By Stephen Petrick

Minden will soon have some more muscle, as the owner of A.P.E. Training is expanding his business and getting ready to open a new downtown gym.

Owen Flood is getting ready to open a new gym called Spot 97 Fitness Centre at 150 Bobcaygeon Road (formerly Bwana John’s). Flood hopes to have the new space operating after Canada Day.

It will be a monumental moment for Flood, who currently runs A.P.E. Training at 83 Maple Avenue. That business helps local hockey players get in tip top shape. A.P.E. stands for Athletic Performance Excellence.

A.P.E. Training has about 500-square feet of space, however by opening a new business on Bobcaygeon Road, Flood will now have about 1,400 square feet of space to help clients.

The new location will allow for more weights, more cardio equipment and even an artificial turf area, for fitness activities that require an outdoor-like space.

Flood, like many people in the fitness industry, is expecting 2022 to be a bump up year, given that COVID-restrictions limited people’s ability to go to gyms for most of the past two years.

“I think things will pop up a bit,” he said. “More people will want to do physical activities, whether it’s indoors or outdoors – people have been cooped up. Now, things are starting to look up again.”

Flood plans to still offer specific training programs for hockey players, but his intention is to expand his services to the general public. A.P.E. Training evolved out of his love for hockey. He was once a Junior C player with the Provincial Junior Hockey League’s Dundas Blues. But when his time as a competitive hockey player ended, he began working with other players, to help them perform. He has since connected with several Haliburton Huskies players and has helped them work on off-season training programs.

But, of course, gyms aren’t just for elite athletes. Flood has found that he enjoys helping everyday people learn about fitness.

“I like to see people come in and try to better themselves; to be part of that is fulfilling as a trainer,” he said. “I think everyone has a reason and not everyone’s is the same.”

He wants his gym to be a welcoming space, as he believes that gyms should also be an important place for socializing. They provide people with a fun atmosphere, and motivate people to come out.

“It’s a good way to meet new people, to keep motivated, to have support. If you’re working out at home, it can be tough,” he said.

For more information on A.P.E. Training visit, www.apetraining.ca/