Opportunities for high quality group exercise classes are exclusive:
- F I N A N C I A L L Y, the trend toward boutique workouts and classes is growing but a high cost barrier at $20 or more a class prevents access to the health benefits of group exercise.
- S O C I A L L Y, the fitness industry pushes an unrealistic view of what "health" and fitness look like - primarily white, thin, and able-bodied. A lot of fitness studios tend to exclude the needs of people of color, differently-abled, queer and trans, big bodied and fat identifying folks.
Our Offerings
Set Fitness is a group exercise fitness studio for everyone and every body regardless of size, gender identity, or athletic ability. The studio will bring high quality group exercise classes to West Philadelphia where many have historically faced less opportunity for physical activity due to a lack of gym access, financial barriers, social stigmas and different physical abilities.
The Classes
Set Fitness provides a variety of group exercise classes with every body in mind. The classes offered range from HIIT to kickboxing to spinning to weight training. Initially, Set Fitness will offer six LES MILLS™ programs: BODYPUMP, BODYCOMBAT, GRIT, BODYATTACK, CXWORX, and BODYBALANCE in addition to spinning classes. After a few months of these programs, Set Fitness aims to host instructor module trainings to recruit and train instructors from the community to teach more varieties of classes such as BODYJAM, BARRE, SPRINT, and more.
Equitable Pricing
We believe that high-quality group exercise should be available to all regardless of financial circumstances. We offer membership options at a fraction of the cost of a traditional boutique fitness studio for the same high quality experience. At the core of Set Fitness is (1) a sliding scale membership option for people from different socioeconomic backgrounds; (2) a pay-it-forward model for members who want to help contribute to another person's membership; (3) a work-trade option if you can spare a few hours a week to help us upkeep the space in exchange for classes.
These equitable options provide more people access to the benefits of a high-quality fitness studio without having to afford a high cost.
An Affirmative Space
Set Fitness aims to a create body positive environment into the physical infrastructure, hiring practices, day-to-day operations, and culture of the studio so that when you walk in, you feel welcome and at home. Before the studio opens, Set Fitness is meeting with people of color, gender non-conforming and trans industry experts who are already doing this important work to create safe spaces. Every day on this journey, we are learning to unpack everything we know about traditional fitness standards as we work to build an affirmative and body positive business.
We’re seeking funding to help us secure a location, purchase top of the line equipment and spread awareness!
Our Team
Set Fitness is founded by Nicole Koedyker (she/her), a local group fitness instructor with work experience in community engagement and building social enterprises. She's been teaching group exercise classes part-time for almost a decade. She decided to take her passion for fitness to the next level and open a studio that matches with her values and creates a community representative of the beautiful diversity that makes Philadelphia amazing.
We'll be building our team of instructors closer to our opening in 2020. We’ll be doing some grassroots outreach to recruit experienced instructors and start a pipeline of interested people to become certified instructors that are representative of our community we live in.
We also want to take the time to recognize the labor of black and brown, trans and gender non-conforming folks that have shaped the mission of Set Fitness including Ilya Parker of Decolonizing Fitness, Neha Ghosh of Qunify and Asher Freeman of Nonnormative Body Club. They are doing incredible work in fitness accessibility already and Set wouldn't be what it is without their voices and experiences.
-----
Thank you for taking the time to learn more about Set Fitness and for your ongoing support. With your help, we can make group exercise available for every body in Philadelphia!
Follow us on Instagram for updates (@setfitphl)!