News flash: Moving your body doesn’t have to be high maintenance.
It’s no secret that hitting the gym can be a real drag. After a long day in the office or wrangling the kids, sometimes the last thing you want to do is voluntarily opt for a laborious sweat sesh on the treadmill or the strain of lifting heavy weights. Enter the low-impact workout craze.
With oodles of boutique sweat studios popping up around the city, there’s no question supply is rising to meet demand for a different fitness regimen—from Pilates to hot yoga to rowing to Barre classes. Case in point: Raleigh Iron Works’ newly debuted duo of yoga- and Barre-, and reformer-based outposts, YoBa Studio and [solidcore] (respectively), and the ever-thriving and expanding Dose Yoga (hey, new North Hills Innovation District location!)—never mind the bevy of other buzzy outposts leaning into low impact with killer results to boot.
“Pilates is a buzzword right now because a lot of high-profile people do it,” notes Allison Bowers of DTR’s Heights Pilates. “But the reason it’s still around and there are so many ‘spinoff’ versions is because it works.”
Beyond results, with gym membership comes accountability and community. Which also begs the Q: Are gymgoers also paying for camaraderie as they condition? Either way, whether you’ve been on the low-impact train from the jump or are just now burning out on HIITs, here’s what your slimnastics pref says about you.
HOT TAKE: 9/10 chance you’ve got a six-pack and a slew of side hustles
CELEB DOPPELGANGER: Cameron Diaz
Glen Powell, Simone Biles and Cameron Diaz DFree/shutterstock.com; Julianne Hough Kathy Hutchins/shutterstock.com; Kristen Bell Tinseltown/shutterstock.com; Matthew McConaughey Denis Makarenko/shutterstock.com; Jennifer Aniston Featureflash Photo Agency/shutterstock.com
Lights down, music up. Sign up for a [solidcore] workout at RIW this summer for high-intensity and low-impact training that’ll leave ya beat. After all, only hotties do Pilates. @solidcore
Calling all coastal grandmas and cowboys! Make your way to Madewell’s andJ. Crew’s upcoming North Hills outposts for all your preppy-meets-cool selects. Shopping mode: activated. @madewell; @jcrew
Fit check! Channel your best self via Life Time Fitness’ upcoming Alston Town Center outpost in Northwest Cary feat. luxe pools, pickleball courts, a lineup of workout classes and an array of elevated amenities. … Massage, anyone?@lifetime.life
Glow up your space with a small-batch soy candle from September Candle Studio, another recently bowed RIW retailer (yup, RIW is clearly lit!). Find your fragrance fix in a smattering of shapes and hues—because boring candles are so out—or channel your inner Jan (iykyk) and book a DIY class. @septcandlestudio
Welcome to the jungle! Urban Pothos’ second storefront is taking root at Raleigh Iron Works with all the more mean green plant decor of your dreams. And be sure to pop into a propagation class to multiply your ~buds~ and save some moola. @urbanpothos
DTR’s about to get a whole lot greener! Copperline Plant Co.is cropping up in a new locale this year to host more plants, pots, people and workshops. Two green thumbs up! @copperlineplants
Vibes stay high at The Hightide Salon + Suite’s new DTR suites now flourishing above Flourish Market, where the self-care ops abound. From Russian manicures and new updos to massage therapy and permanent lip blush—it’s giving big slay energy.@thehightidesalon
With gorgeous historic homes, long-standing sup spots, spirited bars and breweries, and more, the historic Five Points district just outside DTR boasts hip old-school Raleigh vibes.
