OSKALOOSA —
Their passion for fitness has no better home than Oskaloosa.
Lewis and Bobby Opheim are owners of the Oskaloosa Fitness Center.
Lewis, 33, said he grew up in Hawaii and California as a “military kid” before coming to Oskaloosa. He and his brother Bobby came to Iowa because they have family in the area.
The brothers opened the Oskaloosa Fitness Center about three years ago, said Lewis. But, before that, Lewis and Bobby just worked out in Bobby’s basement.
“We just worked out on our own,” explained Lewis. “People saw the way we worked out and then we got involved in mixed martial arts, MMA, and we started incorporating that into our workouts. And then we started getting more people involved.”
After their basement workout days, but before coming to their current facility, Bobby and Lewis used a smaller space on A Avenue for their workouts.
When they first started getting their workouts organized, they were focused on MMA. However, these days the workouts at the Oskaloosa Fitness Center are much more diverse and open to anyone interested in fitness, said Lewis.
“This will help everybody in the community, rather than focusing on one sport,” said Lewis.
Lewis said he allows his current clients who work out at OFC to get whatever they want from their exercise regimen.
“If they want it intense, it can be that,” Lewis said. “If it’s something where you just want to work on your form and your mechanics, it can be that too.”
A handful of trainers, including OFC owners Lewis and Bobby Opheim, currently host classes at their facility. Lewis leads classes during the day while Bobby handles mainly evening classes, including a children’s Karate course. OFC offers one-on-one training, as well. Lewis said they’re willing to work with any kind of person and are open to helping people meet individual fitness goals.
“We’ve got a variety of different types of things to offer individuals,” Lewis noted.
Motivating clients to live active lives is at the center of what is taught at OFC, said Lewis. He said getting people into active lifestyles is their main objective.
Lewis also pointed to the fact that his clients know each other well and help motivate one another to stay active, as well.
“It’s not just me doing it,” Lewis said. “Once they get to know each other, its everybody helping each other. As a trainer, that’s where I feel like I accomplished something.”
CNHI/SE Iowa
Related Photos
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Lewis Opheim does a pull up at the Oskaloosa Fitness Center, 1906 17 Ave. E., Friday afternoon. Herald photo by Andy Goodell
Discussion
Brothers offer fitness variety in Osky
Editor’s note: This is the third part of a four-part weekly series focusing on young entrepreneurs who live and work in Oskaloosa.
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