Jessica Webb
editor@thesmokymountaintimes.com
Shannon Royce celebrated the opening of her own personal training studio, Live.Life Healthy TOA (Training the Older Adult) Bryson City in December, with a ribbon cutting with the Swain County Chamber of Commerce at the studio located at 344 Main Street (across from IGA) in Bryson City. Special guest, Robert Linkul, owner and founder of TOA, flew in from Shingle Springs, California.
Royce makes a warm impression when you meet her. She’s enthusiastic, seems to always be smiling and is among the most fit 50-year-old women you are likely to meet. The path to owning her first business began about four years ago after becoming a certified personal trainer.
Royce was working at Shift Wellness. At first, she imagined most of her clients would be women in their 40s and 50s, but it ended up that she started seeing a lot of older adults and wasn’t as well equipped to meet their needs, she said.
“It’s the niche that found me, and I couldn’t be happier,” Royce said of working with older adults. “I think it’s an under-served population.”
She began researching training specific for older adults and Linkul kept coming up with his Be Strong Fitness program.
“He really resonated with me, his style of training,” Royce said. She found she was passionate about sharing what she was learning. In part, that older adults don’t have to be limited to 5-pound dumbbell exercises from a chair; they can push themselves to become stronger and more flexible.
As time went on, Linkul started the Training for the Older Adult program and Royce became certified as one of five in the country in the program.
“I meet my clients where they are,” Royce said. Some come in with a goal to be able to hike again and others find Royce after they have had surgery or are recovering from an injury.
She begins with a consultation where they discuss limitations and goals, observe movement and then Royce designs a custom-made program. Focuses include balance and fall prevention, flexibility and strength training.
On the need for a program geared toward older adults, Royce explained that as we age, we lose muscle mass, bone density and after 50 years old, our balance can decline as can our spatial awareness. TOA is designed to help people regain that strength and balance and gain confidence to meet their goals.
It’s not what first comes to mind for personal training, but particularly during the pandemic, Royce found that her clients came to her for the mental health benefits as well. Many of her clients have been with her since she first became a personal trainer, and they develop friendships.
At the grand opening of her studio, Royce thanked Linkul, her husband and daughter Chris and Kenzie, and her clients.
“I wouldn’t be here and do what I do if you hadn’t been here to stick with it the past three years,” she said.
On the joys of having her own studio now, she said she likes it because she can customize the space. She’s been happy about the feedback she’s received that the studio is comfortable and puts people at ease.
With her new studio, she plans to begin offering more semi-private and small group personal training in addition to one-on-one sessions. Royce is certified with the National Association of Fitness as a personal trainer and yoga instructor and with the Functional Aging Institute.
To schedule a consultation or learn more, contact Royce at 828-260-2718.
Learn more by visiting www.livelifehealthy828.com.