CHINA GROVE — Working out anytime will not be a problem in China Grove in the near future.

Chris Grove, who has been in the fitness industry for more than 20 years, will be opening a Workout Anytime gym mid-January offering a 24/7 fitness concept.

Located at 108 U.S. Highway 29 S, the gym is part of a franchise, which is based out of Atlanta, Georgia. Grove said they have more than 180, going on 200 locations, nationwide. The first facility Grove opened is in Kannapolis, and this one is the 10th location he has opened and the eighth that he owns, having sold two of them.

Grove said that the China Grove facility will offer a number of amenities including rows of cardio, selectorized machines, tons of free-weights, locker room showers, a premium suite with a sauna, tanning, hydromassage, human touch massage and red light therapy, which he said has many benefits including reducing aging, helping with wrinkles, acne and collagen.

A number of classes and boot camps will also be provided at the new gym with options ranging from Zumba to dance to kick-boxing.

“We try to treat exercise as fun,” Grove said.

Classes for seniors will be available; therefore, Silver Sneakers members can take advantage of classes too, he said.

Grove said that one thing that “separates us from anyone else is we have certified coaches that will be able to help get you on a program toward your fitness goals, especially for beginners or ex-athletes or experts. We’re here to help serve you.” 

The decision to bring a Workout Anytime gym to the area is because of the need that China Grove has for a gym like this, stating its convenience and also because of the “growth that China Grove has had the past several years and the growth that is coming. We just saw a need there to put a gym there, to help the community get healthy,” said Grove.

Having moved to the area about 3 and a half years ago with his family, he said they have been studying this for quite some time.

The gym’s 24/7 concept has multiple benefits, he said, noting that everyone’s busy schedule is one factor, being “able to come in anytime you want,” no matter availability or work schedule.

“So 24/7 is really the key for just anybody and everybody because we’re all busy whether you’re a business owner or you’re working, you have a family, kids, you want to have that convenience to be able to go anytime you want.”

Being a former athlete, having played ball when he was younger plus seeing his grandfather struggle, Grove said he understood the importance of taking care of your health and this “kind of drew me to the fitness industry.”

His initial goal was to get into the industry and be a coach, but then he began managing big box clubs, Peak Fitness being his first. After a time he said he was able to start out as a fitness consultant and then went on to become a district manager overseeing four clubs with more than 250 employees.

“I had a lot of success in the industry, around a lot of great mentors, and then when I was 27, I started looking to branch out to open up my own clubs and was able to partner up and I’ve been franchising now for the past 11 years,” said Grove.

Another location is coming to North Carolina, in the Dallas area, as Grove said he is trying to open up two or three locations a year with a goal of helping “change as many lives as possible through health and wellness” and impacting lives, helping those with anxiety and depression and helping people to “get off medication and live longer and happier and healthier.”

Grove said that the China Grove facility is not open yet, but they are in pre-sale and waiting for the certificate of occupancy from the county.

When they open and having everything started, they plan on hosting a grand opening event for the community, he said. Plus, he said for the first 500 members that come, they are doing zero enrollment for them.

“We are so excited to serve this community and help as many people as we can, and we are very blessed,” said Grove.

For more information about the gym and its programs, go to workoutanytime.com/china-grove/. It is also on Facebook and Instagram.