LAMORINDA WEEKLY | Big brother steps into the gym


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Technological gadgets have become an extension of our lives, with different smart phone applications used to wake us up, count the steps we take, and tell us how to get to different locations . like the gym. Formula3 Fitness, which opened last April in La Fiesta Square in Lafayette, developed an app to help design a specific program for each member, says Benji Simonton, a former professional baseball player and the head of programming who owns the Lafayette studio.

"Our app will help you to decide on what your focus is. If you want to get stronger and increase your mobility, you will tell the app which days you are able to work out and the times that you are available and this is what I want to accomplish," Simonton says. "The app's algorithm will recommend which classes to take on the days that you have chosen."

However, human interaction is not overlooked. "At the end of the day, our goal is for everyone to get what they need for that day," says Simonton. "If a member is a little tired or feeling beat up due to a lack of sleep or being stressed, we want them to have an experience that they need and not just continue to beat up on themselves."

Formula3 provides a complete workout program with hour long classes focusing on three areas: FORGE which aims to strengthen the metabolic engine and build lean muscle; FIRE which exercises the heart, lungs and trains the cardiovascular system and FLOW which are yoga classes which focus on breathing movement and awareness of the connection between the mind and body.

The idea for Formula3 was the brainchild of the two owners, Noah Roland who owns a Formula3 in Portland, Oregon, Erin Gilmore, and Simonton.

"If you go to a boutique studio space, you're going to do one thing, you'll exclusively do yoga at one studio space, you're going to your cross fit studio and focus on strength, there are other studios that are cardio focused," says Simonton. "We're trying to get people to check more of their fitness boxes in one location. At Formula3, you will get high level coaching in yoga, strength and cardio which is all in one location for one price."

One of the goals at Fitness3 is to create "functional fitness" which requires unique equipment, says Simonton: "We call our equipment unstable implements. Everything we pick up in life, for the most part, isn't balanced or stable and is an ever-shifting load, so we use sandbags, which is an ever-shifting load, mimicking real world strength. We use a center mass dome which is unstable when you pick it up. We use TR suspension trainers for our strength because you have to create stability to work through all of your different movement patterns. Our goal is to give people real world strength so when they do things in everyday life, they feel stronger and more confident in those movements."

Mariah Martin, the assistant manager at Formula3 speaks to the positive atmosphere in the studio: "Anyone at any level can benefit from these workouts. Our oldest member is 79 and the youngest is 16. We offer everything under one roof and want this to be a place where everyone can workout and have a good time. We're a big family here."

People who are new and unfamiliar with the program will be given a free three-day pass to try out all of the classes. For information, including hours, visit formula3fit.com.