The owners of a new East Side business want to take the intimidation out of working out.
Vera Knight and Mary Ellen Coffey opened Focus Fitness Tucson Inc., 7801 E. Kenyon Drive, in early November.
Their plan is to create an intimate setting for those who might be intimidated by a regular gym.
The studio is located on property owned by Christ Community Church. Coffey said the location provides a private atmosphere with lower rent than a typical storefront.
The trainers take clients by appointment and are available 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Friday.
"People want fitness to be effective and convenient," Knight said.
Three personal trainers run the studio, and they work with clients one-on-one or in small groups. Men, women and couples exercise at the studio.
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All three trainers are certified through the American Council on Exercise. The non-profit organization provides ongoing training for fitness professionals. Candidates must pass an exam before becoming certified.
The owners' long-term goal is to hire additional trainers and open a second studio in a more prominent location, Knight said.
One client, Peggy Gay, said she has trained with Knight for three years and she chose to stay with Knight when Focus Fitness opened.
Gay said personal trainers she's had in the past had a predetermined vision of fitness that she had to fill, whereas Knight focuses on what she wants.
"They listen to how you're feeling and will adjust the exercise accordingly," she said. "But they don't take whining."
Knight said she decided to pursue a career as a trainer in the mid-'90s. She said she had two children and felt out of shape. So she decided to educate herself on fitness and got an associate degree from Pima Community College with an emphasis on fitness.
On Dec. 4, she and some of her clients, including Gay, ran the Bobbi Olson Half-Marathon.
Coffey has a background in martial arts. She plans to start a kickboxing class at Focus Fitness early in January.
Knight and Coffey said it's common for the fitness industry to see a surge in business at the beginning of the year, but that interest can taper off by March.
As a result, they try to establish a personal relationship with all of their clients.
Coffey said Focus Fitness provides a comfortable setting for people to exercise, but the level of commitment is determined by the client.
"It has to be important for her, because I can train a client three hours a week. But what she does with the rest of her day, I have no control over that," she said.
Even if people don't have the money to join a gym or work out with a personal trainer, they can still incorporate fitness into their lifestyle, Coffey said.
They should exercise everyday for at least 20 minutes and eat healthy foods. It can even be as simple as finding a remote parking spot and walking a little farther.
In their homes, people can lift weights using soup cans or partially filled gallon jugs. They can do push ups or squats while watching television.
When starting off, it's good to take it easy, Coffey said.
"First and foremost is to listen to your body," she said.
Barbara Aguierre, who exercises with Focus Fitness trainer Maggie Gingerich, said she's noticed results since she began working out with Gingerich.
She said she is more comfortable training at the studio than she was at other gyms.
And while Knight and Coffey take fitness seriously, they don't judge their clients harshly.
"They don't make me feel immoral for being out of shape," Aguierre said.
They listen to how you're feeling and will adjust the exercise accordingly. But they don't take whining.
Peggy Gay
Client of Focus Fitness
