A couple of years ago, a group of friends and I had been working out early mornings switching off between at home workouts and running outside. The winter months were rolling in and being the fairweather runner I am, I came to the consensus it was finally time for a change. After coming to this realization, coincidently, I received an email offering a free workout session at Ultimate Workout. After driving by the location every day on the way home from work, I had been wanting to give it a try. I knew that Todd Smith owned the gym, in my early years of working out, I belonged to one of his first gyms. I appreciated his wealth of knowledge, passion for fitness and empathy and compassion he showed to both his trainers and the clients.
I decided to run the crazy idea of trying a new gym out with my running partners and my sister. They say accountability is the glue that ties commitment to results. The next week there were seven of us giving this new gym a “try”. All of us went in with the mindset of it being a little too far from home, already having a good routine, the class being too early in the morning and knowing the price might be more than we would want to spend. The trainer and the class exceeded our expectations and before I could ask my friends what they thought, they already wanted to sign up. Right then and there was the beginning of our 5 AM crew.
When people think of the gym they think about the physical benefits. However, as a teacher in this crazy world, the gym has been an important outlet for the start of a different kind of school year. When I walk into Ultimate Workout, it is the start of a new day and a new beginning. It is a chance for me to concentrate on setting goals and conquering them. The gym is one thing that today I have control of. It is an hour of no worries, regardless of what is happening in the classroom or in my day-to-day life. It is a chance to help relieve the stress and concentrate on bettering myself.
When I think of the friends and family I have at Ultimate, I feel beyond blessed. Some of these people have been with me from the beginning, others joined throughout the years, many I met along the way. Despite how we know one another, we hold each other accountable, depend on each other, support one another and we challenge each other to be better both inside and outside of the fire studio. When I tell people about Ultimate Workout, I tell them it’s more than just a gym, it is a family. A family that cares about each member as an individual. It is essential to know that it is a gym who prioritizes giving back to their community and a gym that I am proud to be a part of. From the people, to the atmosphere, to the right mentality, and everything in between, Ultimate Workout is the place for me.
Surround yourself with people who push you, who make you laugh, who make you stronger, and those who make you better.