South Philadelphia's Fearless Athletics is for fitness enthusiasts who want something else. The gym on South 11th Street specializes in Crossfit...cross-training at its highest intensity.
Owner and personal trainer Wil Vicinus builds a different routine every day, and you never know what'll on the schedule until you show up on any given day.
He posts a list on the gym's whiteboard, and you go at it, best you can, one exercise at a time.
Vicinus says people who can work in teams yet have a personal competitive spirit do best. But he says the program can work for anyone.
Exercises are designed to be toned down for absolute beginners and amped up for elite athletes.
Each exercise is built into a timed session, and you'll probably do three or four things in a session. Before enrolling, a participant fills out a health profile.
If anything raises concern, you're asked to see your health care professional to make sure you and Crossfit are an appropriate match.
On our visit, participants did a session of weight training, worked out with medicine balls, skipped rope at a high rate of speed, and did 150-meter runs.
At the end of a session, you get cardio conditions, endurance and strength training all in one workout. Vicinus says a lot of college teams use Crossfit and some pro athletes do, but no local pro team has enrolled in his program to date.
The center is open seven days a week from 6:00 am to 7:00pm. Most programs occur in a class environment but personal training is available.
For more information, phone 215-983-1515, or visit Fearless Athletics online.
The center is located at 744 S. 11th Street, just below Fitzwater and just a couple of blocks from the Italian Market.
