Between the holiday rush, a Myrtle Beach trip, and sickness, Sandra and I had not been to our gym for three weeks. When we returned from Myrtle Beach on Jan. 4, our gym had changed ownership and names. The gym we had known as Build-A-Body had become Good Bodies. April Exum, the previous owner, had sold her fitness business to Justin Tart and Ed Smith.

On Monday, Jan. 13, Sandra and I finally made a visit to Good Bodies. That day I met the new manager, Blake Barwick Cates. Blake had grown up in Deep Run and graduated from South Lenoir High School before heading to North Carolina Wesleyan College in Rocky Mount. She majored in elementary education. At some point, she realized teaching was not her calling, so she became a stay-at-home mom.

One day, this young mother was working out at the gym when the manager approached her. He asked Blake to take classes to learn to be a personal trainer for other young mothers. She accepted the challenge – and found her calling.

Her calling led Blake to work to improve her skills as a guide on the path to fitness. Through the years, she became certified in not only personal training, but also in the Silver Sneakers program, Pilates, and Hot Hula.

“Is Hot Hula something like Zumba?” I asked.

“Actually, Hot Hula is based in Polynesian culture and offers a workout with a much lower impact than Zumba,” she said.

She started working as a trainer at a gym in Durham. Then she returned to her native soil and worked at Gold’s Gym in Kinston. Ed Smith recruited her to manage his new gym in Richlands.

Now, 15 years after her first fitness classes, she is even more committed to helping people improve their personal fitness. She has brought her expertise to Good Bodies, located at 2817 Hull Road in Kinston. She began her duties on Jan. 3, 2020.

The facility is going through renovation that includes repainting the interior, laying new carpet, redoing the Kids Area, and upgrading equipment.

“We want to make sure we are operating a state-of-the-art facility. Ninety-eight percent of our exercise equipment is new,” she told me.

Current offerings at Good Bodies include group fitness classes, personal training, upgraded cardio equipment, new strength-training equipment, functional training, and TRX straps. Blake lost me on the last two. She explained that “functional training” include activities such as tire flips and battle ropes.

TRX is a short form for “total-body resistance exercise.” TRX straps are anchored in a way to allow a person to use his or her body weight and gravity as tools for building muscle.

Good Bodies offers 24-7 access to the gym. Every member receives a coded key tag. Swiping the tag allows the person to open the front door. If you are an early riser or like to hoot with owls, you can always gain admission to the gym.

Staff members are on duty Monday through Thursday from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m., Friday from 7:30 a.m. until 3:30 p.m., and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. The facility is not staffed on Sunday. However, any member can access the gym whether staff members are present or not. Blake is currently the only full-time employee, but she has 10 part-timers who are available to assist members.

The regular membership fee is $34.99 per month and allows a member to participate in group fitness classes, use the Kids Area, and work out on any of the equipment. Members of the military, law enforcement, fire fighters, first responders, EMS, and teachers are treated to the Hero’s Package rate of $29.99. Seniors get the full treatment for $24.99. Seniors with insurance plans that offer Silver Sneakers, Silver and Fit, or Active and Fit have access to the equipment and classes at Good Bodies with no out-of-pocket costs.

Seniors also are welcome to attend the Silver Sneakers classes held at 11 a.m. on Mondays, Tuesdays and Thursdays.

Blake is grateful to have the opportunity to work with Ed Smith. Ed, founder of Fit for Life, has more than 30 years in the fitness industry and owns 17 gyms scattered across North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

“He’s an outstanding boss,” she said. “He was excited to come back to Kinston. He wants to bring back a sense of the neighborly, a ‘good-ole boy and gal’ atmosphere that is family-oriented and welcoming to all.”

Ed, Blake, and Justin are all committed to offering people – regardless of age and current fitness level – a place they can feel welcome as they work to improve their quality of life through fitness and social interaction.

If you are an out-of-shape couch potato or a Mr. Universe competitor, stop by Good Bodies and speak with Blake and her staff. If you come when Silver Sneakers is going on, you might just catch a glimpse of me and Sandra doing the Silver Sneaker’s two-step or some of the other exercises we use to improve flexibility, range of motion, strength and cardio.

Mike Parker is a columnist for Neuse News. You can reach him at mparker16@gmail.com.