Exercise Evolution

The traditional gym experience, the long-standing road races and the ordinary fitness centers have all been done before. These days, creativity and fun is rewarded.

Among a variety of alternative fitness options emerging on the Springfield scene is a trampoline park and a gym for “ninja warriors” in training.

Andy Mariage, owner of Warrior Sports LLC, is preparing to open a 2,500-square-foot gym at 425 W. Plainview Road, Ste. 6, that features many of the obstacles made popular on NBC’s TV show “American Ninja Warrior.” He said he’s spending about $10,000 to launch the business that he and his father have built from scratch.

“We’ve got the warped wall. We’ve got the salmon ladder, the devil steps, and we’re working right now on the spider climb,” Mariage said, adding he expects to open on Sept. 13. “And we’ve also got some things we think we’ve come up with on our own.”

While Mariage envisions the gym as a breeding ground for “Ninja Warrior” contestants or simply a test of the skills performed on the show, for many, he said it might be just a new workout experience.

“It could be looked at as an indoor playground for adults,” said Mariage, who teaches sixth–12th-grade band in Seymour.

During the last two years, several racing events have popped up, including the Glow Run 5K, The Color Run and Monster Dash Springfield.

Craig Aslup, co-creator of the zombie-filled Monster Dash and The Gladiator – both variants obstacle course races – said he and his wife have developed a handful of racing concepts they have unveiled beyond the Ozarks via Centurion Events LLC.  

The 2-year-old company, which will host seven events this year and expects to manage 10 in 2015, is holding races such as the Zombie Frenzy as far away as Jackson, Miss. In Fort Scott, Kan., it created the Tri-Yak-Athon, a 4-mile run, 2-mile kayak and 6.5-mile mountain bike race.

On Oct. 4, Centurion will host its third Monster Dash Springfield.

“It’s nothing too difficult. We have some kids as young as 10 years old who come out and run with their parents,” Aslup said of the race that allows runners – some dressed as zombies – to navigate a nearly 8-foot wall, a rope climb and a tunnel crawl among the 12 to 15 obstacles. “The zombies will wear their own clothes. Basically, we’ll schedule them in and we’ll have local hair and makeup people come out and make them over with special zombie makeup. You can do that or you can just register as a runner and there will be zombies throughout the course and they’ll chase you around a little bit.”

Registration for Monster Dash costs between $25 and $50. He declined to disclose revenue the events are generating but said proceeds are split between the company and select charities. For instance, a portion from Monster Dash benefits the Texas-based Gospel for Asia missionary group.

The funky races seem to be catching on. Last year, Monster Dash more than doubled participation from the 200 people in the inaugural event, and Aslup expects this year to easily pass 500 runners.

The Color Run 5K, which showers runners with colorful powder at each kilometer, held 53 events in 2012. This year, the race will host about 240 events worldwide in more than 50 countries. Color Run creator Travis Snyder said via email he just wanted to create a fun event that would encourage people to get out and run.

“The demand has been crazy and exciting,” said Snyder, who lives in Salt Lake City. “Every day, hundreds of people make requests on our Facebook page for us to bring the event to their favorite city.”

The Color Run, which has 3.7 million likes on Facebook, last held a run in Springfield in April. Organizers say the race will return.

Mariage, who tried out for the “Ninja Warrior” show in Dallas earlier this year and fell on the second obstacle, plans to offer training opportunities with another contestant who tried out in St. Louis this year: Springfieldian Adam Arnold.

“He was about 20 seconds and a few spots shy of making it to the Vegas finals,” Marriage said. “He’s going to be there to help me with some of the classes, and he’ll be there at times just to help people who need some extra coaching on some of the obstacles.”

Regular monthly memberships start at $50, Mariage said, the gym’s drop-in rate is $10 per day. He said all visitors would have to sign a waiver – a requirement for insurance. Declining to disclose premiums, Mariage said he had to shop around to find a carrier.

“It’s not a traditional gym, so a lot of insurers didn’t want to mess with it,” he said.

SkyZone.com offers an online waiver for Sky Zone Indoor Trampoline Park. The Los Angeles-based company will have a presence in Springfield this fall after a franchisee opens the city’s first location. Developer Kansas Plaza I LLC is expected to complete the $1.6 million indoor trampoline facility by Nov. 1. The company appeals to all different types of age groups, said CEO Jeff Platt.

“There are parents looking for new alternatives to family outings and activities, teens looking for a fun place to hang out, young children begging to have their birthday parties here. It really comes from all ages,” Platt said via email.

The Springfield trampoline park is designed with wall-to-wall trampolines, open jump periods, dodgeball, low-impact aerobics, called SkyRobics, and SkySlam basketball sessions. The facility also will have a foam zone with 10,000 foam cubes at the end of a trampoline runway.

Sky Zone operates 73 parks across the U.S., Canada, Mexico and Australia, and the company expects to nearly double revenue this year to $160 million, Platt said. In January, Forbes ranked Sky Zone No. 74 on its list of Most Promising Companies.

Along with the interest in alternative exercise opportunities, Mercy Fitness Center specialist Zach Ganska offers a healthy dose of caution. He said those trying unproven exercises should be careful of biting off more than they can chew.

“When you get that swell of exuberance and optimism, let’s make sure that you are getting into an activity you can do long-term and not burn out emotionally or injure yourself within a certain time frame,” said Ganska, who runs the center’s kettle bell and body-weight movement program called School of Strength.

At the school, he said each participant is tested for functional movement to determine an appropriate strength-training regimen. Ganska advised setting goals and receiving training from an experienced instructor.[[In-content Ad]]