A Boutique Kettlebell Gym Is Coming to Spring Garden
Philly's new kettlebell gym, KTL, is slated to open December 13th.
Perry O’Hearn is bringing KTL kettlebell gym to Spring Garden. Photograph courtesy Perry O’Hearn.
At this point, boutique fitness isn’t so much a trend as it’s just what gyms look like in 2018. But while we’ve got studios devoted solely to spinning and to boxing and to barre, there aren’t many gyms that have given the same treatment to kettlebells.
Perry O’Hearn, the Philadelphia personal trainer behind Philly Phitness in Rittenhouse, thinks this could be because people associate kettlebells with “that dark, dirty basement feel.” But O’Hearn wants to take those same kettlebells and give them a makeover in the form of KTL, his new all-kettlebells studio in Spring Garden that’ll feel more SoulCycle, less cellar.
So, how exactly does a boutique fitness kettlebell workout run? To start, all the exercises will rely fully on kettlebell and bodyweight strength movements. Classes will max out at 20, and each class participant will be stationed on a four-by-six-foot rubber mat for the duration of the workout. Once everyone is set with their mat and kettlebells, the classes will start with a bodyweight warm-up, followed by learning a new technique or exercise, and finishing with an intense strength circuit.
But while O’Hearn is used to personal training and knows that some of the one-on-one attention has to be sacrificed in a group setting, he still wants every workout to feel personalized. That’s why he’s instituting different ability levels — white bell, black bell, and gold bell — that attendees will need to pass a test to access, similar to the belts system in martial arts. Once members test into a new level, they’ll unlock new challenges and moves they can try during the workouts.
As for the KTL 1,700-square-foot facility, it’ll all be branded in the gym’s colors of black, white, gold, and silver, with concrete floors and two unisex showers and bathroom stalls. The gym will be located at 19th and Spring Garden Street, and there’s a grand opening celebration scheduled for December 13 at 5 p.m. At the event — which you can register for here — you’ll have the chance to see inside the new space, snack on Honeygrow salads and Honeybar cups, and mingle to the beat of DJ Jamie Callen.
At the opening party, you’ll also be able to snag some discounts on membership with a “Founding Members” offer. The standard KTL membership will be $197 a month for unlimited classes, while a drop-in session will be $35. So if kettlebells are your jam, you might want to look into that Founding Members deal, stat.
KTL is located at 1822 Spring Garden Street.
Let’s get social! Join Be Well Philly at:
FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | NEWSLETTER | TWITTER
