gym | ARLnow.com

Morning Notes

Published March 23, 2018 at 8:55AM

Arlington Revamps Engagement on Projects — “The County’s new ‘Six-Step Public Engagement Guide for Capital Projects’ aims to strengthen engagement and communication processes across County government – for hundreds of capital projects both large and small… The guide identifies four types of engagement that can occur with capital projects: Communicate… Consult… Involve… Collaborate.” [Arlington County]

Barre3 Opening ‘For Real’ — After construction, permitting, and inspection delays, Clarendon’s new Barre3 exercise studio has set a new opening date of March 22 — “for real.” An email to customers apologized to those who have been “waiting (and waiting and waiting)” for the studio to open in Clarendon’s Market Common shopping plaza at 2800 Clarendon Boulevard.

Millennials Buying Homes at Modest Pace — “Home purchases by Millennials ticked up over the past year, but inventory constraints and higher housing costs kept their overall activity subdued and prevented some from leaving the more affordable confines of their Gen X and Baby Boomer parents’ homes.” Meanwhile, Northern Virginia’s population continues to boom while many rural Virginia locales are shrinking. [InsideNova, InsideNova]

Arlington Mill Community Center Gym Closed For Repairs

By Bridget Reed Morawski

Published March 15, 2018 at 5:00PM

The Arlington Mill Community Center gym will be closed for floor maintenance today (March 15) through March 19.

The gym will reopen on March 20, according to an Arlington Dept. of Parks and Recreation spokesperson, adding that there wasn’t much programming this week that is affected by the closure.

Everything else at the community center, including the fitness room, will remain open.

While the repairs themselves are minor, the gym floor — which was replaced this fall — has to be “cured,” according to the spokesperson, and that takes several days to dry. The maintenance is a proactive measure, and there wasn’t any noticeable problem or lack of smoothness before the maintenance began.

Photo via Arlington County.

‘Bash Boxing’ to Replace Cafe Asia in Rosslyn

By Anna Merod

Published January 31, 2018 at 1:45PM

Bash Boxing, a boxing-focused interval workout studio, will open its first location this spring in Rosslyn.

The new studio will be replacing Cafe Asia (1550 Wilson Blvd), which closed in 2016 after nearly 15 years in business.

The boutique studio’s fitness routine combines boxing on an water-filled aqua training bag and high intensity interval training for a total 45-minute workout. Half of the workout is boxing on the water bag and the other half is on the floor doing interval training.

Alex Trakas, one of the co-founders of Bash Boxing, noted the benefits of using an aqua training bag over one filled with sand.

“There’s no pain that goes into your joints. Every time you hit into the bag it just absorbs all the punch and all the energy,” Trakas said.

What differentiates Bash from other boxing gyms in the D.C. area is that it’s interval training focused, but uses boxing for cardio, said Lee Smith, another co-founder of Bash.

Trakas said the studio is “driving a community vibe” and is one of the reasons she and other co-founders invested into Bash Boxing. She added that there will be a pre-sale mid February that future members can access on the studio’s website.

Other partners in the brand include Arlington area entrepreneurs Scott Parker (A-Town, Don Tito, Barley Mac, The G.O.A.T.), Win Sheridan (Apex Systems, Echostage, Soundcheck, Bresca) and Sherif Abdalla (TTR Sotheby’s).

The Washington Business Journal reported yesterday that Bash will take up just over half of the cavernous former Cafe Asia space.

Photo courtesy Andy B.

Flooding Closes Courthouse Gym, Chamber of Commerce Office

By ARLnow.com

Published December 19, 2017 at 3:45PM | Updated December 19, 2017 at 4:03PM

Flooding closes the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and a gym in Courthouse

A burst water pipe in an apartment building has closed the offices of the Arlington Chamber of Commerce and the Next Phase fitness studio in Courthouse.

Restoration crews are currently on scene at the Tellus Apartments at 2009 14th St N., cleaning up the mess.

The flooding happened late Monday afternoon, when water started pouring into the offices “monsoon style,” we’re told. Chamber staff scrambled to unplug and save their computers and are currently working remotely as restoration efforts continue.

The Chamber, which has already received several offers of temporary office space, wrote the following to its members today:

The Chamber office is currently closed, due to flooding in our building, and our phone system is down. Our staff is busy handling this unexpected emergency and trying to keep Chamber operations going as best as possible. For assistance, please email full-time members of our staff, and we will do our best to assist you remotely. We apologize for any inconvenience and appreciate your patience and support.

Next Phase is closed and classes today cancelled, though its website still lists classes as available later in the week.

Club Pilates Studio Open in Pentagon Row

By Chris Teale

Published December 4, 2017 at 4:45PM

A nationally-known Pilates studio has opened its first D.C.-area location in Pentagon Row.

Club Pilates had its soft opening this weekend at 1101 S. Joyce Street, and will host a grand opening celebration on January 6. The gym is next to the Saigon Saigon restaurant. It had planned to open earlier, but organizers blamed delays on the county permitting process.

The soft opening included three full days of free 30-minute introductory classes and specials. Soft opening pricing specials are available through January 5 and include 20 percent off the first three months, 5 percent off an annual membership and the waiving of the enrollment fee.

Classes are available in the mornings and evenings at the studio, which modernizes traditional Pilates with the help of state-of-the-art equipment. Eight different class formats are available, with four levels of difficulty.

“Club Pilates is like nothing the DC area has ever seen — merging a variety of exercises that complement the core traditional Pilates practice,” studio owner Michael Grams said in a statement. “And in our efforts to modernize the workout even further, we’re bringing a group class feel with slightly larger classes (12 reformers vs. the traditional 2 to 8) so students will feel the motivation of community while providing personalized attention in this all-in-one workout.”

Barre3 Workout Studio Coming to Market Common in Clarendon

By Chris Teale

Published November 20, 2017 at 10:45AM

A workout studio is coming to Clarendon’s Market Common.

Barre3 is set to move into the shopping center at 2800 Clarendon Blvd, above cosmetics store Sephora and between beauty salon Acqua Nails and the space formerly occupied by Indian restaurant Zaika.

The studio’s classes give a full-body workout, including by using a barre typically used by ballet dancers for balance.

“Barre3 mixes athleticism, grace, and the latest innovations designed to balance the body,” Barre3’s website reads. “Whether you have ten minutes or an hour, each full-body workout optimizes every moment with moves that adapt to your body for maximum results.”

This new, approximately 2,600 square foot studio will be the first in Arlington. The only other one in Virginia is located in Old Town Alexandria.

No word yet on an opening date for the Clarendon location, which looks set to be part of a revamp planned at Market Common by developer Regency Centers.

Urban Boxing Gym Expanding into Virginia Square

By Chris Teale

Published November 2, 2017 at 10:45AM

A boxing gym already in D.C. and Bethesda is set to open its latest location in Virginia Square.

Urban Boxing will move into 3701 Fairfax Drive according to signs in its windows, next to a Dunkin’ Donuts that opened in September.

The gym, which already has locations near Foggy Bottom in D.C. and in Bethesda, Md., “offers members both individual training and group setting workouts. We strive to combine high energy fitness and self-defense in a fun yet encouraging environment,” according to its website.

It offers over 60 group classes and personal training sessions, and also represents professional and amateur fighters under the moniker Urban Boxing Sports Management.

A permitting application filed with the county indicates that the gym will have 3,800 square feet of space. No word yet on an opening date.

New Martial Arts Gym to Celebrate Grand Opening Saturday

By Chris Teale

Published October 10, 2017 at 3:45PM

A gym on N. Pershing Drive owned by a former UFC fighter will celebrate its grand opening on Saturday (October 14).

Kamal “The Prince of Persia” Shalorus, who now fights in the Singapore-based ONE Fighting Championship mixed martial arts competition, opened District Martial Arts at 2300 N. Pershing Drive, across from The Shops at Pershing strip mall in Lyon Park.

On Saturday, the gym will host three seminars for its grand opening: on striking at 11 a.m., on MMA at noon and on grappling at 1 p.m. It will then host a happy hour at Courthaus Social (2300 Clarendon Blvd), with four raffles.

Attendees can also sign up for special membership deals at the event, with all fees waived on a $120 a month membership contract.

Shalorus is also one of six instructors at the gym, which offers training in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu, Muay Thai and wrestling.

Workers Replacing Arlington Mill Center Gym Floor After Water Damage

By Chris Teale

Published September 26, 2017 at 11:15AM

Water damage from a March winter storm has prompted the replacement of the gym floor at the Arlington Mill Community Center.

Staff first noticed water damage to the wooden gym floor in late spring. They investigated, and found that water leaked into the building after the snow on March 14, according to a spokeswoman for the Arlington’s Dept. of Environmental Services.

“Given the heavy gym use for the Department of Parks and Recreation Summer Camps, the decision was made to replace and repair beginning September 2017,” the spokeswoman said. “The work is expected to be completed by October 31 with the gym reopening November 1. The damage is being paid for through the facilities maintenance fund, but we are in the process of reporting it to the County’s insurer.”

A number of programs at the gym will be impacted while the work is completed. Per a county flyer:

“Pickleball players are encouraged to use Walter Reed Community Center (2909 S. 16th Street, Arl. VA 22204) while the gym floor is being replaced.”
“Family Nights @ The Mill will be relocated to the Carver Community Center (1415 S. Queen St., Arl. VA 22204) and Teen Nights will return to Arlington Mill in November.”
“Pint-Sized Indoor Playtime, basketball, futsal and volleyball participants are encouraged to check-out our county-wide Community Center Drop-in Activities Schedule.”

Morning Notes

By ARLnow.com

Published July 26, 2017 at 9:10AM

Equinox Gym Coming to Clarendon — “Clarendon is getting an Equinox health club — just the third standalone location of the gym in the D.C. area. The high-end fitness facility will be part of the Market Common development in the Arlington neighborhood, according to two real estate broker sources familiar with the deal.” [Washington Business Journal]

Local Seniors Have Millennial Transit Traits — “Arlington seniors are fairly tech savvy. They are generally comfortable with transportation tasks such as searching options online to using apps on their smartphones. They generally have a young frame of mind and are open to considering new ways of doing things (including trying various modes of transportation) and the latest technology.” [Mobility Lab]

History of Local Newspapers — Arlington, Alexandria and D.C. have a rich history of local newspapers, with one currently-published paper tracing its roots back to 1800. [Falls Church News-Press]

‘True Health and Wholeness’ Gym Near Columbia Pike Now Closed

By Chris Teale

Published June 13, 2017 at 3:30PM

True Health and Wholeness near Columbia Pike closed last month

The family-friendly and holistic gym opened last year

The co-founders blamed “unexpected and blindsiding events” for the closure

A gym that opened last year along Columbia Pike closed late last month.

True Health and Wholeness replaced the former World Gym at 1058 S. Walter Reed Drive, but itself closed two weeks ago, on May 30.

True focused on holistic approaches and family-friendliness, and looked to be a “one stop shop” for all health and fitness needs. In an email to the community, co-founders Nina and Christian Elliot blamed “some unexpected and blindsiding events the last couple weeks” for the closure.

“The hardest part is the sour stomach of realizing how many people we’ve let down, and the relationships we’ve come to cherish that are now at best, interrupted,” the pair wrote. “There are no words to convey how sorry we are to make this announcement.”

A reader alleged in an email that the pair cancelled all its classes without explanation and that members would not receive any refunds. The reader added that members with pre-paid memberships were told to ask their credit card companies for a chargeback.

Nina Elliot did not respond to requests for comment. The gym’s website is still operational.

Despite the closure of their business, the Elliots promised to return to the wellness business.

Business owners, and in particular Elliots, are a resilient breed. We are weary and wounded right now, often unable to finish sentences without crying, but we didn’t suddenly forget everything we know about health and changing people’s lives. We have not lost our love of this work. We have learned so many lessons from the school of hard knocks the last 12 years and we promise not let those lessons go to waste. We believe we have a sacred duty to help as many people as we can.