Atlas Fitness, 920 11th Street NE. Photo by María Helena Carey
One of our eagle-eyed Twitter followers recently asked us if we knew anything about Atlas Fitness, the new space which opened in December 2012 on the corner of 11th and I Streets SE. Naturally, we looked into it right away, except that we were a wee bit confused at first: after all, the Atlas district is in Northeast. I asked owner Tim Bruffy about it, and this is what he said: “Funny you mentioned that: no one else has seemed to pick up on it. I was originally targeting the H St [or] Atlas Corridor, but… [when I] signed a lease on this side of town, I had already started a branding with Atlas Bootcamps DC… and it stuck.”
Here are a few other questions Tim was kind enough to answer:
1. Why did you pick the Hill to open your studio? How long have you lived on the Hill?
It was a natural transition for me… I have built up an awesome network of fitness friends
around the Hill over the past two years through my outdoor boot camps and specialized
team conditioning. Additionally, I had developed a great client roster as a personal
trainer at Results The Gym,Capitol Hill, from Nov 2006 – Aug 2012, and maintain those relationships
at Atlas Fitness still today.
2. What drove you to open your fitness studio?
I’ve always felt like I was a great trainer doing good things. Now it’s time to do great
things! …I enjoy being in a position to make such an impact
on peoples lives. Sure it’s great to help individuals succeed through one-on-one training-
but by developing a powerful brand, we can start a fitness craze and help many, many
more people achieve fitness goals above and beyond a single training session.
As a professional in the fitness industry, I feel there is a huge need for real-deal,
competent fitness professionals with formal educations taught through science and
research to add or regain legitimacy to the profession. Exercise is preventative medicine
and it needs to be prescribed by trainers/coaches that really understand it. You’ll find
this knowledge in all the trainers at Atlas Fitness.
3. Does one-on-one personal training really make a difference for people who are not fitness enthusiasts? (a.k.a. total couch potatoes)
I believe personal training (we call it personal performance coaching) can make a
difference for any and everybody…even for someone who is completely de-conditioned
(total couch potatoes). Of course like with most things in life, if you commit to regular
exercise and put forth your honest best effort, your body can do amazing things!
4. What kind of commitment should a client expect to put in when he or she signs up for personal training?
A full commitment! That involves homework on “non-training” days, making dietary
changes, increasing everyday activity, healthier life choices…
5. Are residents on the Hill more or less in shape than in other cities where you’ve worked?
According to the ACSM American Fitness Index 2012, the DMV is rated #2 in the top 50 fittest cites/metropolitan [areas]. I believe this to be a fair statement.
So there you go, everyone. Maybe my days of being a total couch potato are over– as may be yours. Although since we’re a very fit metropolitan area according to the American Fitness Index, maybe all you fit people are making us lazybones look good. But if you need help with your fitness goals, Tim is here to help.
Atlas Fitness is located at 920 11th Street SE. A complete schedule of classes is available in brochure form, or you can call 202-320-4541 for more information. You can also visit Atlas Bootcamps’ Facebook group page and join for up-to-the-minute information and encouragement.