28 Women-Owned Fitness Studios Around Boston
Happy International Women's Day!
A workshop at Asana/Photo provided
Looking for a place to celebrate International Women’s Day, without interrupting your daily sweat? Look no further than these 28 women-owned fitness studios around Boston.
1. Asana Charlestown: Co-founder Johanna Hynes was also behind the Yoga Room, a studio that opened in Charlestown in 2012. When that closed, Hynes filled the space with Asana, a studio offering a full schedule of yoga, barre, and meditation classes each day.
Asana Charlestown, 20 City Square, Charlestown, asanacharlestown.com.
2. Barre & Soul: Andrea Isabelle Lucas has brought her brand’s barre and yoga classes to franchised locations all over New England, from Downtown Boston to New Hampshire and Rhode Island.
Barre & Soul, multiple locations, barresoul.com.
Btone Fitness/photo provided
3. BTone Fitness: This Pilates-focused studio, run by Jody Merrill, has become a mini-empire, with locations in the Back Bay, the North End, Wellesley, Sudbury, and Lexington, and more.
BTone Fitness, multiple locations, btonefitness.com.
4. Coolidge Corner Yoga: Tatyana Souza owns the two Coolidge Corner Yoga locations (one formerly Sadhana Yoga) with her husband, David. Before moving into fitness full-time, she was a research scientist.
Coolidge Corner Yoga, 1297 Beacon St., Brookline; 15 Worcester St., Boston, coolidgeyoga.com.
Down Under School of Yoga/Photo provided
5. Down Under School of Yoga: This popular yoga studio, with locations in Brookline, Newton, and Cambridge, is run by the (you guessed it) Australian-born Justine Wiltshire-Cohen.
Down Under School of Yoga, 1054 Beacon St., Brookline, 306 Walnut St., Newton, and 2000 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, downunderyoga.com.
6. East Side Yoga and Fitness: Owner Andrea Corazzini has a history in fitness. She’s involved with another South Boston mainstay, Regan’s Motivated Fitness.
East Side Yoga and Fitness, 584 East Broadway, South Boston, east-sideyogaandfitness.com.
Jess Fracalossi leads a class at The Handle Bar / Image provided
7. The Handle Bar: Jessica Fracalossi opened the first of the Handle Bar’s indoor cycling studios in 2013, and now runs locations in Fenway, South Boston, Cambridge, and newly North Station. She still hops in the saddle to teach, too.
The Handle Bar, 141 Dorchester Ave. and 1336 Boylston St., Boston, and 1030 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, 101 Canal St., Boston, handlebarcycling.com.
8. Health Yoga Life: This studio, with locations in Beacon Hill and Kendall Square, is owned by not one, but four, women. Sisters Vyda, Aida, Siga, and Zara Bielkus—with help and inspiration from their mother, Ryma—oversee fitness, meditation, and wellness programming.
Health Yoga Life, 12 Temple St., Boston, and 181 Massachusetts Ave., Cambridge, healthyogalife.com.
9. Lyfe Cycle: Erica Soma opened her own cycling studio in Roslindale, offering plenty of choreographed classes that’ll keep you sweating.
Lyfe Cycle, 4155 Washington St., Roslindale, lyfe-cycle.com.
A Kick It class/Photo by Lucie Wicker
10. Kick It By Eliza: Eliza Shirazi has built her signature class, Kick It by Eliza, into a “Fempire.” Take the workout at her pop-up studio at the Via Seaport Residences.
Kick It at Via Seaport Residences, 5 Fan Pier Blvd., Boston, kickitbyeliza.com.
11. Modern Barre: Former Patriots cheerleader Julia Robinson owns this barre studio, with locations in Chestnut Hill and West Acton.
Modern Barre, Chestnut Hill, and 525 Massachusetts Ave., West Acton, modernbarre.com.
12. MyStryde: This North End studio was Boston’s first treadmill-only studio when it opened in 2016. It’s the brainchild of Rebecca Skudder, who still leads plenty of classes each week.
MyStryde, 226 Causeway St., Boston, mystryde.com.
13. North End Yoga: Alicia Orr and Alessandra Miele opened this yoga haven on Hanover Street as penniless twenty-somethings back in 2007. Now, it’s one of the city’s most popular places to practice.
North End Yoga, 256 Hanover St., Boston, northendyoga.com.
14. Vega Vitality: Founders Ashley Hilmes and Stephanie Moore do it all at their new Boylston Street space, from yoga and Pilates classes to Botox and waxing.
Vega Vitality, 551 Boylston St., Boston, vegavitality.com.
15. The Z Spot: Lena Andrade’s Zumba-focused studio now offers classes like Zumba toning and Cardio Hip Hop.
The Z Spot, 181 Massachusetts Ave., Boston, thezspotboston.com.
Trillfit instructor Melisa Valdez leading a class / Photo provided
16. Trillfit: Heather White opened the first black-owned boutique fitness studio in the city, Trillfit, in Mission Hill in October of 2018. She tells other entrepreneurs that resiliency is key and to never lose faith.
Trillfit, 1484 Tremont St., Boston, trill.fit.
17. 305 Fitness: Sadie Kurzban created 305 in college while attending Brown in Providence, drawing on her love of music festivals and a great night out with her friends as inspiration for the dance cardio classes. After popping-up at the old BSC Lab, 305 now has a permanent home in the Fenway.
305 Fitness, 506 Commonwealth Ave., Boston, 305fitness.com.
Elise Caira (back right) and Sweat Fixx team in Amesbury / Photo provided
18. Sweat Fixx: Leaving a corporate 9-5 job to pursue your passion is only a dream to most, but to Elise Caira it quickly became her reality back in 2017. The gym, which offers sessions combining rowing with full-body strength training, now spans across five Boston-area locations.
Sweat Fixx, multiple locations, sweatfixx.com.
A pom groove workout with Alanna Perry / Photo courtesy of Barre Groove
19. Barre Groove: Former New England Patriots cheerleader Alanna Perry has a unique take on barre. Her classes involve pom poms and trampolines. Really, it’s best to experience the 2018 Best of Boston winner for yourself.
Barre Groove, 52 Providence St., Boston, barregroove.com.
20. Row Republic: Kristina Tagliente founded the first indoor rowing studio in the North End with her brother Joey. Between the two, a prior coxswain and football-player-turned-rower, their love for the sport runs deep, and you can see it come alive inside this studio space located right across the street from Ward 8.
Row Republic, 77 North Washington St., Boston, row-republic.com.
21. Ride North End: Entrepreneur Melina DiPaola began her venture into wellness with juice. She brought e.t.c. Juicery to life, as well as indoor cycling, in a brick and mortar space at the end of historic Hanover Street. Since it opened in 2015, the studio has moved over to Salem Street and continues to offer intense rides and fruitful motivation to its riders.
Ride North End, 89 Salem St., Boston, ridenorthend.com.
22. Swet Studio: You know you’re in good hands at Silviya Mihaylova’s South End fitness studio, which houses aerial yoga, rowing, and more. She prides herself on creating a space where participants can simply be themselves.
Swet Studio, 480 Tremont St., Boston, swetstudio.com.
Emily Tevald teaches a class at Boston Yoga Union / Photo credit Alexandra Dusterfeld
23. Boston Yoga Union: You could say yoga got Emily Tevald through a valley in her life. When she began practicing, she found solace in the back of the room. Now she can be found leading students at the front of the room and is co-founder of one of the prettiest studios in Boston.
Boston Yoga Union, 1112 Boylston St., bostonyogaunion.com.
24. Savin Hill Fitness Studio: Erin Madore’s dream of turning the vacant building at 110 Savin Hill into a fitness studio became a reality in 2018. A lover of burpees and Teddy peanut butter, she teaches Reiki sessions, yoga, and personal training.
Savin Hill Fitness Studio, 110 Savin Hill Ave., Boston, savinhillfitness.com.
25. Blissful Monkey Yoga Studio: Don’t expect zen at Terri McGrath’s vinyasa flow class at her studio in the heart of Jamaica Plain, but don’t expect seriousness either. A mother to five, she’s used to encouraging people to challenge themselves in difficult poses, while still maintaining a sense of play.
Blissful Monkey Yoga Studio, 663 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, blissfulmonkey.com.
Instructors posing at Fly Together Fitness / Photo provided
26. Fly Together Fitness: The newest pole fitness studio to land in the Boston area isn’t owned by one or two bad ass ladies—instead it’s co-owned by 11. Together, their eclectic backgrounds on fitness and life lend to a well-rounded pole dance experience.
Fly Together Fitness, 31 Woodbine St., Somerville, flytogetherfitness.com.
27. Achieve Fitness: If you’re in need of some #fitspo, look no further than Lauren Pak’s Instagram for handstands, deadlifts, and a ton of smiles. Having worked in the fitness industry for over a decade, she opened Achieve with her husband Jason, where inclusivity and positive vibes are at the forefront.
Achieve Fitness, 42 Merriam St., Somerville, achievefitnessboston.com.
28. AMP Fitness: Empowering women to train and adopt a positive mindset is Lindsay Bergeron’s motto. She and her husband Steve opened AMP Fitness in Downtown Boston in 2014 and have been shaking up what it means to have fun in the gym ever since.
AMP Fitness, 30 Court St., Boston, ampfitnessboston.com.
Did we miss any women-owned studios? Let us know.
