A few unique fitness opportunities launched in Hampton Roads in time for residents’ New Year’s resolutions.

Fitness app powers gym routines

Eric Landers became manager of My Open Workout after it opened in Chesapeake in November.

The 24/7 facility in Great Bridge not only has a fully stocked gym, but also offers users the iFIT personalized fitness app. The app tracks members inside and outside the club, has a wide variety of workouts to choose from and has a built-in point system to reward members as they reach certain levels. The app is connected to all of the cardio equipment, including the treadmills, bikes, ellipticals and steppers.

My Open Workout is only the second gym in the United States to offer the technology powered by iFIT workouts, which Landers said is like having a personal trainer in your pocket.

“The biggest benefit, I think, is that it encourages people to exercise just a bit longer,” Landers said. “It’s like you’re on a tour in another country.”

The app offers encouragement, suggests different workouts based on habits and keeps favorites.

“The app gives workout ideas based around who the user is,” Landers said. “That’s the biggest benefit for people that use it.”

Landers said business is growing steadily, averaging a new member daily since the new year.

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Social networking app motivates fitness enthusiasts

Breon Dominek Innman launched myfitCEO.com, a health and fitness social networking platform to give fitness enthusiasts and working professionals a place to share their passion online.

“One hundred percent of what we do is strictly for fitness,” Inman said.

The St. Louis native, who earned his bachelor’s in accounting and Master of Business Administration at Hampton University, is CEO but credits a team of professionals from Asia, China, India, Korea, Pakistan and Latin America who helped him create the concept.

Downloaded on Google Play and the App store, myfitCEO allows users — from beginners to advanced fitness enthusiasts — to connect, socialize and share fitness experiences with like-minded active people around the world, Inman said.

“Typically when you’re in the gym, you’re restricted to the people to the left and right of you from a workout standpoint,” he said. “This platform allows you to connect with people all over the world.”

Inman said users can post photos, videos and share videos from other platforms. It also enables users access to a host of workout videos and the ability to track workouts and create reports and charts.

Financially driven through advertising revenue and monthly fitness subscriptions, an online retail store featuring apparel, nutritional supplements and equipment is also in the works.

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Guided stretching becomes trendy

The simple act of stretching can help the body in a variety of ways. It is known to improve sports performance, increase range of motion and flexibility, reduce muscle and joint pain, improve posture and reduce stress.

StretchLab, offering one-on-one stretch services for all ages and fitness levels, opened its first location in Virginia last year.

Bree Rivers, who has a bachelor’s degree in athletic training and a master’s degree in kinesiology and biomechanics, opened StretchLab at 733 Eden Way in Chesapeake in March 2022. She opened her second location at 741 First Colonial Road in Virginia Beach on Dec. 1 and has plans for a third at Town Center later this year.

“Our flexologists are working on mobility, flexibility and decreasing pain,” Rivers said. “There are a lot of different clientele demographics that we see … Maybe they have lower back pain, hip tightness or shoulder discomforts.”

She said they also see athletes who go in for sports performance and injury prevention.

“The flexologists are taking the clients to new end-ranges that you wouldn’t be able to get to necessarily by yourself,” she said.

Started in Venice, California, in 2015, StretchLab has more than 100 studios throughout the U.S.

Sandra J. Pennecke, 757-652-5836, sandra.pennecke@insidebiz.com