When Danielle Cornett and her husband first saw Shapes Fitness, an all-women’s gym open on Long Prairie Road, they both shook their heads, “An all-women's gym? That's not a thing. [It’s] never gonna make it.” A self-proclaimed gym girl, Danielle had worked in the fitness industry for years and was currently working as a trainer and bootcamp instructor at a local gym. After building a relationship with the owner of Shapes, helping to teach a few classes and then a few more, the previous owner pulled Danielle aside and asked her to buy the gym.
She was skeptical at first, unsure of how much time and effort it would take to make this sort of gym successful. 5 years later though? “It's exactly where I'm supposed to be,” she says, “now I know that all the years of doing other things in the fitness industry were preparing me to do this.” As she took ownership in November of 2019, it hit her: this type of gym and community was needed and wanted by so many women.
“The only difference between us and a bigger gym is that we're smaller, we're pink and we're all women. We're coming here to build muscle and get fit. I'm here to build bodies.” On top of the rigorous training provided by the toned and smiling team of Shapes, the level of comfort provided at a place such as this is not found in many gyms. Surrounded by fellow women, the worry of looking good, sweating in awkward places or doing hip thrusters is never a worry at Shapes. “It's a comfort place for people. I don't think I realized [it] was needed until I was in it.”
Now at 53, this is the fittest she’s ever been, Danielle says. “I was always a gym girl but I just went through the motions, but it turned around for me when I had this place. It pushed me out of my comfort zone to be my best self for them. You can't teach what you don't know.” And Danielle certainly does not lack practice in what she preaches.
The community created at Shapes, Danielle says, is yet another reason that her love for her business is so great. All ages, new moms experienced gym rats, those who have never held a barbell in their life, those who want to recover from injuries—all are welcome by the staff and the fellow clients. “One of my girls was 70 and she had never worked out a day in her life. She looked in those classes and was super intimidated. I talked her into coming in and now she literally has shoulders and biceps.”
With childcare available at Shapes, the new moms who walk through the doors only add to the diversity of the community that Shapes boasts. “When moms are leaving with their kids, little boys and little girls get to see and watch her and all these mommies working out, punching and kickboxing. You want kids to see women working out and women being strong.” The little girls of the future will work out one day because their mommy had muscles too.
Shapes is part of Danielle’s life now, not only as owner, “No joke, the second I walk in this door every day and am greeted with all these women that are happy to be here. I'm automatically in a good mood, it's 1000% my happy place. I can't imagine not having this to come to do. I don't know what I would do.”
“I want people to know that this gym is for everybody. And I want them to realize that, because it's pink and it's all women, doesn't mean that we aren't working hard.” And the muscles of the friendly-faced, kickboxing and pink-clad women are a true testament to that. This place is for motivating, making friends and caring for the women of the community but, as Danielle says, “There are a lot of tears on this floor.
Stop by Shapes Fitness and learn more about their all women fitness options such as nutrition coaches, personal training, group training and kick boxing // 5801 Long Prairie Rd, Ste 180, Flower Mound // +1 469 630 6200