Series that features tenants of the Clear Lake Area Community Center
By Muriel Nelson
If you’re looking for a place to get a cardio workout or build your muscles, look no further than Sunshine Fitness located at the Clear Lake Area Community Center (CLACC) in the lower level.
Sunshine Fitness became a tenant at CLACC in 2015 and has now been open for nine years and currently has 260 members. Owner Alissa Coomer started opening gyms in small communities to address the need for people to have a place to focus on getting healthy and strong while surrounding themselves with others doing the same. She's grateful for the decision as small towns residents are friendly, kind, and are so helpful to each other. For Alissa, it's about serving the community by promoting physical, mental, and emotional well-being.
The fitness center is a fully equipped gym available to members on a 24/7 basis. Note that members are provided with a key fob to gain entrance. It has several types of cardio machines and a full line of selectorized strength training machines. It also provides a free weight area with dumbbells, Olympic bars, squat racks and more.
The center offers to all members a full-body video strength training program on its website. It provides video instructions on how to use each machine so members can get started with confidence. The other option is to schedule an orientation with staff to get to feel comfortable and at ease in the gym.
Currently, Sunshine Fitness of Clear Lake is one of nine Sunshine Fitness centers in the area. Membership at one center gives access to all locations. People of all ages can join. As owner Alissa says, “It’s family friendly” and offers a welcoming space for people to enhance their strength and overall health.
Member Jillisa Solberg said:
“I love this gym! I have attended this gym for years. It has everything anyone needs to improve their fitness. It is well-kept, has a friendly atmosphere, helpful staff and is open 24/7! I have yet to find an exercise I cannot complete as it is a fully equipped gym. I would recommend this gym to anyone from a beginner to any experienced lifter. If you haven’t signed up for a membership yet, what are you waiting for?”
Some members use the gym when training for sports. In fact, students use the fitness center during the summer to stay fit for the sports season. Couples have been known to have a “date night” at Sunshine Fitness. Older individuals use the gym to help their recovery from surgery or simply to maintain their health. In fact, there is one local member who is 97 and still enjoys his visits to Sunshine Fitness.
The Sunshine Fitness Facebook page has several posts from members who have shared their progress and success stories. They mention improving their physical health and mental well-being, becoming fitter, losing weight and more! Several indicated they appreciate the smaller, quieter environment where they can focus on working out. One beginner member stressed there was help available for rotational work-out schedules for both upper and lower body muscles.
The fitness center also offers several classes that are held in the dining room or Event Center at CLACC and included with the fitness center membership:
Strength and Stability-Mon/Wed. (5:45-6:30p). This class includes overall strengthening using body weight, free weights, and other fun tools along with a focus on balance and stability that transfers over to everyday movements.
Strength and Circuits-Tues/Thurs. (5:30-6:15a). This class focuses on all-over strengthening along with exercises to increase heart rate and intensity.
Senior Strength and Flexibility-Tues/Thurs. (9:15-10:15a): These classes can easily be modified for all levels of fitness.
The fitness center offers contests to keep their members motivated. For example, they have a “Top Ten” list each month for members who attended the most at the center.
There is another service offered by Sunshine Fitness for us “far-northerners” who are quite pale this time of year. You guessed it….tanning! A tanning bed is available to members at an additional fee.
If you would like to join the fitness center, participate in any of their classes or just want more information, sign up online or schedule a tour at www.sunshinecommunityfitnesscenter.com, check out their Facebook page www.Facebook.com/SCFClearLake or contact them at info@sunshine-fitness.com.
