By Myles Ma
Joan Brame recognizes that being healthy isn’t just about losing weight.
The co-owner and manager of Empower Fitness, a fitness and wellness studio for women, believes good health is much more.
“We recognize the important connection between a woman’s mind, body and spirit,” she said.
In addition to helping women lose weight, many of the studio’s programs also teach them to relax and reflect. The studio’s classes include yoga, Qigong, meditation and tai chi, as well as pilates.
Services also include massage, performed at the studio.
“We have a beautiful room that’s called our healing room,” Brame said.
Under dimmed lights, with the sounds of soft music and water, women can receive chair and full Swedish massages. Brame considers massages part of a complete fitness routine.
Brame espouses making exercise part of a healthy lifestyle, which includes creating an exercise routine and eating healthy. For new members, there is a “Jumpstart” program that establishes such a routine after an assessment by a personal trainer. With the trainer, the members establish short-term goals, which are reviewed every 30 days.
And how does Brame attract new members? Cash doesn’t hurt.
Brame rewards her current members with a cash prize if they bring in someone new.
“It’s the best way to thank someone, right?” Brame said.
Brame gives much of the credit her staff for the quality of the member experience.
“This whole year I’ve spent a lot of time and money training the staff,” she said.
Members are especially valued at Empower Fitness. The majority of the classes are free or at discounted prices for members. If members bring guests, they are admitted free. Members also have access to the studio’s lending library, full of books on fitness and nutrition.
Brame also has a policy of asking for member input on many of her decisions, a method taken from her days as a research consultant and professor at the Rutgers University School of Social Work. The surveys ask members about their experiences at the studio, and also collect suggestions about future plans.
Brame initially opened her studio as part of a franchise, just a few stores down from Empower Fitness’ current location at the Lawrence Shopping Center. When she decided to leave the franchise, and move to an independent studio at a larger location after five years in May 2009, she asked her members what services to include.
The members’ choices are reflected in the studio today, as many wanted massage, but overwhelmingly rejected an infrared sauna.
“Most people like feeling they have a voice,” Brame said.
Despite the focus on members, however, Brame hopes to attract non-members and even men to some of the classes. Non-members can take all the classes for a fee, and men can use the massage services and can also take mind-body classes like yoga and tai chi.
Brame hopes to keep growing the business to meet the needs of its members, as well as the community. Empower Fitness has increasingly worked with community organizations, like the Lawrence Community Center, at which the studio will be offering yoga and fitness classes, Capital Health, with whom Empower Fitness will be holding health education workshops for the community. Brame will also be working with the National Alliance on Mental Illness, teaching a class at their annual workshop.
At the studio, Brame hopes to offer yoga classes for children and expand the lunchtime program, inviting women to work out during their lunch breaks. “The whole challenge is to deliver a quality product, keep the prices affordable and yet survive as a business,” she said.
Empower Fitness is located near Burlington Coat Factory at 2495 Brunswick Pike at the Lawrence Shopping Center. For more information, call (609) 882-4500.
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