Running Studios That Help You Train Smarter (and Enjoy Running Inside)

Locations: Chicago, Illinois; Houston, Texas; West Hollywood, California; Frederick, Maryland; Columbia, Maryland

Science has made it clear that cross-training needs to be a component of any running routine, which is why many studios tack on a quickie strength session at the end of a treadmill class. But Sproing Fitness ups the ante and incorporates running, plyometrics, stability, and strength work all into one 45-minute, HIIT-style routine—and on a device that’s different from any other.

The Sproing is a treadmill-like machine that replaces a moving belt with an air bladder, for a customizable low-impact surface—step on, and the cushiness is immediately evident. You’ll cinch a waist-level harness around you that attaches to the back of the machine; this helps you “fall” forward into the belt while running, allowing you to maintain proper form, land on your forefoot, and avoid heel-striking. The harness also helps you modify bodyweight exercises, like pushups, when extra assistance is needed. You determine how hard the surface should be. “The softer it is, the less sturdy you feel,” says Paul Toback, CEO of Sproing Fitness. “That en-gages your stabilizer muscles more, so you get a harder workout.”

RELATED: The Ultimate HIIT Plan for Runners

The class setup is intervals of 20 or 30 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. The workout transitions through a mix of forward and backward running, strength moves like resistance band rows or planks, and explosive exercises like jump lunges and squat jumps. What all of that adds up to is a sweat-filled session that targets and builds the important muscles that runners rely on for faster splits and more power.

The low-impact component yields rewards, too—research has shown that softer surfaces help protect the joints and back. After nearly two years, regular Stacey Brady, 46, says she’s noticed the difference. “I used to run outside five or six days a week—now I only do two or three days, and swap in Sproing classes instead,” Brady says. “It’s increased my pace significantly, and I feel stronger than ever.”

TRAINING PLANS: Whether you’re a running newbie or a veteran marathoner, we’ve got the plan for you—on your phone or on your fridge.

Location: New York City

While a hard interval workout is what this NYC-based treadmill studio is known for, COO Rich Velazquez knew that a sweat session couldn’t be where their work stopped. “We preach the importance of stretching and foam-rolling after class, but nobody was matching what they were saying—people were rushed out of class because the studio has to get ready for the next batch of runners,” he says.

Enter the recently unveiled Recovery Room. For $15, runners can sign up for 15-minute sessions in the intimate, limited-cell-service space (30-, 45-, and 60-minute time slots are also available for $30, $45, and $60, respectively). That fee unlocks access to the studio’s Air Relax compression leg and hip sleeves, both of which work to improve bloodflow and speed muscle recovery.

And that’s just the start. “It’s a dedicated area for runners to learn how to recover in a more relaxed environment,” Velazquez explains. That means high-tech tools at your disposal (think vibrating Hyperice foam-rollers and massage balls), along with manuals for stretches and foam-rolling techniques for runners.

RELATED: The Best Massage Tools for Sore Muscles

And rather than making appointments all over town with a reflexologist, a strength coach, and a massage therapist, soon you can get all of that at Mile High—the studio is partnering with local businesses in 2018 to provide myriad services. “It’s a space where you can step away from the neon lights and loud music, and get the recovery you need without trudging to a new place,” Velazquez says.

In other words, there’s officially no excuse to not take time to recuperate—especially when it means you’ll be back on the pavement with fresh legs, faster.

Locations: Santa Monica, California; Boston, Massachusetts

What you love about a track-and-field workout is what David Siik, senior manager of running at Equinox, aims to bring to his new Precision Running Lab. “I wanted all the things we experience in outdoor running—smell, sight, sound, touch—in an indoor version, while still showing respect to the running community.” And all backed by science.

Take the music. Siik plays only nonlyrical, with driving beats. Research has shown that word-free tunes not only engage the emotional center of your brain, producing positivity, hope, and joy, but they also enhance your ability to retain information, like the instructions your trainer is barking at you midsprint. “It’s the best of both worlds; you have the music for motivation,” Siik says, “but it doesn’t detract from your run.”

He let science take the lead for color cues too. A Precision lab class has 90 to 117 four-second light changes, and Siik swears each has a purpose. “We studied emotional response to so many light and timing changes, and found these colors were most effective, especially when they have a four-second fade,” he explains. That’s why class starts at a warm gold to signal go-time, shifts to fire red for aggressive sprints and hills, and eases into a calming blue during recovery.

RELATED: The Right Music Can Help You Recover From a Tough Workout

As for the treadmill, Siik wanted to reduce the need to constantly push buttons to change speed and incline; doing so affects your running mechanics. Equinox partnered with Woodway treadmills to develop a built-in console that saves your speed once you maintain a pace for 20 seconds. “There’s room for four different speed and incline settings, and you can easily access them instead of having to push the up and down buttons,” he says.

Oh, one more important factor? The oxygen. The studio has a filtration system that purges nitrogen and raises O2, helping to keep your lungs full and your head clear.

The result is an immersive experience, focused on the workout. “That’s when you unlock a magical run,” Siik says, “when you leave saying, ‘I left it all on the track—and now, the treadmill.’”