The Rec Center at Ashland University is a convenient place to go to get in a quick workout, but there are many other places throughout Ashland where students can go to get a more specific workout in.

Studio Rise is a yoga studio located just off campus at 709 Claremont Ave. It is a professional yoga studio that offers over 20 classes at various times in the day focusing on everything from the basics of yoga to the power vinyasa flow, which is described on their website as a high energy, sweaty, and breath-synchronized yoga flow.

For those unfamiliar with yoga and the benefits it has for the body, instructor and owner of Studio Rise Aubrey Bates describes it as, “a series of movements, moving your body in a way that strengthens and builds flexibility. So you’re using your own muscle strength to stretch other muscles.”

Bates noted that unlike other forms of exercise, yoga has the unique ability to bring your mind, spirit and body into a unique alignment.

“There is a mental aspect to it, that at the same time you’re bringing your mind into balance,” Bates said. 

Bates started doing yoga about six years ago when she realized that Ashland and the community had a lot of pockets of yoga but there was no central hub and she decided to open Studio Rise. 

Since its opening, Studio Rise has seen people of all ages and body types come through its doors and Bates hopes that students at AU will realize that they are located so close to campus and will come and utilize the space that they have.

“There’s something about being in an environment that’s like a sanctuary,” Bates said about Studio Rise. “I like to think of this space as an apart space, something that is different than your daily grind.”

Bates said that students can join Studio Rise for just $5 a session with their student I.D.

For more pricing options and for special events, visit them online at studioriseyoga.com

For those who are looking for a higher intensity workout, there is Crossfit 419. 

Crossfit 419 is Ashland’s only crossfit gym and it is located at 715 Sherman Ave., just over two miles from campus. 

Craig Nolletti, the owner of Crossfit 419, describes crossfit as “constantly varied functional movement with high intensity, which is a very broad definition.”

According to Nolletti, it does not target specific areas of the body as in a typical leg or arm workout, but it instead is working towards creating the strongest and leanest version of yourself.

Crossfit is different from other forms of working out in terms of the community that it creates among the people at the gym.

“Crossfit is a lifestyle,” Nolletti said. “I’d be lost without it, I have all the knowledge in the world, in regards to training, but the community and the people at the crossfit gym; that’s my life”

Many people may view crossfit as an elite training that is above their skill level, but Nolletti says that Crossfit 419 offers some of the best coaching in the area and those coaches are taught to meet you where you’re at so that all body types and skill levels can achieve success at Crossfit. 

“We have the best training in the area,” Nolletti said. “Our coaching, our programming, our facilities are the best you’re going to find in the future.”

For those looking for a place to be held accountable throughout a workout, Crossfit 419 is the place to go. Nolletti was quick to add that crossfit is not easy and requires a certain level of commitment, but that through that commitment, people begin to see results that most other workouts could not provide. 

It is $99 a month to receive unlimited classes for a 12 month membership and drop in classes are $15 a class. Memberships include 24/7 access to the crossfit gym as well as the Warehouse gym which is located next door, and includes four, one on one training sessions that are designed to focus on the member’s individal needs.

To learn more about crossfit and the gym, go online to crossfit419.com.

For those looking for a more traditional gym experience, The Warehouse gym has you covered. Warehouse Gym, located conveniently next to Crossfit 419, puts a unique spin on a traditional gym atmosphere.

The gym, also owned by Nolletti, is an 8,000 square foot space that offers just about anything you could ask for in a gym and more. Complete with cardio machines, benches, power racks, and extensive amount of dumbbells and free weights, the Warehouse gym offers more than the average workout facility. 

Nolletti said that he was unaware of any other gym in the area that includes a peg board, a climbing rope and a Strongman Yoke.

“It’s a unique space,” Nolletti said. “People love it and if you’re serious about training it’s a pretty sweet gym.”

Membership to the Warehouse gym is $25 a month for a 12 month commitment or $35 a month for a six month commitment and the both include 24-hour access to the gym.

More information can be found online at ashlandwarehousegym.com.

While many students choose to go to the Rec Center based on its relatively low cost ($85 a semester) and its convenience, there are many other great options around the community that may better fit a student’s lifestyle or allow them to try something new.

“Its empowering to try new things,” Bates said, “And to get off campus and to really delve into the community around campus.”