The Eastside’s first Anytime Fitness franchise opened Dec. 5 at The Village at Redmond Ridge.
Owner Myrissa Yamashiro said it caters to busy people because it really is open anytime — 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
“People who know they should be exercising more frequently have no more excuses,” she stated.
Yamashiro knows how easy it can be to make those excuses. She said a little more than five years ago, she was a stereotypical “overweight, stay-at-home mom who sat on the sofa and ate bon-bons.”
She called her journey from a sedentary lifestyle to that of a gym owner and certified personal trainer “a true fat to fit story.” Once she made up her mind to shed pounds and improve her health, she realized, “you have to incorporate daily exercise, watch what you eat and make every day better.”
Back in the late 1980s and early ‘90s, she had tried working out with Cindy Crawford videos but attempting to look like a super-model was discouraging. She wants potential members of Anytime Fitness to know that it’s a friendly gym, with a focus on better health, not a place to flaunt a perfect body.
Equipment is state-of-the-art and includes treadmills with individual screens where you can watch TV or a movie, ports where you can plug in your iPod and listen to your favorite music and USB ports so you can download your personal progress summaries.
Virtual reality bikes allow riders to choose different courses. “When you see a hill coming up, the resistance increases,” said Yamashiro. The handlebars move so you can steer realistically, too.
There’s a full range of free weights and specialized machines geared to upper or lower body strengthening and toning.
All new members get an orientation tour and personal trainer Alana Deines is available to offer more instruction and advice as desired.
A vending machine is stocked with healthy snacks and “three-quarter bathrooms,” one for men and one for women have private shower stalls. Yamashiro noted that most people shower at home after their workouts, so waiting to use the bathrooms isn’t a problem.
Safety is always a concern for anyone using a gym at odd hours. Yamashiro explained that surveillance cameras and alarms are in place to prevent unauthorized visitors from “tailgating,” following members into the club after they’ve used an electronic key fob to enter. The club is equipped with a courtesy phone to call 911, an emergency button that automatically summons police and fire departments and portable emergency devices in case a guest needs medical attention or feels threatened in any way. An AED (automated external defibrillator) and first-aid kit are also prominently displayed for members’ use.
Potential club members can come in during guest hours, which are Monday-Friday from 10 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday from 9 a.m.-1 p.m. or by appointment, to learn about membership benefits and prices, which can include an optional tanning package.
Members can use their electronic key fobs to access the same benefits at all Anytime Fitness franchises in the country. There currently are more than 800 locations nationwide.
For more information, visit Anytime Fitness at 23445 NE Novelty Hill Rd., Suite G-403, call (425) 443-0381 or e-mail redmondwa@anytimefitness.com.
