Looking good takes effort, we know that much. In some American cities cardio is king, lycra is mandatory and rolls (bread or stomach) are scandalous. If you want to join the smooth chests and taut abs on your US break, get your firm ass to one of these places. Work it, baby, work it...
South Beach Volley, Miami
You'll have a right old time cavorting with the bikini bods on South Beach, Miami. This is the glitzy, oh-so-chic part of the Sunshine State, where residents do weird things like press-ups on the beach. Join the fitness fanatics at 14th Avenue where the sand is flanked by volleyball courts with players in micro bikinis and speedos. Sweat flies everywhere, and they don't mind you joining in. We tried. Please do better.
Shadowbox, New York
Forget planking, to really hone that core you need to start punching things. Bags, ideally, and this NYC institution is the place where super-stressed urbanities (and Victoria Secret models) come to dispel their frustration with high-energy jabs and hooks. You can book a bag and join them for sessions, but don't consider it unless you're prepared to recreate that all-American enthusiasm. shadowboxnyc.com
Venice Beach, Los Angeles
Volleyball, basketball, tennis – they have it all down the boardwalk at Venice Beach. To really pump some iron (or pretend to) then hang with the crowd at Muscle Beach, the renowned outdoor gym where creatine is like coffee and the skin is tangoed. The facilities are a bit dated but who cares? This is all about the image, and the people watching. HUH!
