Some of Jackie Bachmeier’s clients are people who want to gain strength back so it is easier to pick up that bag of cat food at the grocery store.
Some of them want to be able to go hiking without having to fear injury.
And some of them are where Bachmeier found herself at the beginning of her own fitness journey—getting ready to become a grandparent and wanting to be able to keep up.
“Most of us don’t need to be able to flip a tractor tire across a gym floor,” said Bachmeier, who founded Evolution Fitness & Wellness with her husband, Jason Iken, on Cherry Park Drive in 2016. “It’s about maintaining that independence to do the activities you want to do.”
Evolution is open to clients of all ages, but Bachmeier said she has dialed in on adults age 50 and older. She and Iken both became certified exercise instructors through the Functional Aging Institute, which she said helped her understand the distinct fitness needs of aging adults.
“As we age, tissue starts to decline a little; we get tighter; we get stiffer,” Bachmeier said. “Exercise is so important because we want to be able to move our body in a way that’s going to help us maintain the function that we have.”
Sessions at Evolution are generally 30 minutes long and include balance, strength and resistance training, and cardio work, Bachmeier said. Most sessions are done in small groups, but semiprivate and private sessions are available for individuals who need more personal attention due to mobility or balance issues.
All sessions are conducted by a certified aging specialist who is trained to pay close attention to what each client is doing, Bachmeier said.
“The certification process also trains us on how to deal with joint replacements, lower-back issues and other issues that tend to be more prevalent as we get older,” she said.
Bachmeier said her studio has about 85 regular members, and about 2-6 new clients stop by each week. She said she and her husband have begun the process of seeking more certified trainers to join the team.
Longer-term plans could involve opening up new studios around Houston, including possibly in Katy, Tomball or Waller, Bachmeier said. She described running her business as a “passion project.”
“The biggest surprise for me was the community that’s developed,” she said. “People that never knew each other are joining and becoming lifelong friends and supporting one another. That’s really been the biggest blessing for us.”
Evolution Fitness & Wellness
7510 Cherry Park Drive, Ste. F, Houston 281-656-8107 www.efw.fit Hours: Mon. 7 a.m.-1 p.m., 3-7 p.m., Tue. 8 a.m.-1 p.m., 3-6 p.m., Wed. 7 a.m.-1 p.m., 3-7:30 p.m., Thu. 9 a.m.-noon, 4-6:30 p.m., Fri.-Sat. 7 a.m.-1p.m.
