Edge Fitness will have the grand opening for its brand new fitness club in the former Toys R Us space in West Hartford’s Corbin’s Corner on Dec. 21, 2019.

By Ronni Newton

West Hartford’s brand new Edge Fitness Club is clean and bright, filled with state-of-the-art equipment, amenities galore, and hours and programs that will accommodate virtually everyone – even devoted couch potatoes, those who work second- or third-shift or irregular hours, or people who struggle with insomnia.

Edge Fitness has a strategy that is unique to the fitness industry, General Manager Anderson Prata said. “We are high volume, low cost, and high value,” he said.

“We have the best equipment on the market,” said Prata, and there are plenty of options for cardio as well as strength training with stair masters, ellipticals, and innovative Octane Fitness machines that allow for a lateral lower body workout.

There are rowers, and a padded turf track on which to do lunges or squats, or push a sled.

The expansive fitness floor includes 21 benches and four squat racks, and several enormous fans that keep the air circulating.

Dumbbells – with weights ranging from 10-125 pounds, and multiple sets of the popular ones – are neatly stored on racks. Another portion of the fitness floor also has an assortment of brightly-colored dumbbells, including even smaller weights.

There are multiple strength-training machines, grouped according to body parts. Every piece of equipment has a unique number, so members can easily report problems to the front desk.

In back of the club – the area Toys R Us used for storage – the ceiling is even higher. A series of weight racks include padded platforms and rubberized bumper plates that can absorb the shock when they are dropped on the floor.

Surrounding the fitness floor are Edge Fitness’ other amenities – like the spinning studio, Edge Cinema, Edge Strong (team training space), and group fitness studio.

The 36 spin bikes in the tiered studio are specially made for Edge Fitness by Precor, Prata said, and include pedals to accommodate clips as well as non-clip shoes.

“The music is pumping, and you’ll burn lots of calories, plus it’s low impact,” said Prata. There are a wide array of classes.

If you’re looking for a different type of distraction while you work out, Edge Cinema may be just the thing. “We dim the lights, and it feels just like the theater,” Prata said. While a variety of movies are shown on the screen, members get a cardio workout on a treadmill, elliptical, or stationary bike.

Spinning, or working out in the Edge Cinema, are both great experiences that invoke all of the senses, Prata said.

Upstairs, with a great birds-eye view of the entire fitness floor, is a women’s only section, a mini-gym within a gym filled with natural light. “We can’t control who goes in an out [of the overall facility], but this is more private,” Prata said, something that appeals to many female members.

The Group X classes include the popular Les Mills series as well as Zumba and yoga. Attendees can register up to 49 hours in advance, using either a machine in the club or through the app. Other than yoga mats, everything needed is provided in the studio – including state-of-the-art Les Mills barbell systems and a variety of weights.

There is a “personal training cage,” accessible to those who are working out with trainers.

Use of the Edge Strong studio is separate from other membership plans but included with personal training, and offers circuit interval training classes. “It’s a phenomenal workout,” Prata said.

The club also includes tanning booths and chair and hydro-bed massage.

“Clean is non-negotiable,” Prata said of the locker rooms, both of which include saunas with TVs.

There are fresh protein shakes ($5-$6), and a shop that sells clothing, snacks and beverages, and certified supplements.

Edge Fitness will officially open its West Hartford location – in the space at 1471 New Britain Ave. in Corbins Corner that was formerly Toys R Us – on Dec. 21, after a three-day soft opening for those who have already signed up for fitness assessments. The club will be open until 7 p.m. Saturday, and from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. Sunday, and then begin regular hours which are continuous from 5 a.m. Monday through 9 p.m. Friday and 7 a.m.-7 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays.

Edge Fitness is staffed whenever it’s open, “someone can always serve you a protein shake, even overnight,” Prata said.

The West Hartford location is the 30th for Edge Fitness which is based in Orange, CT. A Glastonbury location will open this summer, and the company is poised for trememdous growth, with a goal to have 100 clubs throughout the country in the next two years.

There are a variety of membership plans, all of which include a free one-hour fitness assessment that includes a 30-minute workout with a personal trainer and a 30-minute consultation “to strategize your fitness journey,” Prata said.

The cost of a tier 1 (Edge Red) membership is $9.99 per month (pre-opening, with an annual contract and $20 enrollment fee), which offers access to all of the equipment on the fitness floor at the West Hartford location only.

Edge Fit, the second tier ($19.99 per month pre-opening, with an annual contract and $5 enrollment fee) adds access to group fitness classes – which include Les Mills and Zumba – use of the FitPack body composition device, unlimited tanning and massage, and the Edge Cinema. Also included is access to all Edge Fitness clubs, which are already in Chicago, Maryland, Rhode Island, Michigan, Missouri, and will be expanding further in the next few years.

The top tier membership (Edge Total) is $28.99 pre-opening (plus $1 enrollment fee), and includes unlimited spinning, access to the women’s only area, and unlimited guest privileges. The first time a guest visits, they can use all of the amenities, and while there is no limit to how many times the same guest can visit, in subsequent visits their access is to just the fitness floor.

There are personal training discounts (50% off for the first month) in the pre-opening phase, and gift cards are also available, as are corporate memberships and student memberships.

Even the kids who attend Edge with their parents won’t be bored or inactive. “We always have at least one Edge Kids coach for no more than five or six kids,” Prata said.

The bright and cheerful Edge Kids is open to members’ kids ages 12 weeks to 12 years old, and once the kids are old enough they can enjoy the basketball hoop, climbing wall, and a shorter version of the turf track that’s in the adult side of the gym..

Edge Kids is a separate amenity, with a fee per visit or unlimited use at $19.99 per month (pre-sale price). Unlimited means use of the facility for up to two hours at a time, but no limit to the number of days or even the number of visits per day such as if a child comes with one parent and then another at a different time.

For more information about Edge Fitness, or to register for a tour, visit their website.

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