America's first carbon-neutral gym at Lake Tahoe takes green to the next level

Although they are still an unfortunate rarity, more green gyms are popping up in the United States. They are considered green because their carbon footprint is much lower than the typical huge box gym packed with walls of televisions, rows of cardio equipment (which also have a whole additional slew of TVs), and thousands of tons of carbon-unfriendly stationary equipment. These green gyms tend to be smaller, with the primary carbon footprint generating from their electric usage. Just one treadmill can use anywhere from 500 watts to 1 kilowatt per hour while in use.

So while green, carbon-neutral status remains kilowatts out of reach. A new green gym with an innovative approach to fitness will likely change the whole green fitness model. Elevated Fitness, in South Lake Tahoe, Calif., creates electricity through human power. From their spin bikes to their water-rowers, all of Elevated Fitness' cardio equipment use small generators and inverters that capture the human energy and convert it to usable electricity that is delivered back to the grid. Because they generate more power than they consume, Elevated Fitness becomes only the third carbon-neutral gym on the entire planet, and the only one in the US.

But Elevated didn't stop there. Using a green business model from the ground up, their entire facility was constructed with eco-friendly materials from low-VOC paint to recycled flooring and reclaimed wood. Elevated also uses low-flow toilets, waterless urinals, and will soon include low-voltage LED lights that run off of a battery pack recharged through human power.

It's also their actual training philosophy that separates Elevated from the typical gym. First, Elevated has almost no stationary equipment. "Most gyms are actually set up to guarantee failure", says David Kumpe, Owner and General Manager. “We spend all day sitting at our desks and driving in cars. Then when we go the place that's supposed to get us fit and what do we do? We sit on the chest press machine, sit on the leg extension, leisurely ride a recumbent bike, then lay down on an ab bench. Whatever your goals, this will NOT do it.”

There's no sitting at Elevated. Concentrating on group training and classes, Elevated programs all the workouts, just as a trainer would for a 1-on-1 client. They prioritize movement, not muscles. Instead of segmenting the body into separate parts, Elevated looks at the entire body as one unit, so the work put in translates into being life-strong, not just gym-strong. They focus on functional, dynamic, multi-joint exercises using odd objects such as sandbags, kettlebells, ropes, suspension training, and other innovative implements not found in most conventional gyms. The other upshot of this style of training is that it is fun. Elevated Fitness believes working out is not a chore, but something to look forward to.

This carries over to their core business value of “Be a Good Egg.” From giving significant discounts to civil servants like police, fire, teachers, and military, to being heavily involved with local charities and causes, to hosting game nights and seminars, Elevated Fitness believes in giving back. “Most of our actions and decisions are made not necessarily for business reasons, but because they’re simply the right thing to do”, says Bridget McGrath, Co-Owner and Business Manager. “We’re welfare activists at heart and feel that this is the best avenue to pursue that. This allows us to follow our passion for fitness, and also feel good about the social and eco-wellness we’re formulating, with Lake Tahoe being the perfect venue.”

Elevated Fitness is located at 4000 Lake Tahoe Blvd, #8, South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150. They are holding a Preview Opening on Monday June 4th and Tuesday June 5th, with free classes and training both days, leading up to their Grand Opening June 30, 2012. For more information, contact Bridget McGrath, Owner, (888) 935-3828, bridget@elevatedtahoe.com, elevatedtahoe.com.

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