A Gentle Guide to
Inclusive Movement
Movement is meant to be fun. These are size-inclusive, beginner-friendly, genuinely warm places to dance, walk, and move, gathered from a community of clinicians who know and trust them. In Austin and online. No hustle. Just movement, for the joy of it.
In-Person in Austin
9 placesFor dancing in a room full of people, walking with company, or just being somewhere that feels safe to start. Beginner energy welcome at all of these.
Liberati Wellness
Leslie Jordan Garcia's space. Came up first in the thread and then again and again, with a unanimous "Leslie, obviously." That kind of repeat recommendation tells you something.
DivaDance
Dance classes that are genuinely inclusive. Clients in larger bodies go and love it, and the whole point is having fun, not getting it perfect. A great first dance class.
YMCA of Austin
So many classes to choose from, with welcoming, beginner-friendly vibes. Look for Leslie's Cardio Dance Fusion at the Town Lake location, and size-inclusive personal training at East Communities.
Workout! with Erica Nix
A long-time champion of inclusive classes. Her Splash Dance class is apparently a ton of fun, and she's been doing this kind of welcoming work for years.
Contra & English Country Dance
Like square dancing but in long lines, or think Pride & Prejudice. Live music, beginner-friendly by design, and there are free Wednesday night dances through TAADA.
BollyCardio ATX
Bollywood dance that's welcoming and, by all accounts, so much fun. A joyful way to move without it feeling like a workout.
Dance Church
An all-bodies, free-form dance experience. Heard wonderful things about it from other size-inclusive fitness pros, even from folks who haven't been yet themselves.
Sky Candy
Aerial arts. It can look intimidating from the outside, but they genuinely welcome all types of people. A playful thing to try just for the fun of it.
Fitcidence & OutWellness
Two community-minded spots, both vouched for in person. OutWellness also hosts events and a walking group at the Y, which makes it a soft, social place to start.
Morning Jo's Run Club
Yes, "run" is in the name, but they have pacers from seven-minute miles all the way down to a walking pace group. Nobody gets left behind. That's the whole ethos.
Virtual & Travel-Friendly
6 optionsFor moving from anywhere, especially if you're traveling or between places. Several of these are built around small Zoom groups, accountability, and actual fun, with mid-life women very much in mind.
Frolick Fitness
Jen Benton's virtual home. Small live group classes (all bodies, all genders, all abilities), a warm and safe regular crew, plus occasional in-person Austin meetups. There's an app too.
Joyful Inclusive Movement
Online video options with diverse instructors, weight-inclusive and HAES-aligned. Good for moving on your own schedule while still feeling like you belong there.
The Energy Academy
Laura Girard's program. A long-followed, trusted name for movement that's anti-diet-culture, fun, and welcoming to people newer to moving their bodies.
Fit Ragamuffin
Another long-trusted, size-inclusive virtual option. Fun first, welcoming to beginners, no diet-culture energy.
LoyoboFit
Weight and size-inclusive, anti-diet-culture, and built to be fun. A vouched-for community for moving from wherever you are.
Misfits Workout
Virtual dance classes with a size-inclusive, welcoming spirit. For dancing in your living room with people who get it.
Inclusive Trainers
4 peopleReal humans who do this work with care, several of whom offered themselves directly. For someone who wants a relationship, accountability, and a little one-on-one support. Reach out through their public channels below.
Hannah G
ACE-certified personal trainer and Size Inclusive Fitness Specialist at the East Communities YMCA. Loves working with beginners and was the one who pulled together the virtual list above.
Jen Benton
Trainer and social worker behind Frolick Fitness. Works virtually with Texas clients, hosts welcoming small group classes, and comes back to Austin a few times a year for walks and dance.
Sally Ng
Virtual personal trainer with depth in injuries, pre and post rehab, and working with seniors, all HAES-aligned. Has limited availability but opens up to new one-on-one clients seasonally.
Lauren (via Hawley Poinsett)
A virtual personal trainer who works with clients of Let's Love Food Again, described as one of the most loving and affirming people you could move with.