Spreading out
By Joey Berlin
Originally published 08:47 a.m., February 7, 2008
Updated 08:47 a.m., February 7, 2008
Emporia Fitness outgrew its old facility and decided it was time to move and expand. It shouldn’t outgrow its new home for quite a while.
The athletic club opened on Dec. 17 at the northwest corner of 12th Avenue and Industrial Road, the site of an old Pepsi warehouse. At the new location, part-owner Dawn Massey says, the aerobics room alone is the size of the entire gym at the old building. That building, across the street from Newman Regional Health, is now the home of Emporia Physical Therapy, which has the same owners.
“What spurred the move more than anything was the expansion of our physical therapy business,” Massey said. “We were just running out of space there, and we wanted to expand. But we didn’t want to close down the service of our fitness center, because that’s what we do for a living, is make people healthy.”
Room to breathe and room to move are plentiful at the new location. In a room behind the aerobic area is a gym containing a full-size basketball court and a batting cage. Off to the side of the gym is a mirrored room for classes, as well as yet another smaller workout room.
Doug Maley, who has been a member since shortly after Emporia Fitness opened in 1998, is an avid strength trainer. He loves the increased amount of room and variety of options available at the new building.
“I’ve personally worked out for about 35 years, and it’s the best place, (with) the most varied exercises, that I’ve been at,” Maley said.
The aerobic area contains not just space and variety, but some of the latest in exercise technology. Six “virtual” cycles, also known as V-Cycles, allow users to play a computer-simulated biking race game using monitors in front of them. If the course calls for the user to ride uphill, a unit clamps on the back tires, requiring harder pedaling.
“And they’re all interlinked,” Massey said. “So if three of us want to get on here, or all six of us, we can race each other. ... And then there’s also a program where we can race other facilities that have this.”
Connie Philips, who has worked at Emporia Fitness since last year, said the club now has close to 1,000 members. At the old facility, she said, it had around 350.
“The evenings are pretty packed,” she said. “It’s good to see this place really bloomed.”
A regular membership costs $35 per month, or $29 if the user pays by electronic funds transfer. Students and seniors pay $27, or $25 with electronic funds transfer payment.
Classes offered include kickboxing, PiYo, beginner and intermediate Pilates, and Zumba. All classes are included with membership.
The club is open Monday through Thursday from 5:15 a.m. to 9 p.m., on Friday from 5:15 a.m. to 8 p.m., on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., and on Sunday from 1 p.m. to 5 p.m.