MAKING
MOVES
MIXING UP YOUR WORKOUTS
by LYNDA VAN KUREN photo by ARIS HARDING
12
WILMA
T
ake a stroll along Wilmington’s riverfront, and you might come upon an unusual sight – a bunch of folks working out to some jammin’ music with an up-tempo beat. And the exercisers are not just getting in a great workout, they’re having fun while doing so. These community workouts – an offering from Axis Fitness + Training’s new downtown gym – are just one of the ways the fitness center provides unique and interesting workouts. The outdoor classes, which are announced on social media, are free to members and nonmembers alike, and people of all fitness levels can partake. “We bring the energy outside,” says MEGAN TATUM, a strength coach at Axis Fitness and its business operations director. Though Axis Fitness’ exercise programs are fun, they are intense and based on exercise science. By employing exercise physiology, heart rate monitors, and data tracking, cli-
SEPTEMBER 2021
ents safely push beyond their perceived limits in the gym. As a result, they meet – and often exceed – their fitness goals, all while gaining confidence that leads to achievements in their personal and professional lives, according to MIKE BARNHART, owner of Axis Fitness Training. “So many people don’t realize their potential,” Barnhart says. “You allocate one hour in which you work out in a progressive way that is relevant to what you want to experience, and you’ll understand how success in the gym transfers to other areas of your life.” That success comes from a finely calibrated program developed for each Axis Fitness client. It starts with an assessment where trainers learn the clients’ fitness level and goals, which range from weight loss and toning to being able to move better. Then, a trainer creates an exercise program designed to help the client succeed. “Our goal is to meet people where they are and get them where they want to go,” Barnhart says. “We have the tools and understanding to give them a ton of confidence. Our goal is to say, ‘Let me hold your hand. Let me
