Ready, sweat, go!
No time to waist: get active at Point Break Fitness
Story and photos by Eliot Sekuler
For the TODAY
“Our goal is to find as many avenues as possible to help people feel better, take better care of themselves and find a fit and healthy lifestyle,” said Tracey Taylor, who with his wife, Christie Taylor, is midway through a third year as owners and operators of Point Break Fitness at the Lincoln City Outlets.
On a recent Friday afternoon, the gym was humming with the rhythms of a diverse group engaged in a range of fitness pursuits. On one side of the cavernous, brightly lit, 8,100-square-foot space, a woman deftly lifted a barbell at the bench press, while a man doggedly kept up with the rhythm of the Stairmaster. Upbeat music helped motivate a man on the Sci Fit upper body exerciser while two people chatted between strokes on the Concept 2 rowing machines. In the gym’s classroom, a group of kids sported yellow and orange belts as they gathered in their white “gi” uniforms for the semi-weekly kids’ karate class. With a little less than two dozen people in the gym, the space was uncrowded yet still had ample energy to feed a sense of collective purpose.
Point Break has evolved as the wants and needs of the community have come more into focus. During the past year, the couple has added more classes, brought in more trainers and adjusted the class schedule to meet the needs of a wider cross-section of locals and visitors.
“We’ve come to realize that with kids going back to school, moms would need a way to get in early, get a good workout and get home in time to do everything they need to do in their morning,” Tracey said, while bouncing his own 16-month old granddaughter on his knee.
To that end, Point Break now offers early morning classes before 6 am four days a week in such programs as circuit training, warrior rhythm, core workout and warrior strength, plus a 7:30 am HIIT (high intensity interval training) class on Saturdays. Other classes on the gym’s weekly schedule include afternoon sessions in Zumba, strength training, yoga, adult karate, kids’ karate and tumbling.
While expanding the variety and frequency of class offerings, the couple has also brought in new equipment to serve a variety of fitness needs.
“We’ve listened to what people want, looked at ways we could better serve them and we’ve brought in pieces that help to achieve their goals,” Tracey said. For lifters focused on strength building, Point Break has added a hip thruster to its extensive assortment of strength training and powerlifting equipment that will help users stabilize their backs while working glutes and improving lower body strength. Another Point Break enhancement is the addition of more pieces to the gym’s array of Sci Fit equipment, machines designed to be easy on joints, good for stabilization and alignment and particularly well-suited to the needs of people recovering from injuries or who simply want a trouble-free means of balancing cardio and strength training.
“This equipment is more often found at high-end rehab centers,” Tracey said. “Now, after people come out of post-surgery rehab, we can be the next step toward getting them back to normal. And it’s a great way for people of all ages and abilities to get moving and see results.”
In its efforts to serve the coast’s senior community, Point Break now accepts the Silver and Fit and Renew Active insurance programs. And to further broaden the gym’s appeal, special discounts are available for locals and students.
“We like to see the younger generation starting early on developing their fitness practice,” Tracey said. “We have a good group of high school students who come in here after school.”
Point Break offers members a free fitness evaluation and provides them with a personalized game plan.
“We take a look at their past workout history, any injuries they may have had, their alignment, their body fat percentage and their nutrition,” Tracey said. “We take their personal goals into account as well as their work and home schedules and, based on all that, we map out a plan. If they wish, we put them with a trainer at a set price of $40 per hour. We have experienced trainers who do a great job in helping people get what they need.”
Point Break’s location amid the Lincoln City Outlets makes it a magnet for visitors and Tracey estimates that his clientele is split evenly between them and locals.
“In the two-plus years since we’ve opened, we’ve developed quite a following of people who’ve been encouraged to make Lincoln City a regular vacation spot at least partially because they know there’s a good gym here. We believe we have a good effect on the town’s businesses and the community at large.”
For the holiday season, Point Break offers gift certificates for memberships, classes and training sessions.
“We have a variety of gift opportunities,” Tracey said. “Fitness and good health is one of the best gifts you can give.”
Point Break Fitness is located at the Lincoln City Outlets, 1500 SE East Devils Lake Road in Lincoln City. The gym is open daily from 4 am to midnight. For more information, go to pointbreaklc.com or call 541-614-4145.