By Mark Robinson
Want to put some punch into your workout? The place to go is IronFit Boxing and Strength Training, Carmel’s newest fitness facility that opened last week in Monon Square at 620 S. Range Line Rd.
Owner Stephanie Southern promises a complete workout combining cardio and strength training using one of the 52 “heavy bags” located in the 5,600-square-foot facility.
“It’s great for cross training for athletes,” Southern said. “It’s not just cardio. Since you have the impact of (hitting or kicking) that bag that weighs 100 pounds, it’s also going to tone and build muscle. You’re just not going to get hit; you’re going to get fit.”
Southern is a former professional dancer with training certification from the American Council on Exercise. She has been a trainer/instructor for nearly 10 years and helped open and manage a pair of similar area clubs, which inspired her to open IronFit after clients insisted on a more comprehensive training program.
Besides Southern, the IronFit training staff includes a former mixed martial arts fighter/coach, a firefighter/professional trainer, a kickboxing coach/trainer and more. One-hour classes are offered in boxing and kickboxing, as well as a 75-minute boxing boot camp class that combines a boxing heavy bag routine with weight training using free weights, weight machines and even tractor tires. A boxing ring is also available for workouts punching into a trainer’s focus mitts, “so no one is getting punched,” Southern said. “We are a fitness gym, not a fight gym.”
Classes are offered at multiple times throughout the day, evening and on weekends, and members can come in whenever IronFit is open to work out on their own. Clients can pay by the class or sign up for unlimited monthly memberships. Everyone is eligible for a free introductory class.
“It’s for all levels so everyone gets to go at their own pace,” Southern said. “Our trainers are experts at giving modifications to people (based on skill level). … I’ve done many types of workouts and I haven’t found one that’s as effective.”
For more information, call IronFit at 993-3500 or visit Facebook.com/IronFitBoxing.
