About a year ago, Grayhawk’s pal and six-time Major League Baseball All-Star, Paul Konerko and his wife Jennifer, opened a new fitness studio just south of us on Pima Road. It’s called Fitwall, and it’s one of the most innovative ways to shape up that has come along in quite a while.
The actual 2 ½ – foot wide by 7 ½ – foot tall Fitwall unit looks a little like a ladder with hand rungs near the top and footsteps towards the bottom. Part of the drill is to scramble up and down, while holding up your body weight, engaging your upper body, lower body and core simultaneously. They also employ floor-based exercises and resistance bands to round-out the fun.
“At first it can look a little intimidating,” said Colten Tyler, Head Coach at Fitwall. “But it’s really the opposite. The scalability of the program allows our coaches to work with any fitness level. We don’t just go hard all the time; the pace ebbs and flows to get you where you need to be at any given time during the workout. It’s a big part of training smart.”
Every 40-minute Fitwall session blends strength, cardio and flexibility training in a total-body workout. This results in stronger, sleeker and more functional bodies. And you don’t have to go it alone. Fitwall’s coaches are there every step of the way to push, without being pushy, motivate not denigrate and customize workouts to your needs, not their agenda. And, with an 8-to-1 coach-to-student ratio, somebody’s always available to help.
Technology is also another driving force for Fitwall’s success. Their proprietary technology platform guides you through the workout visually, monitors your performance during the class and allows you to track your improvement over time. Each station houses its own iPad where your workout is shown and your target effort zones are displayed: sprint, move and rest.
In addition to the watchful eye of the coaches and the feedback from the technology platform, Fitwall pumps in some great tunes to keep things jumping. Anyone who’s ever found themselves pushing the speed limit when a great song comes on the radio will tell you, the right music at the right time can really get your motor running.
For all the science and technology, the program’s appeal also rests on the power of a good time among friends. Fun is a key benefit Fitwall brings to the table. Let’s face it, working out more or less sucks. Fitwall’s group classes, engaging coaches and lighthearted atmosphere cuts through the monotony in a way that’ll keep you coming back for more.
“One of the biggest surprises to most people is that they actually enjoy the workouts,” said Tyler. “My background was in exercise science with intentions to pursuing physical therapy, but now I leverage fitness to prevent injuries instead of treating them. It’s very rewarding to help people reach their goals, while having a little fun along the way.”
So, if the Shake Weight, 8-Minute Abs and the ThighMaster aren’t getting the job done, maybe it’s time to get off the fence and get on the Fitwall.
To learn more, visit Fitwall.com, or call 480.226.7099 to get started.
