Owner and personal trainer Joel McCauley offers individual training, couples training and an open gym. Photo by Michael Thompson.
On the heels of its one-year anniversary, a fitness startup has pressed into a new location.
Freedom Fit Gym opened July 5 at 9830 Atlee Commons Drive in Ashland. Owner Joel McCauley said he is leasing the 1,800-square-foot space.
McCauley offers personal training at Freedom Fit Gym where fitness seekers will find free weights, workout benches, squat racks and cardio machines.
He launched the business in 2015 at 12141 Washington Highway in Ashland. He said the new space has a layout.
“I started in a space that was a great start, but a little cramped,” McCauley said. “With enough people and enough support it became a whirlwind of business.”
McCauley said he’s been in and out of gyms since he was a teenager. The Virginia Tech alum got his trainer’s certification while at college, and then landed a personal training job in Richmond before launching Freedom Fit Gym.
He offers one-on-one training, couples training and an open gym. McCauley said he does between five to eight hours of training a day. He wouldn’t say how many clients he has on the books.
“I’ve got people who run marathons, I’ve got a retired firefighter, and I’ve got post-partum moms,” he said.
Freedom Fit is part of a competitive fitness market in Richmond. There are larger players like the YMCA, Gold’s Gym and Crunch Gym, regional operations like ACAC and American Family Fitness, and niche players that focus on ballet barre and stationary cycling.
McCauley said his space can’t compete when it comes to number of TVs or spas – Freedom Fit Gym has neither.
“What sets me apart is me,” McCauley said. “A good trainer can give you a great workout with a paper bag.”
The six-week intro package at Freedom Fit costs $500 and comes with two training sessions a week, access to the gym, and a recommended nutrition plan. The gym is a one-person operation for the moment, but that may change if business grows.
“The goal in the future when demand requires it is when I hire like-minded individuals,” McCauley said.
Owner and personal trainer Joel McCauley offers individual training, couples training and an open gym. Photo by Michael Thompson.
On the heels of its one-year anniversary, a fitness startup has pressed into a new location.
Freedom Fit Gym opened July 5 at 9830 Atlee Commons Drive in Ashland. Owner Joel McCauley said he is leasing the 1,800-square-foot space.
McCauley offers personal training at Freedom Fit Gym where fitness seekers will find free weights, workout benches, squat racks and cardio machines.
He launched the business in 2015 at 12141 Washington Highway in Ashland. He said the new space has a layout.
“I started in a space that was a great start, but a little cramped,” McCauley said. “With enough people and enough support it became a whirlwind of business.”
McCauley said he’s been in and out of gyms since he was a teenager. The Virginia Tech alum got his trainer’s certification while at college, and then landed a personal training job in Richmond before launching Freedom Fit Gym.
He offers one-on-one training, couples training and an open gym. McCauley said he does between five to eight hours of training a day. He wouldn’t say how many clients he has on the books.
“I’ve got people who run marathons, I’ve got a retired firefighter, and I’ve got post-partum moms,” he said.
Freedom Fit is part of a competitive fitness market in Richmond. There are larger players like the YMCA, Gold’s Gym and Crunch Gym, regional operations like ACAC and American Family Fitness, and niche players that focus on ballet barre and stationary cycling.
McCauley said his space can’t compete when it comes to number of TVs or spas – Freedom Fit Gym has neither.
“What sets me apart is me,” McCauley said. “A good trainer can give you a great workout with a paper bag.”
The six-week intro package at Freedom Fit costs $500 and comes with two training sessions a week, access to the gym, and a recommended nutrition plan. The gym is a one-person operation for the moment, but that may change if business grows.
“The goal in the future when demand requires it is when I hire like-minded individuals,” McCauley said.