnership with the Politis Group. This partnership will allow Elev8tion to continue to expand both locally and nationally.

Founded in 2017 by Angel Bajaña, Elev8tion has established a respected brand and reputation building a community of results-driven individuals who are passionate about health and wellness. Under Bajaña’s leadership, Elev8tion has 3 state-of-the-art gyms with over 3,200 members with an array of weight training and powerlifting equipment. Elev8tion also offers HIIT classes, boxing, cycling and personal training.

“We are excited to partner with Politis Group as they share our vision for the future of Elev8tion,” said Bajaña. “As we grow, we will continue to remain committed to holding ourselves to the highest standard on gym quality, service, and member experience.”

Peter Politis, Chief Executive Officer of Politis Group said, “Angel and his team have built an incredible business and established the Company as a clear leader in the fitness space in Miami. They have created a strong culture and brand that we look forward to maintaining as we expand into new markets. We are excited to partner with Angel and his team to help accelerate continued growth and expand the business model to other verticals.”

Today Peloton announced a new connected strength product called the Peloton Guide. Arriving in early 2022, the AI-enabled device easily connects to televisions, providing Members instant access to the content library. The Peloton Guide will be available with the new Peloton Heart Rate Band for $495.

“Over the last couple of years, we’ve seen the interest in our strength content explode,” said Tom Cortese, Peloton’s co-founder and chief product officer, in an email to members. “Peloton Guide demystifies strength training to create a more engaging experience that will help Members stay motivated. We combined our world-class Instructors and class content with the best machine learning technology to create a whole new way to train. This is just the beginning for Peloton strength. Guide will keep getting smarter so it can grow stronger alongside our Members.”

‌‌Features of the Peloton Guide include:

• Movement Tracker: Powered by machine learning, Movement Tracker is exclusive to Peloton Guide and available on hundreds of strength classes. The feature encourages Members to complete the demonstrated exercises and follow the Instructors for the entire class. New movements and class types will be regularly added.
• Self Mode: The smart camera technology on Peloton Guide helps Members compare their form to the Instructor’s in real-time. Members can choose how to view themselves to easily make corrections and adjustments during class.
• Body Activity: No more skipping leg day. Body activity will show Members which muscle groups they recently worked. Based on your Body Activity, Peloton will recommend classes focused on the muscle groups that need training to help Members have a more well-rounded training experience.
• Voice activated: Members can stay focused on their workouts and control Peloton Guide hands-free. Members can wake up Peloton Guide, then start, stop, rewind, or fast forward through a class. Voice activation will initially be available in the US, Canada and UK, with other markets to come.
• Member controlled privacy: Peloton Members will always have control over the camera and microphone. Members can put Peloton Guide to sleep, slide the cover over the camera, and even turn off the mic via a physical switch to ensure Members only share what they want to share.

‌The Peloton Heart Rate Band that will come with the Peloton Guide is also compatible with the Peloton Bike, Peloton Tread, and the Peloton App, making it easy to track Strive Score and Heart Rate zones across any Peloton product.

‌For more information and updates on Peloton Guide, click here.

MIRROR, the high-tech home gym that is also literally a mirror, can now be found at even more lululemon locations across South Florida.

Last year, we got to demo the fitness technology and experience the boutique class offerings ourselves. With over 50 different types of workouts and thousands of classes to choose from, MIRROR gives a new meaning to virtual workouts. MIRROR also hosts live classes and with the built in camera, your video stream can actually display to the trainer for extra help and motivation during class.

MIRROR expanded into lululemon stores across South Florida, including:

• Aventura
• Boca Raton
• International Plaza
• Shops at Merrick Park
• Mall at Millennia
• The Gardens
• Hyde Park
• Waterside Shops
• UTC Sarasota

Visit the MIRROR in-store to find out more about the current holiday promotion as well.

For the most up-to-date list of locations where you can try the MIRROR for yourself, check out lululemon.com. To make an appointment and book your demo, click here.

Are you happy? What does it truly mean to be happy? Well according to the 2021 Mindbody Wellness Index, Miami is the “Happiest City in America.”

Now some of you may be scratching your head for good reason. The same survey ranked Miami as the #8 most stressed city in America.

But whether you’re a glass half empty or half full kind of person, let’s see what Mindbody had to say about the Magic City. After reading, head over to our Instagram and let us know what you think.

#1. Miami, FL 

The happiest city in America is Miami, with 70% of residents saying they feel happy most of the time. This is the second year in a row Miami has ranked first on the list (supporting happiness pre- and post-pandemic). Miami is not only the happiest city but the healthiest and most active city as well. With more than 87% of people who live there working out once a week or more, they are moving their bodies as much as our world is moving us. Miami is making it a priority to look and feel good; residents invest an average of $74 a month on beauty and grooming services—more than any other US city. It’s also the second-most spiritually fulfilled city, with 70% of residents claiming they feel spiritually fulfilled. It seems that no matter how hard outside circumstances may get, Miami residents know a few tricks for finding and attaining happiness.

The 20th edition of the Life Time Miami Marathon & Half Marathon is officially sold out. As first reported by Miami Marathon co-founder Frankie Ruiz, the race has received a total of 15,000 entries - the capacity limit for this year’s race. Runners who are still interested in running can join a growing waitlist for the anniversary edition of the Life Time Miami Marathon & Half Marathon.

Get ready to bring your A-game: 54D is making its way to the heart of Miami Design District! For the first time ever, train side-by-side with celebrity trainers Rodrigo Garduño and Rodrigo de Ovando. Join this one-time-only in-person, live workout class on Saturday, October 2 at the Miami Design District Jungle Plaza.

The workout session is free and open to the public. Doors open at 7:30 am with limited spots available on a first come first serve basis.

This is a chance to try the workout program that is followed by the likes of AROD, Adriana Lima, and Jorge Posada, among many other professional athletes and celebrities.

54D is a results-based, nine-week training program that combines high-intensity group training, custom nutrition and recovery therapy. Founded by former professional athlete Rodrigo Garduño, the system guarantees results to anyone who is willing to fully commit for the duration of the program.

In South Florida, 54D currently has a studio in Coral Gables and is gearing up to open a Miami Design District location this October.

For more details on the workout, click here.

The Underline announced via their Instagram that construction of Phase 2 has begun and is expected to be completed in mid-2023. This phase includes approximately 2.14 miles of improvements running parallel or below the Metrorail extending from SW 19th Avenue to SW 13th Street (Coral Way). ⁠⁠

Per The Underline's FAQ, the project will enhance communities and improve pedestrian and bicyclist safety. It will include new dedicated pedestrian and bicycle trails, landscape, and lighting. The amenities will include native vegetation landscaping; wayfinding signage; lighting; and plaza & recreational areas located adjacent to Simpson Park, Vizcaya Metrorail Station and between SW 17th and SW 16th Avenue. ⁠⁠⁠⁠

To do this work safely, the M-Path will be closed during the construction of each segment. The first closure will be between SW 22nd Avenue and SW 17th Avenue. Efforts are also being made to minimize the impact of the construction activities on area residents, pedestrians, bicyclists, Metrorail and Metrobus patrons, businesses, and motorists.

To learn more about The Underline project, you can head to theunderline.org/phases.

The City of Fort Lauderdale is now accepting applications for a FIT Permit. Offered through the Fort Lauderdale Parks and Recreation, this permit allows certified, approved instructors the opportunity to teach outdoor fitness and exercise classes at select parks in the city.

The application fee for the permit is $5 and there is an annual fee of $15.

While every city has different rules around obtaining permits for outdoor fitness, some general rules include leaving the park as you found it - no litter! - and avoiding areas specifically dedicated for another use, like playgrounds and dog parks.

If you are interested in leading fitness classes or training others in Fort Lauderdale park, call (954) 828-6250 for more information!