OCEAN CITY – Next Saturday, Oct. 30, Gold’s Gym in the Gold Coast Mall is celebrating its grand opening under new ownership.
Tammy China, new owner of Gold’s Gym on 115th Street, officially took over on July 1, and, in four short months, has led many renovations, giving the gym a total face-lift.
China previously had worked out at Ocean City Health and Racquet Club on 61st Street, which closed earlier this year. Little did China know that when one door closed another would soon open.
“When the other gym closed, I came up here. Then when I found out it was for sale and my husband bought it for me,” she said.
China’s husband, Richard, takes care of the business aspects of the gym. while she enjoys decorating, cleaning and socializing with the gym’s guests as well as teaching classes and conducting personal training.
“I have always loved working out. I become a personal trainer last year and I got certified to teach classes,” China said.
China has also participated in a few fitness competitions in the past year, winning first and second place in her first competition.
For the past three years, Gary Howard had trained China at OC Health and Racquet Club. He is now the head trainer at Gold’s Gym.
“I’ve been in fitness since the late 70’s…I was the fitness director at the OC Health and Racquet Club for 10 years until they closed down,” Howard said.
Christopher Kucinski had been working at the gym prior to China’s arrival. He moved his way up by working different positions in the gym and is now general manager.
“I started here about five years ago just working at the front desk. I’ve always wanted to do personal training so I got certified as a personal trainer a few years ago and from there I moved my way up the ladder,” Kucinski said.
Besides working diligently on her health, for the past few months China has turned the health of the gym completely over.
“We pretty much renovated the whole place from top to bottom,” she said.
The gym has been completely re-painted, there is a new floor in the aerobics room, new equipment, all new signs, renovated locker rooms, a private training room has been installed, a spinning studio built and flat screen TV’s have been added.
“I love the changes. She has turned it into something really nice. I’m proud of it now because before it was dying, just falling apart, and now it’s alive again,” said Kucinski
In the future, China hopes to expand the gym’s square footage and add a nursery, smoothie bar and a women’s only section. The women’s only section will include exercise equipment and free weights, where ladies can work out in privacy. China might even add pole-dancing equipment so pole-dancing exercises can be provided.
The gym offers a wide variety of classes and programs, including personal training, nutrition counseling, specialized training for seniors, cardio equipment, free weights and tanning.
Different classes offered throughout the week include spinning, body pump, butts and guts, zumba, yoga, pilates, core, boot camp, group exercise, judo, kickboxing and even water aerobics, which is held at the Comfort Inn pool nearby. China also sells woman’s sportswear by Protokola and Brasil Sul.
Howard added that he would be starting a weight management program called The Weight is Over in January.
Also, the gym will be starting a series of arm wrestling competitions. The first one will be held on the first Saturday in December, at Smitty McGee’s, where there will also be a live radio broadcast. In the summer, the gym is going to start a series of bench press competitions as well and look to hold two or three a year.
“We have something for everyone, that’s for sure,” Howard said. “It is good working here. It is fun to come to work, there’s no pressure and it’s a good atmosphere.”
“There is plenty of room and people need to stay healthy and fit,” Kucinski added.
China is always looking for good instructors and they are also open to independent personal trainers.
The grand opening will be held Saturday, Oct. 30 when attendees can have their blood pressure taken and have a body analysis done. There will be mini-classes given so one can sample different versions of each class provided. There will also be a speech given by Howard on the importance of strength training and even T-shirt giveaways.
China, who invites the local community as well as visitors to next weekend’s open house, is amazed on how her life has changed so fast.
“Last October, I was just a house wife and now I own my own gym,” she said.