Fit Culture celebrates grand opening on Daniel Island

 It’s time to get pumped, Daniel Island! When it comes to fitness offerings, there’s a new game in town that promises to take healthier living to a whole new level. On April 1, Daniel Island residents Sarah and Ben Sands celebrated the grand opening of their new Fit Culture studio, located at 186 Seven Farms Drive next to Tropical Smoothie Cafe.

On tap in the studio this month are classes for power yoga, cardio kick-boxing, high intensity interval training, pilates stick, barre and more. According to a recent Fit Culture blog post by Sarah, their goal is to have all clients leave feeling alive, energized, strong, happy and peaceful.

“Our idea was to bring world class fitness to a world class community,” said Sarah. The couple moved to the island from Washington DC, where Sarah still owns a specialty fitness studio. After relocating to this area, they decided Daniel Island could benefit from the same type of endeavor.

“The specialty fitness studios are really trending upwards,” she added. The unique thing about the new studios is they really have a community vibe. They find friends there, go with their friends, and it’s a place where they can hang out, and do something healthy other than eating and drinking.”

To determine whether the venture would fly on Daniel Island, Ben and Sarah turned to the community for some feedback. While enjoying outdoor recreation time with their young son, Jack, they did some “ad hoc” interviews on the playground with other parents. They also sent out surveys via Facebook. After receiving some 300 responses, they came up with a game plan.

“We said, OK, there is definitely a need for this here,” added Sarah. “And the idea for Fit Culture was born!”

The classes at Fit Culture are taught by top instructors who come in to do “what they do best,” said Sarah. That means putting on great classes “that are worth your money and deliver the results you are looking for,” she added, whether that’s weight loss, toning, conditioning, stress relief, or just doing something positive for yourself. In addition to classes, the new space will also offer high end athletic apparel for sale.

Sarah and Ben have always made fitness an important part of their lives since they met more than six years ago. As she writes in one of her blog posts for the studio, the pair enjoyed a hike along the Potomac River on their first date, and a jog around DC landmarks the next day. They hope their new venture on Daniel Island helps clients “find their fit” when it comes to living healthy - mind, body and soul.

“Fitness was an immediate and important point of connection for us, but, importantly, it was never just about wanting to ‘look good,’” writes Sarah. “Sure, that’s usually a great upside of a consistent exercise routine, but, what we care most about is how we feel - the energy we have - when we’re fit. As we have experienced in both our personal and professional lives, fitness is a catalyst - a regular habit that gives us the energy we need to do the things we really want to do; to be the person we really want to be.”

For more information on Fit Culture, including a list of upcoming classes, visit their website at www.fitculture.org.