Karen Daley's Muscle Madness Is One Big Family

Karen Daley has a large family. In total, it numbers over 50 members. Her family is nontraditional. They sweat together. They lift weights together. In Daley’s words, the ladies she leads in exercise classes are her family.

Daley leads classes at the , located at 1555 Main St., a street level establishment that Daley describes as “bright and clean.” She has been at that location for 4 and a half years. Prior to instructing at the Dance Infusion Studio, she taught at a Lowell gym that changed hands in 2006 to become Planet Fitness. When they stopped hosting fitness classes, Daley found herself out of work.

Daley said that after that point she would often see women around Tewksbury who had taken her class and encouraged her to start her own business. In January 2007, when she still hadn’t found a job teaching, she decided to give the suggestions a try.

 “And I said, you know, I’m going to give it a shot.”

She opened her studio with the right tools for the job. Daley has over 20 years of experience coaching fitness classes, including work at Bally’s Fitness, , and World Gym. She is also CPR and AFAA certified, the latter being a nationally recognized physical training certification.

As of now, the Dance Infusion Studio is a one-woman show. Daley leads classes that are held Monday mornings, Tuesday and Thursday evenings, and Saturday morning. Participants sign up for 8-week sessions, the rates of which can be found on Daley’s website, and vary depending on the number of classes taken per week. Daley describes the routine she leads as a “cardio, muscle-conditioning workout.”

“It’s designed to help women achieve their fitness goals, for any level,” she said. The classes involve basic steps with light weights, along with core strength work and muscle conditioning. Beginners shouldn’t be afraid of jumping in because Daley’s routines aren’t strictly choreographed.

Daley said she plays music during the sessions to liven the mood and keep everything interesting. For her, it’s all about keeping people excited about their fitness goals.

“You’ll get a lot more out of it if you try to have a positive attitude toward exercising,” she said. “It’ll help you to feel better and be a healthier person.”

If exercising isn’t enough to feel good about oneself, Daley and members of her classes also participate in several fundraising and charity efforts throughout the year. For one, Daley makes a monthly contribution to a 13-year-old Angolan child named Theresa through the Child Fund International.

“I felt I wanted to give back since I love the classes and I’ve made a lot of friends,” she said.

She also holds several donation classes through the year, the proceeds of which go to local charities. During Christmas the class’s donations went to the

“So members give a small donation and...I’ve done that every year since I started,” she said.  “And that’s the way of helping our neighbors.”

The group has also banded together in support of what Daley terms “exercise for a cause,” a fundraising effort that Daley said benefits members and their families who are in need of help. Daley said she has gotten close to her members by spending time with them before and after classes, and was aware of the needs of some of the participants.

“Some of the members had gone through tough times and I thought it would be nice to show our support.”

Daley said she would hold a similar fundraiser in the future if the need arises. She acknowledges that this is one way that the class members have become close knit.

“Just a way of bringing the members closer together,” she said. The members are so close, in fact, that several have formed a book club and a walking group after meeting at Daley’s studio. Daley also hosts a Christmas party every year for class members at the Elks.

“That’s a great chance for the members to relax and have a nice evening,” she said. “We’ve made a lot of friendships.”

In Daley’s opinion, the close connections she has had with class members is all part of what she is trying to do with her exercise studio.

“I want to provide a place where women can go and exercise...and feel better and be healthier, and have fun, and meet other women at the same time and be able to make friendships,” she said. “I try to think of it as a family.”