Many people, women especially, avoid gyms because they feel like people are looking at them. Even if they're not (although many TikTok videos would suggest that they are) it's hard not to feel like you're on display.
Working out involves a lot of compromising positions and for people just starting out the thought of walking into a wide-open gym and tackling a machine in the middle of the room for the first time is intimidating and downright unappealing.
A new boutique gym that opened this week in South Surrey addresses this problem by introducing the concept of private "FITsuites" that come fully equipped with machines and weights for a full-body workout.
Safe Sweat is a 2,700 square feet facility with eight suites ranging in size from 150- to 250 square feet each.
The pods are spacious enough to fit a treadmill, squat rack, free weights, suspension training, and endless rope trainer. There is also a TV screen which has a library of original workouts categorized by body part, workout type, and fitness level or it can be connected to Netflix for those who want to really feel like they're in a home gym.
There are also dimmable lights and recovery tools that further support total body wellness. The windows of each suite are partially tinted for privacy so people can't see between pods but staff are able to make sure people aren't in medical distress.
The gym is currently accepting memberships but there will be a cap on the number of members they can manage. Fees start at $165 a month for access to the six standard-size rooms and go up to $275 for access to the two larger suites and a guest privilege. The different memberships will also dedicate what time the gym is open to you with the higher membership rates offering later evening times.
The plan is that Safe Sweat in Granview Corners is the first location of a future franchise according to founders Emre Ozgur and Andrea Kloegman. The pair have both experienced body image issues and gym anxiety firsthand and sought to fill a void in the fitness industry that tackled equipment and wait-times and oggling while still providing a luxe gym experience.
“Millions of people suffer from gym anxiety, but not enough people talk about it and we wanted to not only normalize the conversation but provide a solution,” says Ozgur in a press release. “By removing outside distractions, the need to wait for or wipe down equipment, and the stressors of working out in a busy public gym, the focus shifts back to the only person that matters: the person in the mirror.”
Kloegman adds, “We designed Safe Sweat for physical and mental empowerment, not to mention optimal workout efficiency.”
