With blue and neon green stripes lining the walls, dance music booming out of overhead stereos and a fresh juice bar located beside the
In addition to its unique atmosphere, Impact Fitness also offers members a variety of amenities including executive locker rooms, towel service, gated parking and online access to a nutrition specialist. A DJ booth is tucked in a back corner for future entertainment on Wednesday nights.
The large three-floor facility, which first opened its doors in August, held its grand opening last November in the newly renovated Professional Building at 2300 Charlotte Avenue. Co-owners Pete Stipher and Steven Aragon have limited the club to 500 memberships, which allows the staff to focus on the fitness goals of its members.
"The wholesale clubs don't have a cap," Stipher said. "You're constantly worrying about next month's new membership run and how you're going to push that. You can't focus as much on the people you already have. If we can really hone in on 500 people, we can offer the best equipment, the best classes and the best service."
This smaller amount of memberships also offers some flexibility in terms of what services Impact Fitness can provide.
"We're going to be responsive to clients' needs," Aragon promised. "If they come up to us and say that we need this class or we'd really like to this happen at this timeslot, we can try to make those changes immediately."
The ground floor houses leading-edge strength and cardio equipment featuring HumanSport and FreeMotion. The main floor, located on the second level, will feature dozens of premier group fitness classes including Zumba, hot yoga and more. The rooftop, which will be available in spring 2011, creates a space for sunbathing and relaxation, as well as an area for outdoor group classes or one-on-one personal training sessions.
Stipher and Aragon have hired four personal trainers, all with national certifications and specializations to help members maximize their workouts and deliver real results.
“We made the conscious decision of giving more money back to the trainers," Aragon said. “We believe that's one of the core elements. I think they've recognized that and they've been very appreciative. We want to create a team and we want to make them happy."
"I've owned and operated over thirty clubs, and this is the best staff I've ever had," Stipher added.
Additionally, the club will offer Impact Life, alternative member-only adventures that extend health and fitness options beyond the walls of Impact Fitness, providing group excursions such as rock climbing, snowboarding and mountain biking outings.
"We're wanting to build a community," Stipher said. "We're going to create reasons to work out beyond just going to the gym. I think that creates more reason to actually go to the gym."