MVP Sports Clubs adds boutique studio-based facility to corporate umbrella

MVP Sports Clubs adds boutique studio-based facility to corporate umbrella

In the move studio, information such as heart rate and calories burned is displayed on a big screen for all participants to see. Courtesy 4G Athletic

A new fitness boutique with a “unique concept” has made its way to Jenison.

MVP Sports Clubs has added an entirely new concept to its corporate umbrella and opened the new venture in Jenison, according to Karl Droppers, president of MVP Sports Clubs. 4G Athletic, which opened Dec. 4 in Jenison, is unlike the recreational and athletic facility activities that are often associated with MVP Sports Clubs, Droppers said 4G Athletic is a boutique studio-based facility.

“In the marketplace, we felt that this is a unique concept and a unique program we wanted to bring to West Michigan,” Droppers said. “We researched it for the last two years and there is really nothing like this, certainly in the Midwest and West Michigan, that offers four studios under one roof at a reduced price point.”

4G Athletic has four types of training regimens: bike, flow, lift and move. The 11,000-square-foot building features four studios where certified fitness coaches teach each training regime.

“Karl Droppers and I have spent the past two years in different cities checking out lots of styles of boutiques,” said Ali Svendsen, 4G Athletic general manager. “We wanted each space to have its own experience when you walk through the doors and truly feel like you can escape the hustle of life.”

Advanced Printing was the previous tenant before Svendsen said they “gutted the entire space and started from scratch on the inside. It was a great building because it's very open and allowed us to put four studios in one.” 

“We chose (Jenison) because there is a great demographic of people in that area, and it also is in a location that doesn't compete with our Athletic Club business (MVP),” Svendsen said. “We feel there is a need in this particular community for a cost-effective workout that gives variety and a great atmosphere to sweat.”

The bike studio is where customers do indoor cycling designed to help with cardio training. The room matches the mood during training, featuring “edgy graffiti” on the wall and a stage with neon lights, which Svendsen said makes it more fun to sweat and lose track of the outside world.

The bikes are designed to simulate riding on a hill and sprinting on a flat surface. There are 40 bikes in the room, and they all have consoles that guide individuals during their workout.

The flow studio is for yoga practices, featuring power vinyasa classes with restoration at the end. Participants can correlate movement with their breathing to the flow from one yoga pose to another.

The temperature in the studio is between 80-82 degrees and designed to have a tropical feel. There are twinkle lights, bamboo, fans, curtains, shrugs on the windowsills and everything is surrounded by a wooden wall.

“We wanted the full escape from the cold outside, the temperature is around 81 degrees for each practice and the lights feel very relaxing and the wood rustic,” Svendsen said.

In the lift studio, individuals use barbells, plates and a bench to increase strength. Assistant General Manager Meagan Merdzinski said lift is a choreographed muscle endurance training that “will be focusing on one muscle group in each track.”

Just like the other studios, lift has its own feel that is inviting to everyone.

“We wanted a gritty feel that was inviting for males and females and has a more inviting feel to it with the coach in the center of the room and part of the overall workout,” Svendsen said. “Sometimes having a stage and a wood floor can feel a little old school aerobics. There is nothing wrong with aerobics, we just wanted the gritty inclusive feel.”

Move is the final studio and can be the most demanding. The workouts are done on a turf surface, and Svendsen said it is meant to feel like a team practice, like a football field with lights shining down and building a community of teammates.

“We use a multitude of equipment,” move coach Kenny Brummel said. “Anything from metabolic style ball slams, battle ropes and even VIPR, and we’ll also use some strength equipment like dumbbells, kettlebells, Olympic barbells. Sometimes, we’ll be using our cardiovascular equipment in the form of row machines and treadmills.”

Once individuals sign up for a move class, Merdzinski said they are given heart rate monitors.

Throughout their workouts, participants know their heart rate and how many calories they burn during the workout, as everyone’s information is displayed on a big screen.

There are eight move, lift, flow and bike classes per day that can hold up to 40 individuals. The classes are 45 minutes long and are taught by 18 certified fitness trainers. The number of classes was scheduled to be increased to 16 in January, according to Droppers.

Although 4G Athletic recently opened, there is a possibility there will be more facilities opening up across the country in the years to come.

“This is really the first of our kind, so we’ll see how this one goes,” Merdzinski said.