A new fitness business has opened just outside of Philomath with classes built around the internationally recognized Les Mills program.
LesMills Philomath owner Nate Haines launched the venture alongside program director Cindy (Babcock) Appanaitis, a former high school physical education teacher with extensive background with Les Mills classes.
The business is located at 6735 SW Country Club Drive just off Highway 20/34 next to Fitness Over 50, which Haines also operates.
The two Philomath residents had been exploring ways to work together before the adjacent space became available and the concept took shape.
“It just seemed like a really natural fit for us to start collaborating on something that was basically what we wanted to do,” Haines said. “Our mission, for both of us, has always been trying to help people be healthier and be well, but not trying to fit them into a certain mold.”
Unlike Fitness Over 50, which targets a specific demographic, LesMills Philomath is open to all ages and ability levels. Classes are delivered in a hybrid format — participants follow research-backed Les Mills video programming while an in-person coach provides real-time guidance and modifications.
Les Mills is an international group fitness brand offering workout programs in more than 100 countries. The company traces its roots to 1968, when four-time Olympian Les Mills opened a gym in Auckland, New Zealand. His son, Philip, launched the brand’s first group aerobics class in 1980, and the program lineup has grown steadily since, spanning strength training, cycling, dance, high-intensity interval training and yoga.
Appanaitis said the research foundation behind Les Mills programming was a key draw.
“Everything that they do goes through their research lab, so they’ve got people with PhDs and they’ve got the heart rate monitors and so forth,” she said. “I find their programs are really safe, well researched and well designed, and their philosophy I think really aligns with mine and Nate’s, which is empowering who you are and where you are.”
Current class offerings include pump strength and core, total tone fitness, spin and flexibility, fitness yoga, functional strength and mobility, and a recently added step class built around athletic and functional movements.
Rather than offering straight Les Mills classes, Haines and Appanaitis blend components from multiple programs into customized sessions.
“We might do 30 minutes of this strength class, BODYPUMP, but we’re going to combine that with some core strengthening and some flexibility stretching at the end,” Haines said. “It’s basically taking all of these programs and blending them into one program for us that we can then customize for each person.”
The new business has a website set up with class descriptions and schedules with links to sample videos.
“One thing that we want our people (to know) is just because the video looks a certain way, that doesn’t mean that’s necessarily how you would be doing those movements,” Haines said. “That’s really the benefit of having this hybrid class — you’ve got the world-class programming, the research-backed classes, but then you also have an in-person facilitator who’s there to personalize it for you.”
Classes are intentionally kept small — typically 10 or fewer participants — to allow for a more personalized experience.
“We’re going to know everybody’s name, which is a big thing in itself,” Haines said. “Creating that welcoming environment is a big, big part of that.”
Appanaitis said the business is not competition-based, and she monitors participants to make adjustments when needed.
“Part of my role is if somebody starts and here’s their plan and then I might notice that they may need some adjusting or maybe they haven’t been showing up as much, then I’m going to touch base with them,” she said.
The business held a soft opening in November with a select group for feedback purposes before opening fully to the public in December. Membership options include all-access unlimited plans, punch cards and drop-in single classes. Private classes are also available for groups or businesses.
New members can try LesMills Philomath free for one week, which includes a consultation to help identify appropriate classes and movement modifications. More information is available at the business’s website or by emailing lesmillsphilomath@gmail.com.