Tim Harty, The Business Times

With a background in dance and teaching group exercise classes, Kathleen Riskey feels like her new business, Riskey Fitness, is her doing what she loves to do and has long done for other fitness studios.

But now she gets to be the boss and put her spin on fitness.

“I have wanted to do it better for a long time and offer the community something different, and it’s kind of been in the back of my mind for a bit,” said Riskey, who turned 40 years old earlier this year and has been a stay-at-home mom to her three kids.

“We’re not a traditional gym,” she said of the fitness studio, which opened April 1 and had its grand opening April 12 at 622 W. Gunnison Ave. “We’re basically taking the group exercise, group-fitness-class portion out of, say, a big-box gym and highlighting that and doing mostly just that.”

Riskey Fitness has multiple classes each day, such as Les Mills BodyPump, Les Mills BodyBalance, yoga, Pilates, Barre, High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT), Zumba, cardio sculpt, boot camp, functional strength and family fitness.

Riskey said she has been teaching group-fitness classes for nearly nine years in the Grand Valley, and she got into group fitness after teaching dance at Colorado Mesa University, her alma mater, where she got a bachelor’s degree in theater (emphasis on dance).

She features some Les Mills’ exercise programs and equipment because she’s a believer in the brand.

“I was looking for something else and found Les Mills BodyBalance, which is a yoga-based program, and I got certified, gosh, almost nine years ago – my anniversary will be in May – and I’ve never looked back. It’s like I found my thing, found the niche that I was looking for. Dance kind of, I guess, started that process.

“I love movement and exercise, and I really love helping people find movement that they love. And that is what has fueled that fire. I’m certified in several different modalities now and just hoping to share that with community, helping them fall in love with their next favorite class or workout.”

Riskey thinks people will notice a difference about her studio immediately.

“As soon as you walk in the door, the atmosphere is drastically different than any other space in town,” she said. “We wanted to create a space that was unique, offering just a different vibe, different feel, everything from the floor to the lighting to the sound system, everything is top-notch, and you kind of have to see it. 

“It’s creating a one-of-a-kind experience, because anyone can take a class or go work out. What’s going to draw someone from either another space or from their home, now that you can access classes online even? It really is the space and the community.”

Helping create the community will be the instructors, and Riskey didn’t hesitate to say, “We have the absolute best instructors in town. I have selected my people, because they are passionate about what they teach. They’ve got to be in it, because if they’re in it, then that’s going to bring other people, and they’re going to help them fall in love with the class as well and get them results, the results they’re looking for.”

When it comes to pricing, Riskey says her rates are competitive.

It costs $40 per month for unlimited class membership, and there is a 10 percent discount for seniors, military and students. There are yearly memberships, and if people pay up front, they get a discount. There are family memberships, which allow up to two kids to work out for free. Riskey said the studio is family friendly and encourages the community to bring their kids if they are 8 years old and older. 

There’s also a kids club, a childcare area, on site for children ages six months to seven years.

For people who don’t want to commit to a month or a year, Riskey Fitness offers a five-class pass for $50, or there’s a drop-in fee of $20 for a 24-hour period.

Compared with a Barre studio or a more niche studio, Riskey said, “We’re kind of in the middle, I would say. We’re not really one or the other. We’re kind of trying to find that balance, so we’re priced accordingly.”

For more information about Riskey Fitness, find it on Instagram and Facebook or call 970-216-2909.

TRY FOR FREE THIS MONTH

All classes at Riskey Fitness, 622 W. Gunnison Ave., are free for the entire month of April.

Make sure to check the schedule and business hours, because most days are split with the studio closing for a couple hours in the afternoon, then reopening.

SO, WHO IS THIS LES  MILLS GUY?

Riskey Fitness owner Kathleen Riskey said her studio offers three Les Mills classes, which some people are probably familiar with, while others ask, “Who the heck is Les Mills?”

Les Mills is a person and a fitness brand, Riskey said, adding, “They produce the material that we as instructors teach for our class participants. And they have all different types of programs. They have upwards of 14 different programs, I think.”

The Les Mills classes at Riskey Fitness, as described by Riskey, are: “Les Mills BodyPump, a barbell and weights class, so strength and cardio combined. Les Mills BodyBalance is a yoga/Pilates/tai chi kind of blend, mostly yoga format. And then Les Mills Pilates is kind of your basic mat Pilates class.”