When you walk into Out Fitness Collective, a boutique gym on the corner of W. 74th and Detroit, it’s almost surprising to see any equipment. The space, which opened on October 16th, feels homey. No obnoxious music you may or may not enjoy, no intimidating bodybuilders using the equipment you planned to. It’s immediately welcoming — a blank canvas for anyone to explore exercise.
The inviting atmosphere is a very intentional part of founder Josh Jones Forbes’ (JJ’s) vision: “Out is community around fitness that is approachable and affirming, specifically focused on LBGTQ and allied folks,” said JJ, a Detroit Shoreway resident whose day job is marketing director of Northwest Neighborhoods CDC, the community development corporation of the area. “The pandemic taught me that exercise and caring for myself is essential for me… It’s routine, it’s caring for my body, it’s progressive, it’s social at times,” he said. “When everything was closed during the pandemic it was the one thing I actually wanted to do.”
As the pandemic went on, JJ realized that his ideal gym space didn’t yet exist. Out is his attempt at building it.
Looking for an inclusive space
When surveying the landscape of Cleveland gyms, JJ noticed a gap: “I realized that what was missing was a place that was affordable and affirming.” Chain gyms like Planet Fitness offer reasonable membership rates, and yoga studios are often personal and welcoming to all, but neither addressed both concerns. He also could not find any spaces for people with personal trainer certifications, like JJ, to work with clients part-time.
His answers to these are Out’s pay-what-you-can model and values/rules. Financially, JJ was inspired by the success of his friend Julianne Putano’s donation-based yoga classes at Edgewater Beach. “I could pay five, 10, or 15 bucks depending how my week was,” said JJ. Her popular, diverse classes showed him that there was an opportunity to build a version of that community that emphasized other parts of fitness, like weight lifting or aerobics.
To ensure the space would be safe for the LGBT and allied community, “we’ve set up rules that [anyone who wants to use the space] has to agree to in order to use the space. We have values that we’re aspiring towards,” said JJ. “Basic things like respecting peoples’ personal space and their identities, recognizing that fitness is different for different people, etc.” There is a zero tolerance policy for anything that demeans or harms other people.
On top of those values, JJ recognizes that starting to exercise can be intimidating for someone who is not already practicing. The private, small studio allows for individuals to reserve the space and try lifting weights without anyone judging their performance. Further, strength-training — also known as resistance training — classes offered by the gym are meant to target those who may have never lifted weights before.
Building a gym in 10 weeks
After he had narrowed down the vision for the gym, JJ started to build it, a process which took only two and a half months. The first part was finding a space in Detroit Shoreway, the neighborhood where JJ lives.
Out found its home via his friend and colleague Bridget Kent-Marquez, who with her wife Lucy owns the building where the gym is located.
“Hearing that this idea existed and that we could support it by leasing the commercial space we owned as a home for it, meant so much to us,” said Kent-Marquez. A neighborhood resident herself, she was immediately convinced of the space’s value. “As a queer and gender non-conforming person myself, I know all too well the many stigmas, hesitations, and really even potential dangers inherent to just being fully authentically yourself in a space. Working out, moving one’s body, and exercising can already come with a whole slew of internal voices from our socialization, no matter how one identifies.”
The gym’s pay-what-you-can model may not have been possible without a below market-rate lease from the pair. It uses a commercial space that was once a doctor’s office on the bottom floor of a residential building.
Once the location was in order, the next step was getting the essentials in to transform the unassuming space – which was already in good shape, with open spaces suitable for Out’s customization – into a fitness studio. The equipment in the gym is a mix of items from JJ’s home, new purchases he made just for the space, and equipment that was donated. Some equipment was also purchased with monetary donations from fundraising he did with friends and neighbors.
To get the word out when the gym opened, JJ — who is a full-time marketing professional — took advantage of his skillset to spread the word on social media and build a website. He dropped off fliers at the LGBT center just down the street, and both the center and Plexus (the LGBT chamber of commerce) have promoted the gym. No stone has been left unturned, and even a simple sign in the gym window with a QR code has gotten some attention for the gym.
Training (or Teaching) at Out
For JJ, using Out should be as straightforward as possible—whether you are teaching a class or using the gym individually. There are no monthly rates, memberships, startup/cancellation fees, or other commitments. It costs $6/hour to rent the space as an individual, with the hope that those who can pay more will make a donation: “It’s a form of equity, people who value the space and have the means to pay more for it will, to offset the cost for others,” said JJ. His cooperative model is a stark contrast with big-box gyms that rely on people with memberships not showing up and make it hard to leave to maximize their profits.
The same philosophy applies to instructors. For them, JJ envisions Out as an opportunity to build their brand and practice the same values that guide him. Neighborhood resident Jesse DismukEs was inspired to teach a class after JJ told him about the project: “The class I will be teaching is for people who may not have worked out [in a while, because gyms] can sometimes be intimidating… In a fitness class with 10-15 people you may feel the need to compete, with two or three people, it’s a community.”
The classes being offered and in the works at Out so far both emphasize programming for people new to exercise. JJ’s class, Strength for Absolute Beginners, is designed for someone who may have never lifted a weight before. Jesse’s series, Silver Fox Cleveland, targets the aging community. His plans are, “to stop people from getting burnt out or broken down as they get older. Sometimes people can’t afford to take care of themselves. It’s something I’ve seen in the community and in my family, and [the gym] seems like the perfect space for people to take care of themselves.”
Because the commitment to classes is on a session-by-session basis, nobody has to worry about losing an upfront payment if they decide they want to leave a class.
Besides being an affordable, inclusive place for members, a secondary goal is being a place for new fitness instructors to get their start. “You don’t have to have a really fancy certification to teach something to your neighbors.” While there are no formal certification requirements for instructors, the gym is insured, said JJ.
Envisioning the future
Out’s work is just getting started. JJ is still looking for more equipment – a full set of dumbbells, a water rowing machine, and a set of spin bikes are at the top of his wish list, but the gym is accepting almost all donations. They are also looking for talent. “We need more instructors willing to teach classes,” said JJ. “It’s an opportunity for fitness, wellness, or yoga enthusiasts to share their talents.”
The gym, which is currently a sole proprietorship run by JJ – it was the quickest way to bring the space to life – only has a few regular members so far, but big ambitions. “My dream would be to have the [personal time myself] or multiple personal trainers who are constantly getting people started [with exercise],” said JJ.
The cooperative model that JJ is implementing means that anyone who uses the space is investing in its future. Any money individuals or trainers pay to rent the space goes towards upgrading the space with new equipment, based on the priorities of regular attendees and JJ.
JJ credits the quick development of Out to a community of friends and neighbors who have been essential to the project, “I’m [building out] with a support system. I’m not paying a faceless landlord where I’m on the hook if I can’t figure it out in 6 months… I’m hoping that the gym came together so quickly because it was the right idea at the right time.”
Out Fitness Collective is located at 7405 Detroit Ave in Cleveland. More information about classes and private use of the fitness spaces can be found at its website.
Moses Ngong participated in The Land’s community journalism program.
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