I needed to table my blog for the last three weeks. The only writing I've been doing is a business plan for a new studio I am opening next week. When the dust settles in the new gym I will resume regular posting.
High Level Fitness closed last week after nearly six years. I am going to miss that place and all of the people I had the privilege to work along side in the last three years. High Level Fitness gave me a place to start and grow professionally and I will forever be grateful for that. High Level Fitness' closing left me with only one real option, to open my own gym. I will never find a place to work that would tolerate me and support me as much as Donna did at HLF.
While most business plans take six months to a year, I had four weeks. I'm still not totally done, but I see no need for detailed projections with fancy charts. They're all speculation anyway. I have the numbers but no fancy charts. I joked to people that I opened and closed a hundred businesses in the first week (one of them was a hot dog stand on the corner of Ithan and Lancaster. I think I'd make a killing there, but then I had to close it because my cholesterol was too high from eating all of the hot dogs. Monica started looking up available space (of which there is plenty). We'd take some night time drives around flooding storefronts with my high beams so we could steal a peak inside.
I've talked to a lot of great people in the last few weeks. I received great advice and support from local business owners I'd introduce myself to on our quest. I also got a chance to talk to local gym owners which I'd never took the time to do before. Fellow RKCs,
Brad Nelson and
Jason Marshall gave me sound advice early on and I appreciate that greatly.
Thanks to Monica, I have a space. Today I file for an occupancy permit and apply for the insurance.
Thanks to Donna and HLF, I have some stuff to put in that place along with the experience to know what to do with it. Thanks to Brad and Jason, I have an idea of what to do in this place. Thanks to Pavel Tsatsouline, James Sjostrom, Will Williams and the RKC community, I have a vision for the training philosophy of this place. Thanks to my loyal clients who will move with me, I will have people to train in this new place.
The location is 17 S. Valley Road Paoli, PA 19301
The name will be Kettlebells 4 U, LLC
The look will be simple and clean, the front training area will have no reception desk, no 'cardio' equipment, no strength training machines and no sales desks. There will be a few benches for you to sit down and take off your shoes before you train. There will be dozens of kettlebells lined neatly against the wall, organized by size along with other tools proven to give you results. There will be a pull-up bar station, designed and created by me, in the far corner. There will be clients, there will be results.
I pledge to design a facility that has as little negative impact on this planet as I can.
- The plentiful windows will provide enough natural light during the day so I won't have any of the interior lights on. The lights are recessed bulbs controlled by four separate switches so they will only be on if needed.
- I will replace the current thermostat with a programmable, digital one for the radiator heat. Air conditioning will be supplied by a wall unit only if necessary. The windows all open and should allow for great airflow. Before the summer I will evaluate the efficiency of the air conditioner and replace if needed.
- I will have a filtered water dispenser/cooler for my clients to use. I will supply small cups but everyone is strongly encourage to bring their own refillable vessel (I haven't decided how strongly I am going to encourage you).
- I will not print receipts, they will be e-mailed.
- I will not use workout cards or any kind of written training log. Everything will be done on a small laptop.
- I will use smaller promotional materials in lieu of brochures and flyers. Most items will be the size of a business card.
- None of the training any clients does will directly use electricity. The only things that will be plugged in on the training floor are the water cooler and the laptop.
- I will have an automatic paper towel dispenser in the bathroom to help visitors limit their usage. I am considering a hot-air blower but they can be unsanitary.
- I will unplug everything when I leave.
The training will be the same as always
- Safety is the primary consideration. No one achieves their goals if they are injured.
- Provided they have medical clearance, no one can tell me they can't do it. If you are willing enough to try and follow direction, it's my job to get you there.
- Proper execution of the exercises sits with safety at the top of the list. The better you perform the exercises, the more you will get out of them. Again, if you are willing I will teach you.
- There will be no waste and no fluff
I am aiming to start training next Monday. If weather permits and my insurance is ready I will teach a class outside this week and a to-be-disclosed location. Everyone on my mailing list will receive an e-mail to announce this special class (or classes). You can sign up with the link below and you will also receive more timely updates on the new facility.
Gray Cook Cable Bar w/DVD
Superbands
7' Texas Power Bar
The Stick:Self Massager
