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Over six weeks into the New Year and it’s time to check in on those January 1 goals. Whatever they may be, there’s a good chance that health and well-being are sitting atop that list of ambitions. And one workout studio is hoping to help us get there by changing the way we exercise.

New Year’s resolutions aside, 2021 is off to a promising start for Switch Fitness, one of the city’s newest gym facilities. Its studio, conveniently located in a rapidly-growing area of Halifax’s Clayton Park at 30 Farnham Gate Road, celebrated its grand opening on January 2, 2021 – marking the realization of a years-long vision for owner Marisol Nicieza.

Ready to overcome the challenges of last year’s impact on local businesses by COVID-19, the fitness industry in HRM is slowly but surely bouncing back. As its newest entrant, Switch Fitness offers members the most technologically advanced equipment for individuals, a great small group training format, and a team of friendly, qualified trainers who enjoy getting to know their clients as they support them along their fitness journey.

Originally from Cuba, owner and manager Nicieza emigrated to Nova Scotia in 2009 and found herself facing a dilemma on where to turn to take control of her fitness after a Type 1 diabetes diagnosis left her health at “rock bottom.”

“Fitness became my hope and my passion,” she says. “I tried everything, from going to different gyms to running a half marathon and, along the way, I experienced how hard it is to start and how intimidating it can be to take that first step and enter a new gym – so when I came up with idea to open Switch Fitness I wanted to fill that gap.

I wanted to create something that was both effective, and inclusive for all fitness levels; a space where a total beginner can walk in and feel as confident as the more experienced users, and where everyone gets great reliable results efficiently. And that is exactly what we offer at Switch Fitness – we have something for everyone.”

Applying her background in business management, Nicieza’s idea of creating a safe space for people of all fitness levels at Switch evolved into one that coupled this concept with cutting-edge technology – allowing clients to exercise smarter with tangible results.

“We’re actually the first fitness studio in Canada to offer patented technology from Olympic Games supplier Technogym that offers a completely guided, personalized workout where the equipment itself adjusts your seating, your weights, and has a built-in personal trainer function that tells you how many reps you have to do and what station to go to next, while also giving you performance feedback,” she explains.

Gym-goers can use this technology equipment on Switch Fitness’s Biocircuit where they can choose from five different integrated programs tailored around boosting performance, toning up, movement, weight loss, and rejuvenation to best suit their fitness journey. As for tracking results? There’s an app for that. Users can follow their progress by downloading the program’s accompanying MyWellness app feature.

“We also offer a Skillathletic Group Training format, created and designed by Technogym,” says Nicieza. “The most technologically advanced, performance-oriented small group training experience, it’s for those who love the motivation, encouragement, and inspiration that come from working out with others.”

Designed to increase endurance, strength, and power through functional training and targeted heart rate zones, one of the more unique elements to the classes is the use of the Skillmill, their signature equipment – a non-motorized, self-powered treadmill with a curved deck designed to be ergonomically safe for the joints.

“With this human traction treadmill, you are literally the engine of your workout, solely responsible for your sweat, tears, and gains,” Nicieza states.

For those who would argue that it can be hard to stay motivated and go to the gym on a regular basis if they aren’t seeing their results, Nicieza says Switch Fitness offers a solution that can help manage client expectations in a way that keeps them moving towards their fitness goal.

“We’re the first fitness facility in Nova Scotia to offer Fit3D body scans,” she says. “There is nothing like seeing yourself in 3D for the first time. It’s a shocking experience that forces people to evaluate their health and physique from a new perspective. Avatars do this, printouts do not.”

So, for gym-goers who want to go the extra mile to track their toning or weight loss progress, the Fit3D scan will give them an accurate full-body analysis using medical research data from DXA – the industry gold standard for body composition data. Using a non-invasive, near-infrared camera the technology can create a realistic 3D avatar image of a user’s body in as little as 40 seconds.

“The Fit3D Scanner allows you to see results not only on the outside, but also the progress on the inside,” says Nicieza. “Change happens slowly over time, and people can easily get discouraged if they think all their efforts are doing little to achieve their health and fitness goals. Having a detailed report such as this gives clients the reassurance that change is happening – even when they can’t see it in the mirror themselves.”

However, Nicieza says that all of the facility’s state-of-the-art technology would mean little without a great team behind it supporting each customer along their fitness journey.

“Our most important asset is our team” she says. “We have a great group of qualified trainers – and if you ask anyone who has visited us, they will tell you it’s such a friendly environment and I am proud of that. That’s how I envisioned it, a place that is more than a gym – it’s a wellness experience.”

Want to make the Switch? Join now (https://www.switch-fitness.ca/join) and enjoy a 7-day free trial on the Biocircuit and Skillathletic programs when you sign up. Also, Switch Fitness is waiving their enrolment fees for the month of February! Call/text 902-877-0636 and they’ll help you get started!

Check them out online at https://www.switch-fitness.ca, and @switchfitnesshalifax on Facebook and Instagram.

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