Sometimes when we think of a gym’s atmosphere, our mind auto-populates the image of already-fit people working out, continuing their healthy routine. To some, it can feel inaccessible. But take one look at 85-year-old Mysta Ward smiling through another session with personal trainer Allie Bickel at her side and you’ll reconsider your perspective on a starting point. Mysta is a quick-witted, vivacious, two-time cancer survivor, and yes, she goes to the gym on a regular basis.
“Allie has changed my life in so many ways,” says Mysta, about her personal trainer. “When I first met her, she didn’t care that I was weak and couldn’t do a lot. It took a lot of nerve for me to come to the gym at my age, but I have never felt intimidated with Allie, or at this gym.”
Mysta is humble when talking about her impressive accomplishments since coming to Fuel five months ago. “I’ve had cancer twice in five years. The last time was Stage Four metastatic. After all the treatments and the radiation, you just don’t feel yourself, and I knew I had to do something to become stronger. It’s a journey and it hasn’t been easy, but I’m still here and that’s the important part. Now I feel stronger, I feel empowered, and I have biceps!” Mysta laughs as she flexes her arm. “My kids are proud of me and my husband of 64 years is proud of me. I will do this until I am no longer here.”
That empowered feeling—of accomplishing something physical and mental—is a true testament to the steadfast support of personal trainers like Allie. Her purpose is to show members what to do with all this equipment and to know where to start with each individual, to bring a sense of personalization to an otherwise overwhelmingly large space with lots of tools. If you are trying to reach a specific goal, or new to working out in a gym, it can be hard to know where to start and what to do with all this equipment.
Allie has been a personal trainer at Fuel in Missoula since 2021. She is eager to dispel the myth that having a personal trainer is a luxury reserved for the ultra-fit. “I tend to focus more on people who have never been in the gym before, or people that are maybe not as represented as they should be. I especially enjoy coaching women of all ages,” she says. “I remember what it was like to be an ex-athlete, having an injury, and feeling like you’ve lost everything and you don’t even know how to move anymore.”
With her personable demeanor and warm smile, Allie dedicates herself to helping clients achieve their physical fitness goals using an approach specifically tailored to each person’s abilities. “I start by gathering as much information as I can about you. I watch how you move, I ask what’s bothering you, what your outside life looks like, and find out if you have a specific goal like running a marathon. Then, I work with you to give you the tools and resources to be successful,” she says.
With Colter Gibson at the helm, being manager of the Missoula location, Fuel Fitness offers a community with all the resources one could imagine, or be surprised by. “We have very high standards,” says Colter. “We have some of the best equipment around town, we keep our gym extremely clean, and our customer service is great. We know what our members need, and we’re going to offer them the best experience possible.”
The first thing Colter does when he meets with potential new members is to give them a tour of the facility. That pretty much seals the deal as the huge Missoula location is packed with an array of cardio and strength-building equipment. They also added bonuses of onsite childcare provided by Bright Minds Kids Zone, clean spacious locker rooms, and 24-hour access to accommodate anyone’s busy schedule.
One of the biggest headaches when going to any gym is fighting the crowds and waiting for your chosen piece of equipment to free up, especially during peak times. This is not a problem with Fuel’s 18 treadmills, 10 elliptical machines, countless recumbent bicycles, stair climbers, and other cardio equipment. Those looking to build strength and muscle will appreciate the long racks of free weights and plates, and the Life Fitness strength training and cable machines. Colter refers to the expansive open turf area as a “fitness playground” with plenty of room to get in your walking lunges and your kettle ball swings.
Members can also make use of advanced technology for tracking body composition with the InBody 570 device. “You can step on a scale and get a number, but it’s hard to understand what that number represents,” says Colter. “And how does knowing that number help you meet your goals of losing weight or gaining muscle? Inbody takes out the guesswork and gives you an in-depth look at what is going on with your entire body.”
Colter goes on to explain that the state-of-the-art InBody keeps track of a range of informative statistics like your percentage of body fat and muscle-to-fat ratio. It even breaks down these numbers across your torso and each arm and leg. This information can aid someone with a past injury, like a broken arm, by helping them focus on building strength in the weaker limb.
You receive a detailed printout each time you step on the InBody that keeps track of weight, skeletal muscle mass, and body fat percentage over time. “We recommend new members use it to find their baseline numbers, then get back on within four to six weeks so they can see their progress,” says Colter.
Whether you’re a senior citizen who’s never stepped foot into a gym, a new parent who follows a different timeline within the 24-hour day, or someone who’s unsure of how to regain strength after an injury, there’s a place and a person waiting to build a better you.
"Now I feel stronger, I feel empowered, and I have biceps!...My kids are proud of me and my husband of 64 years is proud of me."
Fuel is the largest locally-owned fitness chain in Montana with locations in Missoula, Bozeman, Kalispell, Billings, and one in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho.
1934 Brooks Street
406.926.3835
@Fuel_Missoula