Who among us hasn’t set a New Year’s resolution to lose some weight or to get in shape at some point in time? Fortunately, Carlsbad has no shortage of fitness offerings, but this wasn’t always the case. In the past several years, gyms have been popping up everywhere sporting all means of athletic pursuit, from boxing to bosu, Pilates to pumping iron. A blossoming of selection in Carlsbad makes it both a little easier and a little harder to find the right gym. There are many criteria to weigh in making the right choice. With that in mind, we took a trip through several local fitness facilities in spandexed disguise hoping for a glimpse into the privileged world of perfect nutrition, dedicated repetition and healthy narcissism.

The first stops on the tour included the mammoth all-purpose gyms, quite recently new in the neighborhood. These behemoths are fitness factories pumping out svelte and chiseled locals at an alarming pace. The main allure of the large gym is the availability of so many different fitness opportunities under one roof.

Conveniently located near the southwest corner of Palomar Airport Road and El Camino Real, back among a modest business park, is the enormous PureFitness facility. Sliding doors greet the guest to an all-purpose fitness facility offering the gamut of active pursuits. The central downstairs is full of new machines, hygienically bright, ready to assist in the targeting of muscle groups heretofore unknown. Racquetball courts, a well-lit basketball court, aerobics room, spin class and lockers complement this area. The lockers are segregated between “executive” and “classic” members. Executives—for a small, additional monthly fee—enjoy the benefits of private showers, towel and laundry service, Wi-Fi and private lockers. After snaking through the tidy lockers, a guest arrives at the indoor heated pool. The 25-yard pool sits adjacent to a large Jacuzzi. A heated outdoor pool mirrors the indoor pool and a tanning facility is nestled into the corner of the indoor pool facility. Back inside the main gym, the upstairs beckons. An army of treadmills, elliptical and stair machines adorned with private TV screens stand at ready. Fitness balls and mats are equally evident. At the east end of the upstairs, one 15-by-15 foot wall houses the dedicated TV guide with 100-plus small TVs, each tuned to a different channel and signed with a helpful label, reducing the job of channel surfing to a quick wall scan. A wide variety of classes are offered from Bikram to Ashtanga yoga, Pilates, gravity, the mysterious bosu and boxing. For a potential member, the friendly staff members are more than welcome to provide a tour of the facility. Memberships are a little pricier than neighboring 24 Hour Fitness, but remember there’s locker room Wi-Fi. Also, contracts are the norm and require exotic buyout or transfer transactions should you move or grow tired of the place respectively.

24 Hour Fitness is a few minutes west of El Camino Real off of Palomar Airport Road, a short or long jog from PureFitness depending on your cardio level. The access to the gym is situated off of Aviara Parkway rather than Palomar Airport Road, due to potential traffic issues and city regulations. Aaron, one of the helpful sales staff, provided a quick rundown of the pricing. 24 Hour Fitness is less expensive than PureFitness, but has varied amenities and no basketball gym. However, all other means of fitness are accommodated. A rather narrow corridor hosts exercise mats, bicycles, treadmills and fitness circuit machines. Several high definition TVs distract runners and cyclists. Beyond the corridor, the gym opens into a wide machine-laden central area with all manner of contortionist devices. A wide rack of freeweights boasts both extremes from the ridiculously light to the egregiously heavy and all those in between. In the corner of the central area is the door to a large multipurpose fitness classroom. Being confined to one classroom limits the number of simultaneously available options. Up the stairs, another cadre of cardio machines beams. Recliner bikes, upright bikes, treadmills, elliptical machines and stair machines all afford a good view of several high definition TVs and the floor below. The locker rooms are well outfitted with voluminous lockers. The pool, Jacuzzi and sauna access is through the locker room. The crowd is a healthy mix of young and old with moms and dads using the convenient kids club.

For those looking for full contact fitness, The Boxing Club brings it to North County. Based on its popular locations in the rest of the county, the club provides a host of fitness options, uniquely providing mixed martial arts and boxing. Pilates, spin, gravity and yoga are also part of the available curricula. Mixed martial arts, or MMA, have become incredibly popular over the last 10 years through the Ultimate Fighting Championship and Pride Fighting Championships.

The large-scale gyms are great for their diversity of fitness options. However, some folks have unique fitness needs or would like to pursue something more specific. Carlsbad seemingly has something to suit any need.

For yoga and Pilates enthusiasts, it is a buyer’s market. Most gyms now offer some form of yoga and mat Pilates. Purists may be more interested in a regime-specific facility. The Yoga Center, the Yoga Studio, the California Pilates Center and the Agility Studio are a few that cater clearly to the burgeoning yogi or Pilates master.

The Agility Studio in the heart of Carlsbad Village is a small, pleasantly decorated studio combining yoga, Pilates and cardio fitness under the watchful eye of the well-trained staff. Rana Kennedy heads up the operation. Her training and certifications run the gamut from yoga and Pilates to massage therapy. The studio provides focused and maintainable fitness regimens for any dedicated practitioner, young, old, injured or fit. The Pilates machine looks vaguely medieval. Its sliding support mat moves in a scaffolding with adjustable resistance springs and a host of available modular exercise grips at whose nefarious purpose one could only guess. Under proper supervision, however, this machine-based Pilates can work for people in many situations from the über-fit cyclist-surfer with knee trouble to the less active sufferer from an on-the-job neck injury. The Agility Studio addresses all of these kinds of issues, pushing its clients to sustainable fitness and nutrition. Kennedy, a recent mother herself, also hosts classes for new moms focusing on their unique fitness issues. The Agility Studio gives locals a chance for highly specialized fitness under expert care at a slight premium to the costs of the larger gyms.

For others, the gym decision comes down to who they’ll be working out with. The 30 For Life studio not far down the street from Agility Studio satisfies a distinctive demographic in the Village. When I stopped by to speak with the proprietor, Miriam Brunhaver, that distinction was instantly clear. A host of women were busy on the various machines in the tidy studio and they stopped briefly to examine the interloper. Fortunately, I was in street clothes, and Brunhaver let me know gently that at least as a member I was not welcome. 30 For Life is one of a few fitness facilities in town targeting women only. This kind of arrangement, she described, allows for more comfortable workouts without the competitive environment that might be prevalent at larger multigender gyms. 30 For Life has a variety of fitness and cardio equipment accessible through a three-month tryout membership.

Elite Fitness Spas for Women is another all-female workout option located on El Camino Real, which includes a personalized atmosphere for today’s active woman. Whether it’s cycling, yoga, a massage or tanning facilities you require, Elite Fitness Spas offers the entire scope of fitness and health opportunities.

For those still competitive athletes among us (and in Carlsbad there are quite a few), Velocity Sports Performance provides a means for reaching the next level. Owned by Charles and Erin Dimry, Charles knows what it takes to compete at the highest level. A retired, 12-year veteran of the NFL, Dimry finished his pro career in 1999 with the San Diego Chargers. He was also a standout, three-sport athlete at Oceanside High School. At the Dimrys’ training facility, customized training regimens target measurable athletic gain through speed, power and agility performance. NFL football players, college hoopers, high school track standouts and triathletes are some of clients that make use of the well-trained staff and precise equipment to perfectly address their needs.

Whether training for an event or just looking to trim those trouble areas, Carlsbad is also home to one-on-one, private personal training, such as Premier Fitness, where a trainer works with your fitness levels and builds an effective workout regime so you can achieve your goals in the utmost personalized setting.

Clearly, Carlsbad has a wide variety of gym offerings featuring all manner of fitness activities for every price point, something that couldn’t be said five years ago. Regardless of age, sex and fitness level, there is a fitness facility for you, and it’s already 2008, which means that New Year’s resolution is kicking in. Now’s the time to attack your health goals full force at one of our local gyms. Well, at least until February or March. •