New to Austin: July 2015

1700 S. Lamar Blvd; ilovekickboxing.com

Looking to add a kick to your workout routine? Austin is now home to I Love Kickboxing, an all-levels kickboxing gym. The studio offers hour-long classes incorporating high intensity, high interval cardio training by using bodyweight resistance, stretching, bag rounds, partner drills, and cooperative conditioning. There are currently seven I Love Kickboxing locations in Texas, including one in Georgetown and one in Cedar Park. Austin studio manager Maranda Lampe says I Love Kickboxing is a good fit for the city of Austin because our “amazing, healthy, positive, and active lifestyle meshes well with the I Love Kickboxing way.” The gym’s emphasis is on getting fit and, most importantly, having fun. 

DEFINE body & mind 

1818 W. 35th Street; definebody.com  
DEFINE’s three core class concepts—Body, Mind, and Revolution—have made their way into central Austin. DEFINE Body combines Pilates, yoga, ballet, and core strengthening to target major muscle groups while improving strength and flexibility. Feeling stressed after your workday? DEFINE Mind is a soothing class (set to relaxing music) focused on gaining flexibility, rejuvenating the body, and melting away stress. And if a high-energy class is more your style, DEFINE Revolution features choreographed movements on a stationary bike for a full-body workout and a guaranteed sweat. The new central Austin studio also offers a nutritional advice program, DEFINE foods. With classes held seven days a week, you are sure to define what works best for you.

Hiit Fit Gym 

8204 Brodie Lane, Suite 102; hiitfitgym.com
High-intensity interval training or kickboxing? You don’t have to choose at Hiit Fit Gym. At this new South Austin facility, you’ll find a variety of equipment—from heavy bags and kettle bells to sand bells and Primal 7 suspension bands—suited to provide you with an optimal workout. Their signature 25-minute class incorporates strength, cardio, and kickboxing exercises and is led by expert, martial arts-trained instructors. Tip: Schedule your workout to end with one of the gym’s hatha or vinyasa flow yoga classes.

The Wheel Bar 

1902 East MLK Blvd; thewheelaustin.com  
Picture this: You’re on your bike riding through the eastside of Austin, and you realize your tires could use some air—and heck, while you’re at it, you could use some whiskey! The Wheel is a new Austin bar where you can solve both of those problems with one pit stop. The Wheel offers all the tools and air a cyclist might need. Stop by for happy hour (5–7 p.m., Monday through Friday) or take advantage of their “Whiskey of the Day” specials. The bar likes to keep it local, serving food and snacks from their food-truck neighbor, Austin Daily Press. Although it’s only been a few months since The Wheel opened (in March), it’s already made Zagat’s list of “The 10 Hottest Bars in Austin.”