Austin

The food and fitness in the Domain in north Austin is BUMPING! The Domain is an exciting mix of upscale shopping, modern apartments, dining, entertainment, nightlife, offices and co-working spaces. With so many residents and businesses, it’s like it’s own tiny suburb. If you live in north Austin, it’s worth knowing what’s here, because you’ll probably save commuting time and find new favorites in your own neighborhood.

If it’s time to go shopping, check out this ultimate guide to Austin gift ideas.

Workout Prep: The Gear

First things first: you have to have the right gear. While I don’t believe one can own too many workout clothes, accessories or gym bags, humor me for a second because those things can make or break your training.

Depending on how you like to train, you need different clothes, shoes, and accessories. Footwear makes a huge difference in comfort and performance, and you’re going to need different shoes to squat, deadlift, walk, jog, or take a cycle class.

You’ll also want to dress appropriately for the season, especially with the popularity of garage style gyms, Crossfit boxes, and gyms that don’t have great HVAC systems during our blazing summers. Nike and Under Armour have great hot and cold gear that can help you feel and perform your best when Mother Nature is a little outside of your comfort zone.

Hit up Dick’s Sporting Goods for a huge selection of different exercise wear. Besides clothing and shoes, Dick’s also has dumbbells, barbells, chalk, yoga mats, blocks, and other equipment for home workouts. You can find tennis and lacrosse balls, foam rollers and other massage implements for mobility and recovery.

Finally, Dick’s carries sport specific equipment, bikes, hunting, fishing, shooting and other outdoor gear. Of course, you’ll have to take these activities outside the Domain, but that’s a different blog post entirely!

Workout Prep: The Clothing

Athleta and lululemon are two of my favorite exercise apparel brands, and both can be found in the Domain. They are on the pricier side, which I resisted mightily for years. A gift card purchase, and I was hooked.

I easily justify the price since I wear them all day. However, I find it well worth it to have proper fitting clothing during a workout, too. No, during a workout, especially.

There’s nothing more annoying than constantly tugging at pants that don’t sit right. Well, maybe headphones dying in the middle of your workout. But the point remains: invest in athletic wear that feels good while you wear it, so you can focus on yourself while you train.

The Workout

The Domain has a few exercise options. Nearly all the apartment complexes have a nice gym, but those are only available to residents.

Flywheel Sports and SoulCycle both offer high intensity cycle classes that increase conditioning and burn calories. SoulCycle is known for it’s music and motivational vibe. Flywheel has both wheel and barre classes. Wheel classes are on the cycles, and barre classes are “toning classes” without the cycle.

Pros:

• high energy
• group class is great if you love the social scene
• the class routine is already planned so you don’t have to think; just do

Cons:

• the class routine is planned for a group, not for you as an individual
• you must attend a class, and can’t just pop in

Orangetheory Fitness offers another group exercise class in the Domain. It is a high intensity class that uses a variety of exercise methods, including weights, treadmills, and rowers.

Pros:

• high intensity burns a lot of calories
• like Flywheel, the class is great if you like a social event

Cons:

• high likelihood of injury if trying to work at high intensity without solid form and background knowledge of exercises
• like Flywheel, the class is not designed for an individual
• you must attend a class, and can’t just pop in

Personal training led by a good, educated trainer you are compatible with is the best you can get. A trainer will design your training plan exactly for you, taking into consideration your goals, your challenges, and your likes and dislikes.

Meredith Schneider is a dietician who also earned her master’s degree in exercise physiology. She says, “I never thought I’d be the girl doing deadlifts and squats, but when my current workouts weren’t doing the job, I added in 2 days of training with Kathryn. I realized I could have the best of both worlds. I’m not a ‘spin girl’ or a ‘gym girl’. 

I am strong and getting stronger.”

I would love to meet you for a free consult about your goals. If you are interested, please email me at kathryn@kathrynalexander.com or drop me a message in the form at the bottom of this page: Train With Me

Wondering how to find the right personal trainer? Read this.

I am a fantastic training match maker, so please contact me if you have questions about who would be a good trainer for you.

Pros:

• the fastest way to reach your individual goals
• personalized training plans
• in-session pacing, customization, cueing and spotting

Cons:

• likely the most expensive option

The Food

The Domain offers a huge variety of eating options, from quick grab-and-go to fancy date-night dining. A few of the more healthy options are Whole Foods, Mad Greens, and Flower Child.

Whole Foods is on the northernmost end of the Domain. It offers nearly everything the downtown flagship store does, again without the hassle of traveling to 6th Street.

Mad Greens serves all your salad needs, and also offers wraps, paninis, and juice drinks.

Finally, Flower Child serves fresh, healthy meals with an eye on quality.

The Fun Stuff

All work and no play makes Jack a dull boy. In my case, all work and training, therefore living in the gym, makes Kathryn a dull girl. It’s good to meet your friends out and be social!

If you feel like going out but don’t want to deal with 6th Street, head to Rock Rose in the Domain. There you’ll find 6th Street favorites like The Dogwood, Lavaca Street Bar, Kung Fu Saloon, and Toulouse Cafe and Bar.

Plan a Trip to the Domain

I give you my word I’m not a paid spokesman for the Domain! I just think it offers a lot of fun and opportunity to north Austin.

If you haven’t been up here lately, plan a day of it. Lemme know beforehand so I can show you around the gym!

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Rogue American Apparel and Big Tex Gym teamed up this past weekend to host Austin’s Strongest Savage, a US Strongman sanctioned competition. The event benefited 22 Kill, which works to support veterans’ mental health and prevent suicide.

Good coffee, good beer, an amazing venue, and great athletes made for a memorable day!