We get this question all the time, “What is F45?” Rather than give you a generic rundown, we went straight to the source to introduce you to the F45 North Fishers team out of Fishers, Indiana and let them tell you all about what they do at F45 Training. Keep reading to hear how Brent, the owner of F45 North Fishers and Chris, their head coach and our very own Red Leaf Brand Ambassador, work to make Indianapolis stronger, healthier, and more confident through fitness and community.
Brent, Owner (right) Chris, Head Coach (left)
According to F45’s website, F45 “combines elements of high-intensity interval training (HIIT), circuit training, and functional training to promote adaptation and engagement.” What do you think makes F45 better than other training methods?
Brent: F45 has superior programming because they focus on muscle confusion, which forces adaptation, so you’re constantly improving. The programming is designed by a panel of professionals from varied training backgrounds so you’re able to get a balanced and constantly changing stimulus. That and you also have us as coaches. We’re not going to let you do things incorrectly.
Chris: Exactly. If I have someone walk out of a workout saying, “that was easy,” two things happened. One, I failed you as a coach for not pushing you harder and two, you failed yourself for letting yourself off easy. I’ve been doing these workouts every day for three years and I’ve never had an easy workout. It all comes down to how hard you want to work and that’s up to you.
Awesome. So how did you guys get into training?
Brent: I’ve been training my whole life. I played college basketball at Lindenwood University and after college went on to become a professional trainer. After years working in fitness, I went to work in Corporate America for a little while and quickly realized, no, I have to get back to fitness. It’s what I love. I found an article about F45 and sent it to my friend, Chad, who I’d met when I was a personal trainer and asked him if he was interested in going for it. Fast forward to March of 2018 and Chad is my business partner and we’re opening up an F45 location in Fishers.
Chris: I worked in federal law enforcement for 12 years and wanted to pursue fitness outside of the government. I got certified in personal training and started doing some things here and there when my wife came across F45 on Facebook and it looked interesting to me. I reached out to Brent to come check it out and never looked back. I’ve been here since.
We’ve obviously gotten to experience your atmosphere at your location, but for those who have never been to an F45, what do you think makes it unique?
Chris: It starts with the coaches. We take an actual interest in who you are. We get to know you and not only work to help you build your fitness and health routine, but we also want to know how your kids are doing. We’re a part of our members’ lives.
That’s definitely unique. We’ve all been to those gyms where you walk in and feel like all you are is a monthly paycheck. In addition to the coaching, what makes F45 attractive to your members?
Brent: The community. At F45, you’re able to get individual training in a group setting. You get to feed off all the energy around you, but no one’s judging you because they’re focused on doing their own work. You get accountability from the coaches, feedback and correction to ensure you’re doing the movements with proper form, and we’re qualified and have tons of experience to know when and how to push you. With personal training, you miss the energy. With a lot of group fitness, you miss the personalized instruction and modifications. We give you both.
That’s one of the most important things to me when I’m trying out a new class. 1) Do the coaches make an effort to actually coach me or are they on their phones? 2) Do the other members in the class acknowledge me? How do you guys make people feel comfortable?
Brent: We address you by name the first time you come in. That automatically makes people take a step back and say, “wow, this place is different.” We introduce you to other members so you don’t feel like you’re all alone in the class. And we’re really blessed at our location because we have the best members. We don’t even have to introduce you to anyone. Our members come up right away and welcome you to class, motivate and encourage you, and chat with you after class. They’re just good people.
You guys are making me want to come workout! Alright, so last question about F45. How do you sell someone who is completely new to working out on F45?
Chris: Anybody can workout. Everyone has a starting point and we put you at ease by letting you know that we will be alongside you during the workout to instruct you and ensure that you’re moving well. You know, people come in and see the trainer on the screen doing the most advanced form of the movement and they think, “I have to do that.” And you don’t. That’s why we’re there in the class with you.
Brent: Exactly right. If we have someone new come in, I might hang around their station a little bit more throughout the class and give lots of tactile cues to help them feel how to self-correct their form. Then as they keep coming, if I say, “hey, bring your hips back and push your knees out,” they know how to do that. The biggest thing to remember is that anyone can do F45. You are able to go at your own level even though it’s group training. We have people training with injuries, disabilities, and any and all capabilities. If you’re willing to show up and put in the hard work, we can modify any exercise to suit your needs.
Outstanding. We are so grateful to be partners with you guys and support one another. You guys have a deep sense of integrity and it shines through every time we sit down to chat. Final question: we know some of your members are using Red Leaf products. What are they saying about them?
Chris: Everybody loves it. We have people who order it every month now and people who come in and try some of mine before a workout. The thing they love the most is that the Red Leaf Pre-Workout isn’t jittery. They can take it without worrying that their heart is going to start racing and pounding. They feel good, get a good pump, and they love the flavors.
If you’re interested in trying any Red Leaf products (including our brand new Red Leaf Pre-Workout Single Serve Packets!), use the code chasse at checkout for 15% off your order!
We want to thank the guys at F45 for sitting down for an interview with our team. Part of our mission at Red Leaf is to give back to our community and partner with brands who look to make their communities stronger, healthier, and happier and we really believe that F45 North Fishers does that. We hope this interview has been informative and encouraging to all of you at home and if you’re looking to take your fitness up a notch, contact your local F45 and check them out! P.S. we recommend trying it out on a Saturday for “Hollywood,” where they have live DJ’s, killer beats, and an awesome sweat sesh that will be sure to bring you back come Monday morning!
