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Biz Buzz shares business tidbits from across the tri-state area. In addition to this update from Platteville, Wis., we will share other developments in Tuesday’s edition.
PLATTEVILLE, Wis. — Area fitness fans have a new place to work up a sweat after the recent opening of a Platteville gym.
Impact Fitness Platteville recently opened at 475 N. Water St. in the basement of the old Platteville Armory. The gym offers a variety of classes for all ages and skill levels with a focus on fitness basics.
“Our goal is fitness for everyone,” said owner Christina Sonsalla. “You can’t get good at something that you never start, but gyms can be super intimidating. We want to be that welcoming, judgment-free zone for people to start that fitness journey.”
Sonsalla said she was driven to open Impact Fitness after the closure of another local gym, High Vibe Fitness. That facility closed late last year, and as a longtime member, Sonsalla worried about the gap that would be left behind in the local fitness scene.
To fill it she decided to open her own gym, and the idea for Impact Fitness was born. She worked quickly to acquire the location in the old Armory building, and the gym officially opened on Jan. 6.
The gym already offers kickboxing classes and weight training, and Sonsalla said the plan is to soon add a dance class that will pair music with healthy movement.
The classes tend to focus on the basics, Sonsalla said, although modifications are available for more seasoned exercise enthusiasts.
“We want to be able to break it down for people who have never done it before and really remove that barrier,” she said. “We have everyone (ages) 10 to 70 in some of our classes, … so the idea is to have something for everyone.”
Class sizes are fairly small, Sonsalla added, meaning participants can get more direct and personalized support from gym staff. Participants often are put in pairs to offer additional support and motivation.
Impact Fitness also has partnered with Driftless Fitness and Yoga, another Platteville fitness facility, to offer dual memberships.
The dual memberships allow people to enjoy the services of both facilities, Sonsalla explained, effectively getting the best of both worlds.
“They have some classes that we don’t, and we have some that they don’t, so a dual membership made sense,” she said. “I thought it would be a nice collaboration to give people the full spectrum (of offerings).”
Impact Fitness is open Monday through Friday. Class schedules are posted each week on the gym’s Facebook page at facebook.com/impact.fitness.platteville and on the Impact Fitness Platteville mobile app, which can be accessed on Apple and Android devices.