Many Arlingtonians work tirelessly each day to climb the corporate ladder… but that doesn’t do much for our quads.
That’s where 9Round comes in.
The constant motivation and ever-changing routines at this trio of Arlington boxing and fitness clubs aim to take the body back to basics — in just 30 minutes.
“We don’t have to hunt for food anymore. The big hunt now is the paycheck,” but the routine at 9Round “feeds that innate desire to move and battle, so to speak, and to survive that society no longer has,” said Rob Graveline, a co-owner and trainer 9Round’s Arlington locations.
Graveline and co-owners Michael Agrillo and Todd Wilson have opened three 9Round locations in the county — in Ballston, Courthouse and along Columbia Pike — plus another in Falls Church.
Graveline, who grew up in Arlington, said the neighborhoods had the right “vibe” for the fitness club’s fast-paced, fun atmosphere.
9Round offers a continuous circuit and members can drop in at anytime and start exercising — and each workout takes just 30 minutes. The nine stations focus on endurance, cardio, flexibility, range of motion, functionality and core strengthening. The fitness centers on the clubs’ signature boxing and kickboxing workouts.
Without that drive to find food or safety, what’s left to push us to be fit and healthy?
“The body literally thinks ‘If we’re not chasing something to eat it or being chased by something… why the hell am I doing it?'” Graveline said. At 9Round, “We go back to a lot of that really basic instinct that feeds that need to move,” he said.
The club’s routines capture the body’s natural movement patterns, which are associated with every body, regardless of age, Graveline said. In fact, his 6- and 9-year old daughters both exercise at 9Round — and so does a 70-year-old woman who underwent open-heart surgery two years ago.
“It’s really designed with the idea of being efficient, safe and having fun,” Graveline said.
A trainer is always on hand to motivate, assist or modify the routine for each individual member and virtual nutrition advice comes with every membership.
“You might be in a room full of people… but this is about you and we’re there to help coach and make sure you challenge yourself an see results, and to have fun — but at the same time to make sure that you don’t overdo it,” Graveline said.
After less than two years in business, it seems like the owners were right about 9Round fitting in with the Arlington neighborhoods — online reviews of 9Round in Arlington have been overwhelmingly positive.
“People seem to love it,” said Graveline, who also is a trainer at the club. “I had one woman say she literally went home and dreamt about the workout. Another person said it was more like a nightclub with fitness built in.”
But the No. 1 draw? No class times.
“You don’t have to run a marathon, you don’t have to spend an hour or two every day” to get fit, Graveline said. The 30-minute time commitment “eliminates a lot of the excuses” for skipping the gym, he added.
Graveline has 26 years of experience in the industry, but said 9Round is the most effective fitness model he has seen.
“I’ve seen the highest percentage of success in the shortest period of time” with 9Round, Graveline said, noting that the most successful members also changed their diet and maintained a regular workout schedule.
“It continually motivates clients to come back regularly.”
The preceding was a sponsored local business profile written by Michelle Rosenfeld for ARLnow.com.