Christina Muoio
RiseUp Fitness owners, Emily Foley, Kyle Visin, Addie Clarke (courtesy photo)
By Christina Muoio, edhat staff
RiseUp Fitness aims to work out and inspire the Santa Barbara community while giving back at the same time.
Locals Addie Clarke, Emily Foley, and Kyle Visin shared a dream to combine fitness with community philanthropy. While working together at another local gym, they bonded over health-focused lifestyles, Santa Barbara, and the beach.
They designed creative workouts appropriate for every athletic level based on their own experiences. Visin is a top-level triathlete who placed 2nd at the 2012 Ironman Hawaii World Championships, Foley is another triathlete who placed first in her age groups in the 2015 Wildflower Ironman and Gibraltar Cycling Time Trial, and Clarke is trained in classical ballet.
Santa Barbara is lucky to have a wealth of fitness options in town, but RiseUp’s focus is to provide guidance, motivation, and resources to help any person “rise up” to their full potential. It’s a low impact, meticulously designed workout with an incredibly supportive community, which the owners feel set them apart from other gyms in the area.
“People want to enjoy this beautiful place,” the owners said of Santa Barbara. “Whether they do that with bike rides or beach days, there is a big focus on prioritizing health and fitness. We believe that fitness should be accessible for every level, so every person has the opportunity to contribute to their own health and happiness.”
Part of RiseUp Fitness’ mission is also to provide happiness the greater Santa Barbara area. Besides providing a pathway to accessible workouts and group motivation, they focus on giving back to the community through monthly beneficiaries.
“This community thrives based on the generosity of its members, and the community at RiseUp has been no exception,” the owners said. “We’ve been proud to support 10 beneficiaries so far, and have to date raised over $8,000 for community organizations such as Angels Foster Care and D.A.W.G., as well as more far-reaching organizations with local effects, like the Alzheimer’s Association.”
On top of keeping community members and nonprofit organizations healthy, RiseUp Fitness also started a podcast focused on internal and mental health. With nine episodes under their belt, the owners discuss nutrition, mental blocks, and their own personal experiences.
To help their members stay on the nutritional track they created a “30 Day Challenge” focused on simple, healthy eating that eliminates processed foods. In addition, the owners say that it is the best way to develop new, simple, and sustainable habits with the support of a trainer and group of people all working to focus on getting healthier together.
For more information on RiseUp Fitness is located at 2237 Las Positas Road in Santa Barbara. Visit riseupfitnesssb.com for more information.
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