Business Spotlight

One on One Bodyworks takes personal approach

by Steven Nix-Ennen

SBJ Contributing Writer

It would be no stretch to say that building a successful business is as difficult as building a strong body. Both endeavors require an individualized approach, dedication to the task and a varied knowledge base. And success in either venture can be vital to one's livelihood.

Gary King, owner of One on One Bodyworks, has shaped a successful business comprising motivators and guides to personal health. King, along with partner Leina Roberts, is a certified fitness trainer and nutrition counselor. Their operation, located at 1550 E. Battlefield, has exploded due to the individual, and sometimes demanding, approach of Roberts, King and their six certified trainers.

Their approach is quite different from other fitness centers.

King' s interest in fitness began because a series of heart problems seemed to shadow the men of his family, affecting father, grandfather and uncle.

"A light bulb went off in my head that I was dealing with something congenital, and I had better start doing something about it," King said.

King immersed himself in the literature and science of personal fitness.

"My first task was to find all of the credible authors and authorities in health and fitness," King said. "I became a sponge for that type of information the physiology and kinesiology."

However, that was all that was spongy about King. As his personal fitness regimen took hold, friends noticed.

"Four or five years later, I was constantly being approached by people who wanted help," he said.

He met Roberts in 1995. The two shared a passion for personal fitness, and the concept of One on One was born. The pair started the operation from scratch and essentially built it on their own.

"We really complement each other with our backgrounds," said King, who has extensive experience in marketing.

"We pretty much figured it out by ourselves," King said. "Our concern was that this was a brand new concept in this area, as well as a brand new business."

They found the desire for fitness strong in the Ozarks. Well within the first year of operation, they were meeting their bills. By the end of the second year, King and Roberts flexed their company to a $250,000 operation.

In three years of operation their client base has increased tenfold. The two take into account lifestyle, time commitments, diet, occupation and nutrition, and tailor a program that each client can stick to.

"People first come in for a complimentary consultation," King said. "We take the time to get to know them better their goals, their needs, their lifestyle."

The consultation includes tests on body composition, flexibility, blood pressure, upper and lower muscular endurance, and heart rate- recovery tests. King adds issues of desire and dedication to this complex assessment and develops a training program set for the individual.

King demands a great deal from his clients and trainers. Instructors are not only certified but have a minimum of five years' experience in the weight room and a minimum of 100 hours of personal-training experience. They also need an understanding of the individuals with whom they work.

"We are often hired as motivators, to keep clients in check," King said, "and we want them to get the most out of every session they have paid for. That means sometimes we have to be tough with them."

Fitness has no boundaries, and the client profiles reflect that. The majority of One on One's clients are women between the ages of 30 and 50.

But clients as young as 12 and as old as 70 use the training center, custom-designed by King.

"And we are increasingly seeing more and more men," said King, who added that ostensibly, men and women have different goals.

"Most of the ladies would like to lose weight and tone their bodies," King said. "Men are coming in to improve health and energy, and relieve stress."

Both sexes are finding improvement in everything from energy levels to golf games and mental focus. One on One throws in advice on eating technology, as well, for the complete health package.

At the onset, King did a lot of local advertising in an attempt to establish name recognition. But today he is finding greater results based on his reputation.

"Most of our new male clients are coming in from word-of-mouth," Roberts said.

King and Roberts focus on total body fitness. They consult regularly with a certified nutritionist, and their facility is state-of-the-art, using cam and pulley technology designed by King. To ensure clients are comfortable, King and crew usually allow only four clients at a time in the training room.

"It is a very private, very professional environment," King said.

CAPTION:

Gary King, owner of One on One Bodyworks, and partner Leina Roberts have combined their passion for fitness into a personal health and fitness business. One on One Bodyworks is featured in Steven Nix-Ennen's spotlight on page 10.[[In-content Ad]]