The West Loop Athletic Club is exactly the kind of gym you'd expect to find in a neighborhood filled with art galleries and trendy restaurants. Part of the LPAC family of clubs, WAC has some resemblance to it's other siblings—like the red neon lighting that frames the entrance and the purple mat floors in the stretching area. But this bi-level club has a more sophisticated style than it's counterparts, with exposed brick walls, leather couches, track lighting and bold painted walls throughout the space. The upper level features free weights, a stretching area, weight and cardio machines, and the first floor houses the locker rooms, group exercise room, basketball courts and yoga/Pilates studio.

The Classes: The group fitness director for the LPAC family of clubs tries to cater class offerings to the specific needs of members at each club. The classes are as diverse as the clientele: There's everything from traditional step to West African dance. Specialties include Full Body Blast, a fun 30-minute blink-and-it's-over toning class for those who need to make the most of their time in the gym and Live Spin, a 50-minute ride focusing on heart rate intervals. Thankfully MP3 beats by a DJ mixing everything from St. Germaine to Missy Elliot definitely helps to alleviate the intensity of the workout.

The Extras: There's a lot in the works at WAC, like a new yoga/pilates studio (the old one will be converted into a kids' club), a wi-fi lounge and a five-lane swimming pool in the current basketball court space. Still members can indulge in the classy locker rooms, take a steam or sweat it out in the sauna, and keep their stuff in some of the coolest lockers in the city.

Centerstage Reviewer: Maya Henderson