Gyms across Chicago saw a surge in activity on New Year’s Day, with Chicagoans kicking off 2025 on a healthy note. From yoga studios to traditional gyms, residents embraced a range of workouts, fulfilling resolutions toward wellness and self-improvement.
For Vincent Rose, a 67-year-old Cook County law enforcement officer, the recent closure of the XSport on State Street, where he worked out for a decade, prompted the switch to a new fitness routine at the South Loop LA Fitness.
“I’m kind of advanced for classes, so I do my own thing,” he said.
Looking ahead to 2025, Rose said he’ll prioritize personal growth and spirituality.
“My New Year’s resolution is to be a better person. I want to be more spiritual in 2025 because we just don’t know how much longer we have here,” he said. “Our time is a commodity that you don’t know how much you have, so I want to spend it right.”
As a longtime officer nearing retirement, Rose said he's aware of the fragility of life.
“I’m just happy that I made it,” he said. “I’m in law enforcement for a living, and I know so many guys who didn’t make it from 2024 to 2025. I’m just trying to stay in shape, so I can get to retirement in a couple of years.”
Balancing fitness with her animation career, 26-year-old Hershey Suresh said the gym offers a reprieve from her desk job and a chance to build strength. Her fitness journey started in recent months for medical reasons, and she wanted to get ahead of her goals before the new year got rolling, she said.
“I’m trying to get to some pull-ups by the end of the year. I just want to be able to do any amount of pull-ups because I can’t do any right now,” she said. Suresh keeps her workouts basic but enjoys taking classes for the challenge. “It’s legs, abs, and LA Fitness has these classes that seem nice to kind of switch it up a few days of the week,” she said.
Sean Murray, 64, who owns a salon and spa, also joined LA Fitness after XSport closed.
Murray said he has been working out for 44 years.
“Just trying to stay in shape and have a balanced life,” he said. His routine primarily includes free weights and the StairMaster, but he’s considering yoga classes in the new year.
“It’s always nice, especially on New Year’s Day, to see so many people at the gym and keeping up with their routine and their workout,” he said.
Darren Jackson, a sales staff member at the South Loop LA Fitness, has been working at the location for about 10 months and loves it.
Jackson shared advice for anyone embarking on a fitness journey: “Stay positive. Take it one day at a time. It’s either Day One or one day. So figure out what it is for you. Whatever motivates you and brings you energy, find that within yourself and spread it to other people.”
For 30-year-old Jordin Gignac, yoga has been transformative. Gignac has worked the front desk at Moksha Yoga Center for about a year and takes yoga classes three times a week. Instructor Natalie’s Vinyasa class is her favorite.
Gignac has set a personal goal for 2025. “I would like to become more aware of myself and be able to grow in my practice,” she said. “Yoga has really helped me become more grounded and more organized."
Chrissy Bahadri, a 24-year-old artist and exotic animal handler for Scales & Tales, a traveling petting zoo based in Pilsen, stepped into Moksha Yoga Center for the first time.
“My sister is actually a big yoga person, and I decided last year that I was just going to try every kind of movement that I’ve always wanted to do,” she said.
Last year, Bahadri explored dancing, boxing and yoga, and now she’s hooked.
“I feel like it helped in every aspect of my life, just figuring out how to move and pushing myself to the limit with things,” Bahadri said. “It provides a better foundation for anything I want to do, and I start the day with more confidence and more motivation to do anything.”
Yoga has emerged as Bahadri's favorite form of movement. “I didn’t see the correlation [with my art] before, but I think there is one,” she said.
Jason Webb, a pickleball coach at SPF Chicago in Lincoln Park, has seen the sport's popularity skyrocket during the winter months.
“I’m here five days a week, and I know it pretty well at this point,” said Webb, who has been coaching for two years. The club has been open for just about a year, and Webb said he has been playing pickleball for four years.
As anticipated, the colder weather has driven more players indoors.
“We always see a spike this time of year in the winter when people can’t play outdoors,” he said. “September and October were nice months outside, so people were trying to get outside where it’s also free, but now they’re mobbing this place.”
Ludelle Castro, 50, works from home and plays pickleball with her family and credits the sport with keeping her active. The family typically enjoyed playing outdoors, but she said they have been to SPF a handful of times and have enjoyed the opportunity to play indoors and keep up their routine while staying warm. Castro also said she appreciates how pickleball has brought her family closer.
“It makes me happy because it really brought us together, and it’s nice to find a sport that we all enjoy,” she said. “Pickleball is such a great sport, and it’s not really judgmental. It’s welcoming to everyone and all ages.”
