My Biz: Friends focus on fitness

New Moon Fitness owners Teresa Heitman and Shannon Price have been in business for close to a year and a half - but it was a weight problem that brought them together in the first place.

Both were working at West Music when Heitman decided to begin a fitness and training program with Price's help. Price was already an established professional trainer and coach, having previously owned her own Tae Kwan

Do and fitness studio.

With Price's help, Heitman lost 80 pounds over a two-year period.

'It was so inspiring,” Heitman said. 'I didn't want to work at another 8-hour a day desk job, so I transitioned into becoming a trainer.”

But she decided against working in the traditional gym setting, choosing instead to go into business for herself and asking Price to join her.

'I've never wanted to own my own business,” she said. 'But I told myself I was going to try this.”

They opened their small studio 15 months ago, offering various classes and one-on-one sessions that include load training and aerobic conditioning with free weights, resistance balls, aerobic benches with risers, and boxing bags.

'Philosophically, we don't like electronics or machines,” Heitman said. 'We are kind of old school. We want people to use their body with the weights.”

Both teach group sessions though Heitman prefers working one-on-one with her clients.

'I want to get deconditioned adults moving,” she said. 'It's not just about enhancing people's sports performance.”

Price said she enjoys teaching group sessions where she will train right along with her clients.

New Moon Fitness primarily works with middle-aged and older woman as well as new moms, but the studio is moving into offering youth fitness programming.

Heitman, who also works in the school system as a recess supervisor, said there is an exercise drop off happening among children aged 10 to 12 years old, which is why the two launched a new program called Born to Move, a series of fitness classes from vendor Les Mills.

'We are aiming at the 8 to 13 year olds,” she said. 'And we'll be starting it up again this fall.”

The two work with their clients on improving cardio and muscular fitness, bone and metabolic health, as well as body composition.

At their upcoming Oct. 4 Health Fair, both trainers hope to help people understand what they can do to improve their fitness, as well as maintain it.

' Know a manager or company in business for more than a year that would be ideal for 'My Biz”? Contact Chelsea Keenan at Chelsea.Keenan@thegazette.com

At a glance

'Owners

: Teresa Heitman and Shannon Price

'Company

: New Moon Fitness

'Address

: 1749 Parkway Drive, Coralville

'Phone

: (319) 325-4000

'Website

: www.newmoonfitness.com