Dance, Bounce and Fly with the Best Alternative Workouts in LA

Whether you’re sick of your same-old running route or you’ve discovered you’re just not a "gym person," Los Angeles has many ways to make you move. If it’s time to shake things up for summer, check out these off the beaten path workouts.

Elevate your yoga practice to three feet off the floor using fabric slings (hammocks) to stretch, strengthen and tone every muscle. Many places throughout the city offer aerial yoga—from Highland Park’s beautifully rustic Kinship to Mid-Wilshire’s D&A Flying Yoga (which also offers Pole Dance classes) to Studio City’s Up Flying studio. Just take your pick and take flight!

Ever dreamed of rolling around in a giant bubble? You and your friends can bounce around a field of green by organizing a game of Bumper Balls soccer. Great for parties and corporate events - bubble suits, soccer ball, goals, cones and referee included.

“Anybody with any body” can hang with the circus by taking classes at Cirque School - where Hollywood actors go to train for stunt and theatrical work. Classes range from Handstands 101 to beginning Trapeze, Aerial Hoop, and Advanced Contortion, while instructors take every precaution in guiding newbies through a safe, fun experience. Kids’ classes and cute ticket-like gift certificates available, as well.

Located inside The Sweat Spot - Grammy-nominated and VMA-winning choreographer Ryan Heffington’s Silver Lake studio - Dance Church® bills itself as an “all-abilities movement class” good for anyone who wants to get down. It’s not religious but bouncing, gyrating and shimmying to a curated 90 minutes of modern pop and classic funk loosely led by a lighthearted guide - the experience will leave you uplifted. It’s like being at a club at 10 am on a Sunday, sans alcohol and with a rubber floor that’s easy on the knees. Drop-ins welcome.

Whether you want to practice with the safety of a mat before trying out real rocks or you need to improve your “Free Solo”-like skills, Hollywood Boulder’s climbing gym has a class for every skill level. The bright, well-kept location is fun for group outings, dates and personal challenges, all booked in 1-hour time slots.

Seniors can drop by the Anita May Rosenstein Campus at the Los Angeles LGBT Center on Wednesdays (10 a.m. in May, 2 p.m. in June) to learn how to not drop the balls while keeping them in the air. Increase dexterity and reduce stress while having a few laughs learning to juggle. As part of their commitment to health, the Center also offers beginning tap lessons, chair yoga, balance & strengthening, and bellydance classes to anyone over 50.