It looks like Downtown isn't getting all the development attention after all. Construction is currently underway and by May, Delafield will be home to 'be' fitness and wellness center. The 44,000-sq. ft. world-class facility will be located at 405 Genesee St.
Andy Littaritz, owner of be fitness and co-owner of Milwaukee-based be nutrition, is calling his facility innovative.
"We offer functionally-based activities," he says. "We're not going to have people tied to their machines week after week. Our activities mimic real life and real sports -- whether you're looking to take a walk around the neighborhood, hike the Grand Canyon or train for college football."
What makes his facility different, Littaritz says, is its big-picture focus. Instead of solely emphasizing weight loss or muscle gain, 'be' works to encourage an overall healthy way of life.
In addition to offering the classic weight and cardio training programs and equipment offered at many local health clubs, the 'be' facility will offer a wide variety of non-traditional classes and activities, nationally-respected staff and a personalized approach.
Partnering with the adjacent Delafield Hotel and Erin Hills, a nearby golf course, Littaritz says he is very excited about the opportunity to host "wellness retreats," including corporate wellness outings, golf weekends, pampering retreats and sports conditioning camps.
Littaritz is expecting companies from all over the world to send their employees for in-depth health and wellness assessment, programming and individual or team-building workshops.
This rising trend, he says, offers immeasurable benefits to large companies who are looking for a way to lower insurance premiums and provide the highest quality of living for employees.
"With the cost of company health insurance rising, it all comes down to prevention. We connect with employees, do total body assessments and implement training programs that have proven to be successful. Employees are more productive, feel better overall and companies are reducing their total number of claims."
Littaritz has been wanting to open 'be' for a few years -- something his qualifications more than justify.
After receiving a degree in kinesiology from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, he taught exercise physiology at Brookfield Central High School -- including writing the "functional fitness" curriculum that is still in use there today and creating the Athletic Enhancement Program, a specialized series of courses to help students take their athletic talents to the next level.
Littaritz went on to form his own company -- Functional Fitness -- which provides personal training and wellness counseling for individuals and corporate clients and allows him to certify other physical trainers from all over the world in the most advanced levels of personal training. He has trained professional baseball players -- including Brewers -- pro hockey players as well as pro football players.
"The 'be' fitness and wellness center will offer the most qualified trainers available, taking a personal approach to fitness education," he says. "Instead of building a facility and then trying to staff it, we've done it backwards. We've selected professionals and built the facility around them."
The 30 person staff includes not only personal trainers, but also specialists, including those with certifications and licensure in dietetics, medical exercise and post-rehab and conditioning.
Kellie Kinderman, for example, is a highly respected local exercise and wellness expert, and yoga expert Trish Washburn has gained attention recently with her SPOGGA classes, integrating stationary bike spin classes with yoga for a holistic approach to wellness.
In addition, the Orthopedic Associates of Wisconsin will have an in-house clinic for training, consulting and rehabilitation purposes.
When it opens May 1, the 'be' facility will include an adults-only area for strength and cardiovascular training, a complete functional fitness area for group and personal training, a basketball court, wide variety of free weights, state-of-the-art exercise machines, a measured indoor running track for speed and acceleration training and an indoor field turf area for agility and sport-specific drills, fully-equipped pro shop, saunas, juice bar, java express, member's relaxation lounge with wireless web access, whirlpool, steam rooms, specialty studios, youth programs and a fun & fitness nursery.
The Web site is befitnesscenter.com.
OnMilwaukee.com staff writer Julie Lawrence grew up in Wauwatosa and has lived her whole life in the Milwaukee area.
As any “word nerd” can attest, you never know when inspiration will strike, so from a very early age Julie has rarely been seen sans pen and little notebook. At the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee it seemed only natural that she major in journalism. When OnMilwaukee.com offered her an avenue to combine her writing and the city she knows and loves in late 2004, she knew it was meant to be. Around the office, she answers to a plethora of nicknames, including “Lar,” (short for “Larry,” which is short for “Lawrence”) as well as the mysteriously-sourced “Bill Murray.”
