Workouts with a personal touch

Fitness Together, a new exercise studio in Newport Beach, offers a

place to exercise away from crowds.

The Newport Beach franchise is part of a national chain of

exercise studios. The franchise opened in late July on Birch Avenue

near Bristol Street. The store sits on the edge of Santa Ana Heights

and the airport business district.

“Newport Beach is a great area to be in for fitness, and this area

gives us an opportunity to serve people from the professional

community as well as the residential area,” trainer and manager

Anthony Kim said.

Fitness Together’s concept is based on personal training. Kim said

clients always work with trainers on a one-on-one basis. The setting

is more private than a typical gym since most of each workout is done

in a private exercise room. Clients begin their sessions on one of

three cardio machines before moving on to weight training in one of

three secluded areas.

One benefit of the studio’s individualized setting is that

customers don’t have to fight each other to use exercise machines,

according to trainer and manager Corrie Kenagy.

Fitness Together employees also work with clients to develop a

fitness plan designed to steer people toward healthier eating habits

outside the studio.

“It’s half us and half them to be able to make a difference in

their fitness,” trainer and manager Coral Richer said.

Fitness Together has the equipment for people interested in body

building or physical rehabilitation, the trainers said.

So far, most of the studio’s clients seek exercise plans to help

them lose weight or improve general fitness.

“It’s a big stress reducer, especially for professional clients,”

Kenagy said.

The studio’s walls are currently lined with nature photographs.

Kim said Fitness Together invites local artists to submit works to

the studio, allowing it to have a secondary function as a gallery.

Kim said the art is also part of an attempt to create an

atmosphere unlike that of large gyms, which often feature large

mirrors and posters of bulked-up athletes.

“It’s not solely about coming in here and pounding the weights,”

Kim said.

Fitness Together is at 20072 S.W. Birch St., Newport Beach.

* ANDREW EDWARDS covers business and the environment. He can be

reached at (714) 966-4624 or by e-mail at

[email protected].