Daniel Venti sees it happen every time, like clockwork. When his Huntington Beach family welcomes a new addition, the focus on his fitness slips a bit.
That was happening earlier this year, at about the same time Stride Fitness was opening its flagship location in Surf City just down the street from his home, a coincidence he considered a matter of perfect timing.
“They did free workouts at the beach a couple times a week while they were still building out this place,” said Venti, who became a member.
“So that’s how I got to know a lot of the people that work here, and they’re all great. They’re all totally invested in people like me and trying to make us better, which is awesome. They even let me bring my four kids to the beach for workouts.”
A High-Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) class in session at Stride Fitness in Huntington Beach.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
The Huntington Beach resident is now part of the 5 a.m. crew at Stride Fitness, showing up for a 55-minute workout every weekday and sometimes on the weekends.
Venti said he couldn’t run a mile when he started. Now, he’s running 2 ½ miles and has lost more than 10 pounds.
“My wife notices it — that’s the best part,” he added. “The second-best part is I have more energy at the park to chase [my kids] around.”
Stride Fitness focuses on hybrid training, with classes that are equal parts treadmill-based cardio and strength training, according to chief executive Shaun Grove.
“The Burn You’ll Brag About” is the slogan for Stride Fitness, located in Huntington Beach.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
Television screens mounted above workout machines offer information on exercises.
“If [the trainer] said, ‘Do Romanian deadlifts, and you’re like, ‘What the hell is a Romanian deadlift?’ you can look up and see someone actually doing it [on a TV],” Grove said. “It just makes it easier to translate what it is we’re trying to achieve for the member, to get them to have a better experience with it.”
After a workout, customers have the option of booking a time in a dedicated recovery zone that features massage and compression therapy, coupled with infrared light that enhances muscle repair.
Grove, a Huntington Beach resident who has been in boutique fitness franchising for nearly two decades, built up Club Pilates before leaving in 2021. He said the recovery aspect is part of what sets Stride Fitness apart.
“I think as new concepts develop, and as new locations for these existing brands open, you’re going to see more of that dedicated space for recovery,” he said. “It’s definitely a big demand for consumers today, and it’s vastly under served. That’s one of the reasons why I really wanted to incorporate it in what we’re doing. I think it definitely makes us unique and helps differentiate us, and it’s great for the members.”
Shaun Grove demonstrates the recovery room infrared light station at Stride Fitness in Huntington Beach.
(Don Leach / Staff Photographer)
Grove’s partner in the business is Stride Fitness president and chief operating officer Anthony Badalian, an Irvine resident who previously spent about a decade with 24 Hour Fitness. He said feedback has been good since the business had a soft opening in February.
“The motivation you get from the coach, the workouts, the programming, all really helps people push past their limits and strive for those fitness goals they have,” Badalian said.
“But also, they love the recovery component. They don’t need another membership, or they don’t need to buy a bunch of equipment for their home to help them recover to jump back into it. We have it all here for you, which is this really wonderful holistic wellness experience you get under one roof, with one membership.”
Stride Fitness has been working on developing partnerships within the local community, Grove said. Last weekend, the studio led warmups at the annual “Running is for the Birds” event at Bolsa Chica State Park, benefiting Amigos de Bolsa Chica.