A new health and fitness centre on Memorial Avenue is doing the heavy lifting toward building a stronger community.
In late October, competitive powerlifters Timothy Purkiss and Sangeetha Jeya opened Movement Space Orillia at 190 Memorial Avenue Unit F.
Purkiss, 31, is a registered massage therapist, manual osteopath, medical acupuncturist, and strength coach. Jeya, 28, is a certified strength and conditioning coach and personal trainer with a background in marketing.
The training and wellness space provides one-on-one and small-group training for people of all skill levels and walks of life.
"We train everyday athletes to athletes who are in competitive sports," Jeya said. "We train athletes in skiing, weightlifting, tennis, running, and everything you could think of."
Movement Space also serves as a rehab space where Purkiss can help athletes recover from injuries, surgeries, or intense workouts.
"Tim is really well-known in Orillia for his rehab," Jeya said. "He was previously at Miller Health where he won several awards."
At Movement Space, Jeya and Purkiss do one-on-one assessments with clients to formulate personal fitness goals.
"In our small group training sessions, everyone is on the same program but on different levels," Purkiss explained. "You might be in a group with a professional athlete but also somebody who is 75 years old and just wants to get healthier and travel pain-free."
One-on-one service is the facility's hallmark.
"We follow you through, which I think is the missing link," Jeya said. "It's one thing to go to a therapist and get exercises, but it’s another to have a trainer there meeting with you and following your progress."
Jeya says client feedback has been "phenomenal since they opened last month.
"Everyone loves it," she said. "We've been very busy," Purkiss added.
Jeya says the ultimate goal is to build a "strong" community through the new space.
"There's a lot of other gyms," she said. "But having that community that builds off powerlifting and basic barbell weightlifting is a big vision for both of us."
Movement Space's clientele is rapidly growing, but there's still room for new clients. Click here for more information or to book an appointment.
