Fitness Gear and Training

Fitness Gear and Training is unlike any gym or fitness gear store you’ll find in Bellingham, Whatcom County or even Washington, vice president and personal trainer Zac Palmer says. The facility is truly a three-in-one fitness business aimed at supporting customers in reaching their health and wellness goals. Located on North State Street in downtown Bellingham, it sells both in-home or “residential” fitness equipment, along with commercial equipment, and also operates a boutique-style gym. Palmer, along with his knowledgeable staff, will make sure those New Year’s resolution goals become a reality either in your own home with efficient equipment or as a member of the gym, or “family,” as Zac referred to his members.

Zac’s parents, Patricia and Bob, started the business in 1989 as Fairhaven Health and Nutrition. “My mom really had the passion for fitness,” Zac says. When Zac was just 20 years old, he took over primary management of the business and quickly made it his own. In 2007, the business moved to its North State Street location and began incorporating personal training under the same roof. Today, the retail side of the business still plays an important role, but stands out with the addition of personal training and an original fitness program, “30-Minute Fit,” designed by Zac and his staff.

On the retail end, Fitness Gear and Training assists customers through the purchase and installation of all equipment, along with performing any necessary repair. Customers will find in-home treadmills, spin bikes and ellipticals, as well as upper-body-strength stations from a variety of brands like Precor, Hoist, and Life Fitness. The store also works with commercial partners to design, install and maintain large gyms. In addition to large machines, the show-room has a variety of exercise equipment accessories and small fitness tools like kettlebells, dumbbells, and resistance bands.

As for the gym, members will find an environment unlike most fitness facilities. The space is designed to avoid the classic intimidation that comes with large-scale gyms and instead create an inviting, intimate environment, Zac says. A few small rooms have just a handful of pieces of equipment, giving the facility an “at-home” feel with the benefit of professional equipment and staff. Zac and his staff offer personal training sessions for individuals or couples that vary in price depending on session length and number of clients.

Special to Fitness Gear and Training is the 30-Minute Fit program Zac designed after finding fault with current group-fitness classes. Zac says that unlike other group fitness routines at places like CrossFit or Curves, 30-Minute Fit isn’t designed as a “quick-fix.”

The program starts with an individual consultation to determine clients’ specific goals. From there, members can drop in for any of the three daily 30-Minute Fit windows, each of which operates for several hours and has personal trainers on the floor to allow members maximum flexibility and support. “All you need is 30 minutes. Anyone can make half an hour doable,” he said. Each 30-minute session incorporates 24 exercises in a circuit-style program designed to be progressive for all fitness levels.

With just a 30-minute commitment, who can’t leave the excuses behind and in 2019 get to the gym?

1605 N. State St., Bellingham
360.671.5059 | fitnessgearandtraining.com

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