New Fitness Center Offers Exercise Alternative

If you are in need of a little more accountability in your workout routine or just want to avoid the sweaty weightlifter invading your personal space, you have a new fitness option in North Potomac. The one-on-one training center, Fitness Together, opened a new location in the Potomac Valley Shopping Center on Tuesday.

Owner Rick Coe, who also owns Fitness Together franchises in Rockville and Bethesda, said he had been waiting to open a North Potomac location for the past few years.

"I bought the rights to the North Potomac franchise a couple years ago," he said. But when the commercial real estate market took a dive, Coe waited for the ideal location. In between Image Ace and Spring Mill Bread Company, he said he believes he found it: a well trafficked retail center with enough space.

Unlike local fitness clubs, like Bally or Fitness First, Fitness Together only offers one-on-one training. Sessions are held in private rooms and include 45 minutes of strength training and 30 minutes of card and can include nutritional coaching. A national organization, Fitness Together has almost 500 locations throughout the U.S., Brazil, Costa Rica, Israel, Ireland and Canada, according to their website.

Coe said Fitness Together clients are generally seeking more accountability in their workout routine or are frustrated by group fitness environments.

"At Fitness Together the total focus is on them," he said. "They can get an effective workout in a comfortable environment."

Adding a new fitness option for the area could create competition for the existing clubs. But Jamie Hamrick, manager of the North Potomac Fitness First, which is across the Potomac Potomac Valley Shopping Center parking lot, said he is not concerned about losing members.

"We are in a similar business but we have completely different offerings," Hamrick said. "We have group exercise classes, cardio equipment… and we have personal training here as well."

As an introductory promotion, private training sessions will be $50 through Labor Day. In addition to the training session fee, there is a $100 per month membership cost. Fitness Together also offers a complimentary trial workout and fitness assessment.