More than a gym

Axiom Health & Fitness, which recently opened a 5,000-square-foot facility in the Stonewood Village complex on Capitol Drive in Brookfield, is not like most gymnasiums. The facility’s main exercise area is not filled with treadmills, elliptical machines, exercise bikes or rows of free weights and benches. Instead, there are only a few weight machines, a small row of dumbbells, and several other hand-held weights and resistance exercise equipment.

Axiom is run by Luke Fichtner, its owner and a 10-year personal trainer. His goal in opening the gym is not to just get people to show up and exercise – he wants to change their lives.

“We want everybody to get active and make fitness part of their lives – true health through true fitness,” Fichtner said. “We’re not a quick-fix facility. We focus on accountability and responsibility and helping you integrate exercise and a healthy lifestyle into your life. We want people to know that this is a lifestyle they can continue with for the rest of their lives.”

Fichtner and his staff place a high emphasis on personal and group training. Instead of having rows and rows of machines, Axiom encourages members to use equipment and techniques that replicate the activities they encounter in life, work and sports.

“This space is designed to take your life and make it better, reduce stress, pain and discomfort,” Fichtner said. “We’re going to make your body stronger so you can do things more efficiently. These (pieces of equipment) are just tools, functional equipment to replicate the movements in your life.”

Axiom offers four levels of membership for adults:

Axiom also offers youth fitness memberships for children 6 to 18 years old. Similar to the unlimited group memberships, youth members can show up at any time between 4-8 p.m. at the top of the hour to take part in group personal training.

Memberships begin at $57 per month for the monthly access fee. Fichtner declined to give prices for unlimited group or personal training memberships.

Youth and family fitness is part of Fichtner’s focus at Axiom. Inspired by the growing numbers of obese and inactive children in the country, his facility will hold family boot camp fitness sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings and Saturday mornings during May.

“This is going to be family personal training – families working out with other families,” Fichtner said. “They’ll be getting active and it can be a family bonding experience too.”

The family boot camp sessions will also include discussions about healthy eating and cooking demonstrations, Fichtner said, part of Axiom’s goals for its members.

In addition to its main workout area, Axiom’s facility includes a small cardio room, containing an incline treadmill, running treadmill, two elliptical and two spin bikes. In addition to the large front workout room, the facility also has a smaller workout room for one-on-one training or smaller classes.

Part of Axiom’s space was formerly a café, and the fitness center has incorporated the kitchen’s serving counter, oven, stove and other amenities. It also has a small sitting area where people can eat, drink and relax.

For the time being, Axiom is only offering beverages from its kitchen, Fichtner said.

“These are recovery drinks, smoothies made with berries, fruits, vegetable juices and things like wheatgrass,” he said. “It’s all natural and organic. We blend all of the ingredients in front of you. Nothing is processed.”

The kitchen area will eventually serve granola, fruit, salads and other healthy foods, Fichtner said.

Axiom’s space also includes locker rooms for men and women with shower facilities.

The fitness and lifestyle facility has been designed to make members feel like exercise is not a chore, Fichtner said, so they will look forward to their time at the gym.

“We designed it like a home, so that it will be a welcoming environment,” he said. “We want people to feel comfortable – we want to eliminate the intimidation factor.”