When you walk into Vitruvian Fitness, the welcoming and inclusive environment immediately sets it apart from the typical gym. The personal training studio is named after Leonardo da Vinci’s Vitruvian Man, a work that intersects balance, mind, and body, perfectly in alignment with Vitruvian’s mission and programs. They pride themselves on building fitness and wellness holistically for everyone who walks through their doors.
Vitruvian Fitness departs from the traditional by offering semi-private personal training. In a typical session, the trainee shares the trainer’s time with up to up to four other individuals. Training at Vitruvian is completely individualized, allowing for the same amount of personal attention and program customization as a one-on-one session but with the added benefit of community and more affordable pricing. This method allows clients of any fitness level to train at their convenience, because they are not exercising in a group class where they may be challenged to keep up with a workout that might not suit their fitness level.
“We originally designed our programs based on the same types of strength and conditioning programs that elite athletes do and then adapted to fit our specific clients’ needs,” founder Tom Wigginton explains. As part of a semi-private personal training group, you get to train with a fitness program written specifically for your goals. Diverse ability levels and goals within groups give you the opportunity to gain inspiration from your peers. Training in groups creates an inspiring, community-focused environment.
The personal training studio is committed to far more than just helping their members move better and feel great. Instead, they work on building better humans, inside and out. Every aspect of the studio ties into this mission, from the individualized training programs to the comprehensive wellness coaching and the warm, accepting atmosphere.
Vitruvian offers uniquely inclusive training programs inspired by elite athletes with options tailored for Colorado’s middle-aged and older populations. With age, it’s normal to lose some athletic ability. “We let them get it back through a wide variety of processes and modalities that help people move well,” Tom says, “And as a result of moving better and getting stronger, they feel great.”
The training at Vitruvian Fitness is certainly not limited to a specific age category. Their programs can be customized for any age, skill level, and fitness goal. At their studio, an accomplished Ironman triathlete can train alongside a 72-year-old woman who has had a hip replacement. They have vastly different goals but can enjoy the same modified exercises in a shared, community-focused environment. Every person looking to improve their health through exercise is welcome and encouraged to explore Vitruvian.
Colorado native Tom Wigginton did not always plan on opening a personal training studio. He began his career in a sales job he didn’t truly believe in before facing a tough layoff. While rowing in the gym, Tom considered what to do next. He committed to never doing anything again that he didn’t believe was good for everybody.
“A lot of reading and a lot of introspection, and I discovered that I really was genuinely fulfilled when I was helping people improve something in their life,” he says. That thought process led Tom to found Vitruvian Fitness in 2010. Tom’s passion is clear in the work Vitruvian does to improve lives in the local community.
Wellness coaching is a relatively new addition to their offerings. In the period of rebuilding after the pandemic, Tom found himself with additional time in training sessions to discuss tangential wellness topics like sleep, nutrition, and stress management. He recognized how crucial these topics are to our overall wellness, and he describes them as the “things that really make us whole as human beings and help us to create a thriving atmosphere.” Bringing a health and wellness coach onto the Vitruvian Fitness team allowed them to build out a full program.
Vitruvian’s wellness coaching is just as individualized as their training plans. Coaches work with clients in a partnership to help them figure out what works for them and what doesn’t, rather than telling them what to do. Coaching can help clients verbalize what aspects of their life they want to change or improve. This includes their relationships with exercise, nutrition, and sleep habits. Working on the mental aspects of fitness is yet another way Vitruvian helps build holistic health.
If you are looking for an innovative fitness studio to meet your wellness goals, Vitruvian Fitness is the spot to visit. Stop in at 7605 West 44th Avenue in Wheat Ridge, and check out their website at vmfit.com.
Making Lasting New Year's Fitness Resolutions
Vitruvian Fitness founder Tom Wigginton has some tips for maintaining motivation.
-
Identify what you want to accomplish: whether you want to lose weight, begin exercising, or improve your nutrition, it’s important to set clearly defined goals.
-
Dig deep to find your motivation: think about why you want to accomplish your goal. Discover your core motivation that will get you up every morning.
-
Break up your goal into repeatable tasks: that increases the chance of your steps becoming healthy habits. Try scheduling two individual workouts a week, and use your why to get them done.
"As a result of moving better and getting stronger, they feel great.” Tom Wigginton, Vitruvian Fitness Founder