Denisse Martinez, a biology student at the University of Utah, has a vision for making the average gym experience more social and inclusive, and she is pursuing it with her startup, Alchemist.
Martinez found that in a typical gym experience there can be a lack of member engagement, feelings of intimidation, low motivation, and limited access to healthy food options. Alchemist will help break the cycle of a transactional gym experience by focusing on building community, reaching health goals, and conquering fears around the gym experience.
“Some people need a side space in the gym where there are fewer people to be able to build confidence to be in the bigger spaces,” Martinez said. “I found that a lot of older people feel intimidated in big spaces with lots of young people; they feel like they don’t belong. I want to create a welcoming and diverse space for all.”
Alchemist will also focus on creating a place where people can hang out and spend time when they are not working out. Martinez envisions a place where instead of talking over machines and taking up space, friends can go to an area created for homework, lunch, and conversation. She also hopes to include immersive experiences, like screens simulating exercise between red rocks and a body-positive photo room, to motivate people to come back.
“In most gyms, there’s no encouragement to take photos; people film their progress in the mirrors but are quick to turn off the camera when someone walks by,” Martinez said, “I don’t want that. I want people to be proud — take that picture! Post it, be motivated, and see how far you have come.”
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