By Christina Autry
With a new year on the horizon, Houstonians are no doubt considering their fitness and health resolutions. For beginners, even after taking the crucial first step and joining a gym, figuring out how to best use the equipment for your goals can be intimidating. Especially when comparing yourself to the evidently professional bodybuilder working out beside you in the gym, who makes hundred-pound dumbbells look like feathers. Self-consciousness and lack of support is unmotivating, and can lead you into another year of broken resolutions.
Luckily for Spring Branch residents, a new kind of gym is opening in December which has a mission to break down barriers between you and achieving your goals. Blink Fitness brings a “refreshing movement” into fitness, named for the refreshing effects that a blink gives your eye. “We don’t want the gym to be an intimidating place. We want everyone to be comfortable, no matter their experience level,” says Chrissy Napolitano, Training Club Manager for Blink’s new Houston market.
Blink staff refer to themselves as “mood lifters,” with the mantra, “mood over muscle.” Mood lifters are tasked with ensuring that every guest has a positive experience. “Exercise isn’t just about how you look. It’s about how you feel. If you’re not feeling good about yourself, we help to lift your mood, keep you going, and celebrate your achievement with you,” says Chrissy. Blink staff circulate around the workout areas, giving assistance to anyone needing help, demonstrating how to use equipment, ensuring that weights are appropriately racked, and that the TVs are on guests’ preferred channels. “We make sure they’re enjoying themselves and they know that we’re there for them,” says Chrissy.
It’s not just the staff that contribute to a supportive, upbeat environment. “Everything from colors, to music, to our engagement with our members is proven to be mood lifting,” describes Chrissy. With carefully chosen wall colors, a bright and spacious facility, and music playing at a rate of 110 beats per minute, Blink works to energize all of your senses toward a successful workout.
Chrissy was a Blink gym member in New York before joining the Blink team as a maintenance associate, then front desk staff, and finally the Houston Training Club Manager. “When I was a member, at first I was intimidated by the gym, but the mood lifters helped me feel good about working out, and helped me get to my goals,” remembers Chrissy. “I’m super excited to be in the company now, and you can tell from my experience that there is room for growth,” she adds.
Blink Fitness threw a curve ball in the fitness industry when they opened their doors in 2011. Blink began catering to a previously underserved need for affordable gyms that are both clean and provide a high-quality experience. Their philosophy to give the customer “more than they pay for” has since resulted in nearly 100 Blink gyms opening around the country.
Blink in Spring Branch will be the first of four locations opening in upcoming months around the Houston area. “We chose Spring Branch because of the great business growth in the area,” says Chrissy. “We’re expecting a lot of commuters here who want to work out before they go home, and many residents who want a neighborhood gym. I’m excited to bring Blink to Houston. You’ll see the difference that we bring from the first moment you walk in.”
The Spring Branch location is offering a new member special, which will include three 30-minute personal training sessions for a total of $61. Membership means access to their state-of-the-art cardio, strength, and functional equipment, stretch mats, and the Blink app which provides workout videos, meal plans, and more. Details about membership and training packages can be found on their website, https://www.blinkfitness.com/locations/spring-branch.
Blink Fitness (Coming Soon)
7824 Long Point Rd.
Houston, TX 77055
