People go to the gym. They walk through the doors, and the smells of sweat and some kind of cleaning product hit them, as their spirits drop.

In the locker room, they put away their things, unless they were left in the car, and then gym-goers are faced with a choice: what are they going to do today?

There’s the standard treadmills, ellipticals, bikes, and depending on the gym, a limited selection of free weights. Maybe there’s yoga, or a Pilates class. The problem is that more and more often, people are getting bored with that. The main reason is because gyms usually are boring.

Or, at least, that’s the cliché. But, in the past few years, a larger variety of fitness classes have been popping up.

One gym in Olympia is targeting a group of people who aren’t exactly known to hang out at the gym: the Geeks and the Gamers. Aptly named, Geek and Gamer Fitness is based out of the Northwest High Intensity Training Center in Olympia.

G&GF offers weekly a Yoga Adventure class, twice-monthly Medieval Martial Arts, and Boot camp classes, which are offered Monday through Saturday.

Workouts at G&GF usually have a theme, to make it more fun for participants. Past themes have included “A Lannister Always Does His Reps– a Game of Thrones Workout,” “Can You Survive Hogwarts,” and “Zombie Apocalypses Training.”

Information on classes and memberships to G&GF can be found at geekandgamerfitness.com.

Another non-traditional fitness class that is increasingly more popular is pole dancing. Athena Vertical Dance, located in Tacoma, offers different classes for all levels of experience, and men and women are both welcome.

Although most see pole dancing as just some “sexy” dance, it provides a full workout, from strength and flexibility to endurance and stamina. Not to mention, pole dancing can do wonders for a person’s confidence and self-image.

Classes are offered every day of the week, with the exception of Fridays. There are various memberships available, or you can just pay for a drop-in. More information on Athena Vertical Dance can be found at athenaverticaldance.com.

Although, these are only two examples, there’s an endless world of possibility for fitness alternatives, from Pop-Up Yoga to Hoopnotica. No matter what they enjoy, there is a fun way for everyone to get active, and the benefits of being fit will stay with them for life.