Chance are you’ve never been to a fitness studio quite like Sensory Fitness.
Designed and developed by Enrique Gomez and Dr. Guillermo De Novi around a health and wellness concept with a goal to create balance between the mind, body and soul, Sensory Fitness eschews several gym traditions in favor of providing members with a boutique approach to working out that will have you looking forward to exercise rather than dreading it.
“We wanted to create an environment that makes use of all of the senses that take you out of your head and your body,” De Novi said. “Sensory Fitness was designed for people who don’t necessarily like to exercise but know that they should. We want to change the way most people think about fitness by creating a stimulating kind of environment — one that is unique and energetic and makes it more exciting to move your body.”
Sensory Fitness doesn’t look like any other gym you’ve ever visited. In terms of aesthetics and mood, it’s more comparable to a nightclub than a fitness studio. Dimly lit with darkened surfaces and outfitted with a state-of-the-art sound system, large 4K ultra-HD TVs and a patented scent system, it is a far cry from the bright, yet grungy and sometimes malodorous environments that make up many gym spaces. This design, though certainly noteworthy for its unique appearance, serves a practical function as well; it heightens concentration and comfort.
“In many exercise classes, you see people looking at themselves in the mirror and at each other,” he said. “We believe that takes you out of what we feel is their focused workout. When you’re here you’re focused on yourself, which increases the comfort and the effectiveness of your workout. At the end of the day you’re here for yourself and we want to encourage that.”
There are several ways in which Sensory Fitness members can enjoy their memberships. Three hour-long group classes are available that when taken individually improve your overall wellness. When combined, however, the result can be life-changing.
“Sweat” is a full-body, high-intensity interval training program designed to burn an average of 500 calories per session and increase strength, power and endurance.
“Stretch” is a restorative program based on the principles of yoga and Pilates that improves flexibility and reduces stress.
“Speed,” the newest program, is a spinning class focusing on challenging the mind and cardiovascular health. Each program was designed with a “daily focus” for each day of the week, which allows members of multiple programs to schedule classes in accordance with their personal needs.
Private, personal training with Sensory Fitness staff members and therapeutic stretches and private Pilates sessions with De Novi, a doctor of physical therapy, are also available.
“Many fitness programs have a revolving door of clientele because after a while they grow tired of the monotony,” Gomez said. “Our programs were designed specifically to keep our members engaged. Now we are seeing members taking classes in different programs, often on the same day, to get a sort of synergistic benefit from the balance our programs provide when taken together.”
With one year in the books, Gomez and De Novi are looking to take Sensory Fitness to the next level. They recently more than doubled the group exercise space at their flagship location by the Falls — from 1,200 square feet to 2,800 square feet — and hope in the near future to introduce their innovative business to the rest of the world.
“Our vision is to not only create a local impact with Sensory Fitness but a state, national and eventually global impact,” he said. “We have seen firsthand the difference our approach to fitness has made on people. People need balance in their lives and that’s precisely what we offer here.”
For more information and a complimentary class, evaluation and therapeutic stretch session, call 786-478-6652 or visit www.ExperienceSensory.com.
