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Urban Evolution • Alexandria, VA • $30 per hour

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We hate gyms. In fact, we think most people hate going to the gym. Just about everyone who’s involved with Urban Evolution did too, at one time.

And why shouldn’t they? Gyms suck. Treadmills with televisions in front of them? Arrogant trainers? Facilities that boast about how new and clean their equipment is? Clearly, something’s been lost in the concept of “fitness” lately. If you need distraction from your workout, maybe your workout is the problem!

At Urban Evolution, we believe in having fun. We think the most effective ways to get in shape involve doing things your body was meant to do, and doing it in a way that’s actually fun. And by fun, we don’t mean it’ll be pleasant or perfectly safe. We mean it’ll be hard work, and you’ll get sweaty.

But you’ll also learn to do things that someone who spends years going to their $40-a-month Globo-Gym just won’t be able to do, because we teach functional fitness. If you work out your muscles on various machines for years and get totally cut, but you still can’t lift a bag of mulch, what’s the point? Our brand of fitness will help you do things better in the real world.

We don’t need fancy equipment, and there are no tricks. We think you can do it, too. That’s why we’re here! We’ll help you get fit in a way that fits you best and challenges you every day, every time you come into the gym. You’ll start looking at the world differently.

We promise to work you hard and build your capabilities in health, fitness, athletics and life, by training you in the way your body was created to function! And we guarantee that you’ll have a great time doing it, too.

We offer Parkour, UrbanFit, breakdancing, aerial acrobatics & silks. You won't find a more diverse or interesting program offering at any other gym in DC.

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Question and answer

Q. Describe the most common types of jobs you do for your clients.

A. Intro, Beginner, and Advanced classes, group events, and demonstrations.

Q. What advice do you have for a customer looking to hire a provider like you?

A. Come see for yourselves what we have to offer. We're very good at what we do, whether it's demos, group events, or individual and class instruction.

You won't find a stronger, more friendly, or talented group of instructors and staff anywhere.

Q. If you were a customer, what do you wish you knew about your trade? Any inside secrets to share?

A. Keep at it, don't get discouraged! There's no gimmickry involved, nor are there any shortcuts (and if there were, we'll teach them to you). You just come in and practice the basics, and then slowly add on a little more every night.

If you think our monthly rate is too high, bring in a friend to take advantage of our referral program! 2 for the price of 1 for every friend who signs up for a monthly membership!

Q. What important information should buyers have thought through before seeking you out?

A. It's hard work! Expect to work out and get sweaty! Bring gym clothes and tennis shoes.

We don't have a shower (yet), but we do have a large restroom / changing room.

Q. Why does your work stand out from others who do what you do?

A. We are the only Parkour, Freerunning, Breakdancing, and Aerial Acrobatics gym in the city! We have the most interesting and diverse fitness community of any facility anywhere.

Q. What do you like most about your job?

A. I love watching the gym on most nights. I love to teach, but there are nights when sometimes it's almost too much to take in: a freerunning and tricking class is working on back tucks on the mats while the breakdancing class is working on flares and freezes, and the parkour class is pulling huge moves on the scaffolding...all at the same time.

It's like owning my own ninja training facility :-D

Q. What questions do customers most commonly ask you? What's your answer?

A. "How does it work? How much does it cost?"

That one's simple. It's a flat monthly rate: $140, and that gets you unlimited access to any and all of Urban Evolution's classes. There's no commitment; you can pay as you go, or you can sign up for 3- or 6-month "contracts" (again, no obligation! You can cancel at any time; the "contract" is merely an authorization to provide recurring credit card transactions) for a 10% or 15% discount...and it's still a monthly transaction, you don't pay any additional amount up front. No sign-up fees, no tricks.

We like to keep things simple.

And also..."I could never do that!" (which is admittedly not a question).

To which I have to respond...yes you can! We all start from the same place, which is not knowing where to start. And that's where we help you. We start with the basics and add on slowly, at your own pace, and help you progress from one thing to the next, until you're doing the same kind of amazing things the rest of us are doing.

It's not magic! It's just practice and hard work!

Q. What do you wish customers knew about you or your profession?

A. It's hard work. We're not a "Globo-gym." We're the exact opposite!

I (Salil Maniktahla) left a career in information technology to focus on this gym, and I'm dedicated to making it the absolute best and most unique gym in the city.

And so far, I think we're doing just fine.

Q. How did you decide to get in your line of work?

A. I found parkour almost 4 years ago, and started training in it every chance I could get. And then one day I realized I was looking forward to my parkour training far more than my actual day job as a consultant.

So I decided to switch focus. The rest is history, as they say.

Q. Tell us about a recent job you did that you are particularly proud of.

A. We recently did a parkour and breakdancing demonstration at the Springfield Mall, which was a lot of fun.

We also host quite a few extremely fun events during the year: Survive Alexandria (which is a big game of Zombie Tag in Old Town Alexandria, and brought out over 1000 people on August 14th, 2010), and the Mid-Atlantic B-Boy Championships on September 4th.

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