Eighty percent of our health is diet, according to Frankie Enciso, a certified personal trainer in Santa Maria. The rest is exercise, and that’s where Enciso comes in.
Enciso and his business partner Sue LaCoe are the owners of Fit Body Boot Camp, a new gym squeezed in between Santa Maria Burgers and Paragon Jiu Jitsu on Broadway. The new fitness center is a franchise owned by fitness guru Bedros Keuilian. Fit Body started as a single gym in Chino Hills and now has locations throughout the region, including Santa Barbara and Orange counties.
The new business is a manifestation of both Frankie’s and Sue’s struggle with weight. They first met when Frankie was a student of Sue’s, who taught accounting and payroll at Santa Barbara Business College. She got to know Frankie and eventually hired him to help her lose weight.
Soon, Sue realized this could be a business opportunity. Already the owner of a tax preparation company, Sue knew a thing or two about running a business, and with Enciso’s talents as a personal trainer, she thought they really had something. Within six months, the pair had a business going.
“I’ve been up and down with my weight my whole life,” Sue said. “I knew it wasn’t efficient for him to train only one person.”
Enciso’s journey into personal fitness began as a senior in high school when he was awarded $500 by the nonprofit Do Something as a way to combat teen obesity at his high school. As a teenager, Enciso became increasingly aware of his weight. At 17, he was approaching 300 pounds.
Inspired by Keuilian’s fitness philosophy, Enciso met with people from the parent corporation and began Fit Body, which opened its location along 1777 South Broadway on Oct. 17.
Enciso received his certification from the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America. He said the certification is essential to make sure people properly exercise and prevent injury. He specializes in high-intensity interval training (HIIT), generally consisting of 30-minute group sessions geared toward the client’s fitness level. He uses the trademarked Unstoppable Fitness Formula consisting of elements of weight training combined with cardio.
Massive ropes branch across the soft, latex-free Tiffin mats. A TRX set with dangling foot straps sits in the corner. Kettlebells line the wall. It may look like Crossfit, but it’s not. Enciso says he never does the same workout twice.
The sessions are held twice every day, from 6:30 to 9:30 a.m. and from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. In between he does personal one-on-one sessions. He holds 45-minute boot camp sessions on Saturdays. He and his staff of trainers also conduct Zumba classes on Tuesdays and Thursdays. And they will soon be offering classes on stretching and flexibility. Fit Body is closed on Sundays.
Clients are able to book classes for Fit Body through its Facebook page. Both owners say they have competitive rates. Clients are encouraged to sign a year agreement, not contracts, for a little more than a $100 a month, which could save as much as 25 percent in costs. Month-to-month rates are a little higher. Fit Body also offers 21-day commitments. Corporate and group rates are available, too. Fit Body offers trials for only $1. Meal plans are offered, too.
Enciso and LaCoe want to make it a place where someone can have a good time while improving health.
“It’s not like a big-box training gym,” Enciso said. “People want to come and hang out here because [of] how we treat them.”
Staff Writer David Minsky wrote this week’s Biz Spotlight. Information should be sent to the Sun via fax, email, or mail.
This article appears in Nov 20-27, 2014.