Below are some of the most commonly asked questions potential clients have when they reach out to us for the first time.
GENERAL QUESTIONS
Q. What programs do you offer?
Our basic three programs are Personal Training, Group Classes, and Nutrition Coaching. Depending on your goals, we could be discussing enrolling you in any one of these individually, or a combination of them.
Q. What kind of workout “program” do you use?
It’s hard to keep this answer short. We don’t follow a “program” like a branded fitness program uses. We are a functional fitness gym and we use movement patterns that you would use in your real life to build strength, mobility and endurance. We don’t outsource our workouts – our owner, Clint, works hard to make sure that each workout is programmed to give each member the best workout possible.
For example, we build strength in the knees because while not everyone needs to be able to perform a 250lb barbell back squat, they DO need to be able to stand up from a chair. Some members need to sit to – and stand from a box – to start to build strength. Some members can squat while holding weight. But each person is getting the workout that’s right for them.
Q. I wish I could join, but I don’t have anyone to watch my children.
Bring them with you. We have a Kid’s Room. For safety reasons, we do not allow children on our gym floor – unless they have a signed waiver on file and are actively working out. But we have a safe, enclosed space off the gym floor that allows them to hang out while you’re taking care of yourself. The room is not supervised (so you should only bring children who are able to entertain themselves), and if for any reason they need your attention during that hour, you’ll have to attend them. But for littles with separation anxiety, there is a window so they can look out onto the floor and see you.
Q. Why do I have to start with a consultation?
We treat each client like the individual they are. Which means that no two clients enroll in the same way. In order to determine whether you’re a good fit, and how to enroll you, we need to find out more about you.
Q. What if I want to just stop by and talk to someone?
Chances are pretty low that we’ll have a staff member available to talk to you. During group classes, our coaches prioritize the members in front of them. In between classes we schedule personal training sessions, intro’s, nutrition consultations, and member check-ins to ensure we’re maximizing our client experience and our time in the gym. We also shut down in the middle of the day between our last morning class and our first afternoon class. You’ll have a much better chance of connecting with one of us by reaching out to us directly.
Q. What if I want to stop by and watch a class?
We don’t allow people to watch our members workout. Some of our members work in sensitive career fields. Some of our members have been in abusive relationships. We have minors in our group classes.
The images we share on social media are carefully cultivated taking all of these considerations in mind.
Q. What exactly does it mean when you say you’re looking to see if we’re a good “fit” for each other?
There are some things we just don’t do.
And we don’t make promises we can’t keep. If you’re looking for a type of branded fitness (like CrossFit, OrangeTheory, etc), your goals are unsafe (like dropping 20lbs in 20 days), or you want to use our facility to do your own thing, then we’re not a good fit.
People who do well and enjoy their time with Penance have some of the following goals:
-They want to develop a healthy relationship with food.
-They want to lose fat sustainably.
-They want to avoid developing lifestyle-related health issues.
-They want to build strength with guidance.
-They want to avoid injury.
These are people who want their gym time to improve their real life.
Q. Why do I have to answer all these questions just to find out about the gym?
We’re not just a gym. We’re a coaching facility. And as such, we know that your mindset about your health and wellness goals is more important than getting you in the gym and teaching you how to lift weights. Changing behaviors and building better habits requires us to challenge your long-held beliefs and thought processes about your health and wellness. Your willingness (or unwillingness) to answer questions, your body language, your tone of voice, and your facial expressions all give us clues as to whether you are or could be open to the process of mindset change.
Q. What if I just want to try out a class, can I drop in?
No.
Because we enroll clients through an individualized process, we don’t allow drop ins. We do, however, open our doors up twice per year for a Bring-A-Friend event. This invites non-Penance community members to attend a class. If you know someone who is a Penance member, tell them you’re interested in joining one of these events. If you don’t know a Penance member, you can be our friend. Shoot us a message and let us know you’re interested so we can get you all the details.
Q. What is the cost?
Due to the individualized nature of our enrollment process, we only quote pricing at the consultation.
Q. Do I have to make a decision about joining during the consultation?
No.
Quite often, someone who has participated in a consultation will want to think about it, talk to their spouse, or take time to make financial arrangements to enroll. We don’t participate in slimy sales tactics that require you to “sign up now” to get a deal.
Q. Do you offer discounts (military, first responder, teacher, additional family member, paid-in-full)?
No.
We don’t offer discounts because we provide the same quality of service to every member we enroll. If we created specialized “classes” of people to offer discounts to, it would also be a disservice to the remainder of our members.
PERSONAL TRAINING
Q. What if group classes aren’t an option for me?
Then we’d talk about personal training.
We use personal training for a variety of reasons. We educate and acclimate clients who are preparing to join group classes. We work with clients in a one-on-one environment to help them reach their goals. We help clients who are recovering from illness, injury, and surgery to build strength and mobility safely.
Q. When do you schedule personal training sessions?
Personal Training (PT) is our most flexible program. We have sessions available at just about any time of the day so you and your coach will work together to schedule the sessions in a way that is convenient for you.
Q. How will I be matched with a coach?
That depends on your goals and preferences. We have two coaches. Our owner, Clint, and our GM, Theresa.
Q. If I start with PT, do I have to stay with PT?
No.
We have some clients who do PT only. We have some who do a combination of classes and PT. We have some clients who enrolled in PT only and then transferred fully to group class. As you build strength, we expect your goals to change and we will help you follow the path that best fits your goals.
GROUP CLASSES
Q. What types of group classes do you offer?
We offer one “type” of group class.
Each day’s workout has a specific purpose (endurance, joint health or muscular strength) and a specific focus (pressing, pulling, hinging, squatting, or total-body independence). Each week will have an overall focus, but it will not be the only thing we work on. For example, if this week we were focusing on knee health, we would see more squats, lunges, step downs and other movements that strengthen the tendons and ligaments of the knee along with the surrounding muscles that stabilize the knee. But that wouldn’t be the only thing we do. Some of the other workouts during that week would give us the opportunity to build our strength or endurance with other movement patterns to give our knees a “rest day”.
Q. How do classes “work”?
You reserve your spot before you arrive. All you need to bring is your water bottle. We’re going to take care of the rest. Your workout has been planned for you. Your equipment has been picked out. And as soon as the coach of the day sees your name on the reservation list, they’re already thinking about how to help you have the best workout possible.
Q. Will I be the only girl?
Not by a long shot.
Our membership is about 75% women. Our structure is very attractive to women because they can walk in, be safely instructed and encouraged, and we do our best to end class at least 5 minutes early every time. Our members have busy schedules and the ability to move onto their next responsibility quickly (while still having the ability to take care of their health and wellness) is important to them.
Q. Will I be the oldest person in class?
Probably not.
Any one of our group classes could have members ranging from 12 – 78. And while we do have some teenagers and younger adults in class throughout the day, the median age of our members is late 40’s – 50’s.
Q. What if I’m not strong enough to do the workouts?
No one feels strong enough when they walk through the door for the first time.
And we expect that. That’s part of the reason we start with the consultation. Learning about your fitness and medical histories helps us to determine what the best enrollment process looks like for you. Almost all of our members enrolled through Personal Training first – even when their ultimate goal was to join group class. We use personal training to educate and prepare our members so that when they DO join group classes, they have a solid foundation. We want them comfortable with the basic movements we use in class and which modifications they may need to use to build strength safely. Our group class clients vary in their strengths and abilities. You will see others in class with you performing modified movements based on their individual skill set or underlying injury.
Q. What if I don’t run? What else would I do for cardio?
We’ve got you covered. We have several members who do not run for a variety of reasons. We use other ways of helping you get your heart pumping.
Q. What if I’ve never lifted weights before?
Honestly, we love beginners! Our weights start as small as 2lbs and build from there. We also teach things a little differently, so being able to teach you how to move, without having to help you “unlearn” previous patterns is going to help you get more comfortable faster.
NUTRITION COACHING
Q. What kind of “diet” do you use?
We use the word “diet” to describe how you nourish your body – not how you deprive yourself of foods you love just to fit into a pants size.
Nutrition at Penance is about taking back control and removing guilt or shame associated with food. Our nutrition clients are looking for an end to the food roller coaster. And there are a variety of factors that go into how people eat – allergies, preferences, goals, cultural and religious reasons all play a part in a person’s nutrition. So we help them create the autonomy they’re looking for with education, habit-formation, and accountability. And that looks different for each person based on what their goals are and where they’re starting from. Just like our fitness programs, we meet you where you are and help you build from there.
Q. Can you just assign me a meal plan?
No.
The State of Tennessee has a Tennessee Nutrition Law that outlines who can provide what education and guidance – only Registered Dieticians and Licensed Nutritionists can assign meal plans. This is to protect the public from dangerous nutrition practices from individuals without the proper education and licensure. According to the law, meal plans fall under “medical nutrition therapy” and nutrition coaches cannot prescribe that. Medical nutrition therapy helps specialized classes of individuals working with deeper concerns – medical disease management or things like recovery from eating disorders.
Realistically, however, many people don’t need medical nutrition therapy. They need education, support and time. Just like learning how to lift weights, learning how to eat intuitively, how to make the best decision for yourself in the moment while keeping an eye on the larger picture and developing the internal strength to take control of your own health is a journey.
If you have a question that wasn’t already answered above, please reach out and ask!