New Year's resolution? Kim Day Training is taking on all comers
Kim Day has been on the go for years, hosting her fitness classes and personal training all over Knoxville – in parks, school parking lots, gyms and online. She’s gained a dedicated following for her Pound classes – a full-body cardio jam session created by professional drummers and featuring signature green drumsticks.
On Dec. 11, Day hosted a diverse fitness class sampler with her team of instructors at Kim Day Training at 5429 North Broadway in Fountain City. Day was visibly moved by the number of people who showed up to support and see her dream realized.
“I have always been a group fitness junkie ever since college; I have sought out group fitness classes at various gyms,” admits Day.
After studying broadcast journalism in school, Day said she moved to Knoxville to pursue a career in the industry before she was part of a mass layoff in 2008 during the recession.
“I went to the gym and asked if they were looking for new instructors,” she said. “I was paid to teach group fitness and had a free membership.”
Day continued to work in project management for Discovery/Scripps Network, but increasingly grew frustrated with her cubicle job.
“I couldn’t sit in a cubicle any longer! I had to figure out what I wanted to do with my life,” she said. “I was talking to my husband, and he said ‘What about personal training? You are so good with people; I think you would be great at it.”
After earning her certification, Day worked at National Fitness Center for two years before branching out on her own in 2012 and training clients out of her home studio in addition to regular sessions with corporate clients.
A stint training at a smaller gym followed, with a mix of classes and personal training. Then the pandemic hit, and Day started her virtual business.
“The virtual classes sparked in me an urge to start my own gym. I saw how badly people were craving community, movement and just working out together,” said Day. “I saw how people followed me and stuck by my side for three years. I thought it would fizzle out, but it didn’t, and as the pandemic started to ease up, I knew it was time to search for a space.”
The search proved to be full of ups and downs. Just as Day had her heart set on a location, it would fall through. Day prayed on it, and it became clear Fountain City was where she needed to be. She texted the landlord of a commercial space just north of Fountain City Park the next morning.
“I asked to look at the space one more time before fall break and we did more measuring,” she said. “I knew this is where we were meant to be.”
After Ritchie Construction moved to a bigger location, the 3,400 square feet was opened up and the front windows replaced to allow light to flood in.
“I really wanted to have a big open space for the group classes, with space for circuits and training,” said Day. “We have a space for Pound kettle bells, squat racks and a bench press, as well as dumbbells.”
There is a cardio section, with a treadmill, elliptical, and rowing machine for people who just want to come and work out on a yucky, cold day or warm up before class, according to Day.
The biggest hurdle was installing 10,000 pounds of rubber flooring, which makes a nice alternative to the concrete and asphalt surfaces in Day’s outdoor classes. “It took an army of people to help us over one weekend,” she said. “We are so thankful. Each mat weighs 100 pounds. It looks so good, and it is exactly what we wanted; it is a safe, solid rubber flooring that can handle everything.”
The easiest way to view classes and packages, according to Day, is to go to kimdaytraining.com to view pricing, a class schedule and open gym hours.
“I am purposely offering every new person three free classes, so they can get a feel for the huge variety of what I am going to offer,” she said. The gym officially opens to the public on Saturday.
“I have been to big gyms where it is very intimidating,” she said. “You feel like everyone is staring at you and you don’t know what to do when you go in there. I wanted to create a space where you feel welcome, you know people and there is no question that you’re in the right place.”
Kim Day Training has a team of instructors. “That is the one thing I am really proud of,” said Day. “The variety from heavy weightlifting to yoga, to circuit, to barre to open gym. There is something for everybody.”
This article originally appeared on Knoxville News Sentinel: New Year's resolution? Kim Day Training is taking on all comers
