While secret societies have terrific members-only benefits, their gorilla-centric initiation rites are often illegal. Make a solemn fitness vow that's legal with today's Groupon. For $25, you get 30 consecutive days of unlimited access and unlimited group fitness classes to the Maryland Athletic Club, a $109 value. The MAC has three area locations in Harbor East, Timonium, and an Express location in Hunt Valley. Once your membership has begun, you can visit all three clubs interchangeably.

The state-of-the-art clubs offer experienced workouteers and more leisure-inclined visitors a fun and encouraging environment to blast body fat and tone tummies. The Hunt Valley Express location offers quick cardio and strength-training equipment for the unfussy athlete, while the Timonium and Harbor East locations will impress even the most distinguished club designer. Both locations boast aquatic centers complete with a lap pool; two warm-water therapy pools for relaxing, float training, or injury rehabilitation; and a 104-degree coed whirlpool. The Harbor East locale offers more than 50 group classes each week, and Timonium offers more than 100 classes in everything from yoga, Pilates, and Zumba to kickboxing and spinning. Both clubs house more than 100 pieces of cardio and strength equipment, nearly all equipped with personal entertainment systems. The Harbor East location boasts four squash courts for fierce battles of paddling domination, and both locations offer Internet cafes and kids clubs where pre-Olympians participate in stimulating and creative activities under the watchful eye of the friendly MAC staff.

With the holidays approaching and a branch of mistletoe hovering over your social calendar, it’s imperative that you maintain a fit and healthy physique. Flee to the exercise playground for a month of calorie-burning and fat-blasting training, and reap the benefits of an exercise-enhanced existence.

Reviews

Though there are three MAC locations in the Baltimore area, local fitness fanatics rally around the Harbor East branch. Baltimore magazine calls it the "Splurge!" option for gym memberships in its Best of Baltimore 2009, and nine 600block reviewers give it an average of three stars.

• Boasting three saltwater pools, a whirlpool, Pilates, yoga, boxing, and spinning studios, and 54,000 square feet worth of fitness equipment, Harbor East's Maryland Athletic Club… is the gold standard of local gyms. – Baltimore
• I couldn’t imagine belonging to any other gym in Baltimore. I’ve been a MAC member for almost 10 years and love it. I work out at the Harbor East facility every morning and greatly appreciate the cleanliness and efficiency of the gym. – Kathleen S., 600block