By Barbara Brewer La Mere
Casey and Matt Gunning opened their new
gym, Gunning Elite Training, 2100 Doubleday
Ave. (Route 50) in Ballston Spa in July.
Both have business degrees, but Casey is
the one who addresses the business aspects
of the gym while Matt is the personal trainer.
They say the key to attracting and maintaining
customers for their business will be
that all workouts are tailored to the needs
of the customers, whether those needs be
for weight loss, improved fitness or regaining
strength.
Casey said the targeted customer base is anyone who is driven to be healthier or more fit for life.
She said age-wise, they have a fair share of 20-somethings along with a lot of folks in their 40s and 50s. They have a goal of building community, backed up with a Facebook presence.
There is also a lot of enthusiasm and mutual encouragement and praise for goals achieved and for reaching outside of one’s comfort zone to achieve those goals, she said.
Gunning Elite Training has rowing machines and skiing machines. There are also medicine balls, rigs for pull-ups, and resistance bands, among the equipment. Resistance training in the form of sled pulls and prowler pushes are another aspect of training.
Matt said when he graduated from SUNY Plattsburgh he was not sure in what direction to travel with his B. A. in business. Along the way, he started working out, started feeling good about himself, and started to consider if he could help other people to “boost those endorphins.” He possesses certification in basic personal training and cross-training and is pursuing more certification.
Interacting with people to help them accomplish what they couldn’t do before gives Matt a good feeling about what his business is doing, he said.
Casey was a competitive water skier at the age of 12, earning numerous regional titles in swivel skiing, and a first place title at Division II nationals. She was active in other high school sports and is now certified as a CrossFit Level 1 trainer. She danced and played volleyball throughout middle school and high school, even playing and coaching travel volleyball. She also holds a bachelor’s degree in public relations.
Training sessions can be personal or small group format.
The gym opens at 5:30 a.m., usually closing around 5:30 or 6:30 p.m. Call the gym at 859-6741 for scheduling and additional information.