Best of HONOLULU 2024: Health & Wellness on O‘ahu

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Best Outdoor Yoga

Yogis who prefer an outdoor flow to studio sessions will enjoy beach and ocean views at Yoga Under the Palms’ daily morning Vinyasa classes on the lawn adjacent to the Waikīkī Aquarium, near Queen’s Surf. With a $20 drop-in rate (you can also buy a five-class pack for $65 or 10 sessions for $100), you’ll start your day with an uplifting hour of cat-cows, downward dogs, chaturangas, Warrior 1s and 2s and relatively simple sequences. Even if you wake up stiff and surly, the views and breezes of these sessions will lift your mood and work out the kinks. The Waikīkī beach classes are among the many offerings of Yoga Under the Palms, which also has three O‘ahu studios. —DS

2743 Kalākaua Ave., yogaunderthepalms.com, @yogaunderthepalms

Best Free Women’s Self-Defense Class

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At DVG Jiu Jitsu, monthly classes geared toward women will teach you a variety of self-defense techniques, from being aware of your surroundings to choking out an attacker. And each month is different, since there is always something new to practice. Instructors demonstrate moves before students split into groups and practice on each other. We went as complete newbies, but the DVG regulars—and there were plenty of them, both women and teenage girls—helped us feel comfortable while punching and twisting the arms of strangers. Even if you’re not a DVG student, the women’s self-defense classes (held the first Wednesday of the month) are always free. —KV

99-1324 Koaha Place, ‘Aiea, (808) 435-6361, dvgjiujitsu.com, @dvgjiujitsu

Best Place to Rent Watersports Gear

Reader Pick

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For more than 40 years, Kailua Beach Adventures has offered explorations of the Windward Coast. And while tour companies—especially in Kailua—can be controversial, KBA focuses on sustainable tourism through cleanups, restoration projects and partnerships with local environmental organizations. The company was awarded Surfrider Foundation’s John Kelly Award for environmental conscientiousness in 2016. Take a tour or go out on your own with a rented kayak, snorkel, stand-up paddleboard, boogie board or surfboard. Kama‘āina get 25% off. —KV

130 Kailua Road, Suite 101b, Kailua, (808) 262-2555, kailuabeachadventures.com, @kailuabeachadventures

Best Fitness Studio to Get a Killer Core

Lagree workouts are touted as Pilates Reformer classes on steroids, and after trying it, I have to say—it’s true. Although I’ve done a lot of Pilates, the low-impact, high-intensity Lagree sessions at Komo Studio in Kailua truly tested my strength, endurance and balance from the moment I got on a “Megaformer.” Lagree provides a killer full-body workout with focused, slow movements, and no breaks in between. By the end, my entire body—but especially my core—was feeling it, in a good way. Komo owner Joy Bitonio opened the first Lagree studio on O‘ahu four years ago. The fact that the studio, a modern, bright and clean space, not only survived pandemic disruptions but now has a loyal, robust membership is testament to its appeal and the effectiveness of the 40-minute workout. —DS

315 Uluniu St., Suite 209, Kailua, (808) 691-9161, komohawaii.com, @komohawaii

Best New “It” Wellness Activity

We take an estimated 20,000 breaths a day, but to reap optimal physical and mental benefits we must “consciously” breathe, which means being fully aware of our breaths. That’s what you’ll learn at breathwork classes, like Eric Rosso’s monthly two-hour workshop, Breathwork with Eric, offered at Yoga Room Hawai‘i and now at Magic Island. Rosso took part in what he says were transformative breathwork sessions at a Costa Rica wellness retreat and was inspired to share what he learned in Hawai‘i. Along with relieving stress and unleashing trapped emotions, Rosso says conscious breathing helps our bodies become more alkaline, which can fend off diseases. Since starting up a few years ago, the workshops have become increasingly popular with both newcomers and regulars, who wear headsets to listen to prompts set to uplifting music. —DS

breathworkwitheric.com, @breathworkwitheric

Best Contrast Therapy

To boost your mood, stimulate your metabolism and gain mental clarity, plunge into contrast therapy at Studio 7 Hawai‘i, where you’ll rotate between ice-cold immersions and time in a hot sauna. By shocking your body with extreme temperatures, you’ll jump-start your lymphatic system, stimulate blood flow and experience an endorphin high while reducing inflammation. Whether you choose to go solo or with friends, Austyn Shimkus-Sciuto’s backyard oasis near Lē‘ahi is the perfect mini wellness retreat. —TO

3144 Monsarrat Ave., (808) 978-4195, studio7hawaii.com, @studio7hawaii

Best Locally Owned Pilates Studio

It’s not easy for local studios to compete with big-box fitness franchises with wide name recognition. But Pilates O Ka Lā on Monsarrat Avenue holds its own in the city’s increasingly crowded Pilates scene. The studio offers a seven-day lineup of group classes and private sessions, and instructors provide lots of hands-on corrections so students can fully reap the lengthening and strengthening benefits of the Pilates Reformer. In a testimonial on the studio’s website, Olympic surfing champion Carissa Moore says that since she started training there she’s “standing taller, quite literally, and [is] more confident.” Surely, if it’s good for Carissa, it’s good for us too. —DS

3106 Monsarrat Ave., (808) 744-1101, pilatesokala.com, @pilatesokala