When you think of a gym, you probably think of self-care, not family time. For Andrea and George Savard, competitive boxers with two young kids, the traditional fitness club model didn’t fit. In 2005, they established their gym, FirePower Fitness, bringing it to Milton in 2008, and have spent the past 20 years helping their community build not just their physical health but also their mental and social health.
Many parents can relate to the struggle of trying to balance their own wellness with the needs of their family.
“Our initial vision was to have somewhere that our twins could grow up with us, where we could be together as a family, and our lives would be surrounded by health and fitness and by a good community of people,” shares Andrea. “Then it started to snowball. It was just a hobby, then eventually it grew…into a full-time location…and an expansion into Milton, and then it just kept going in a great way!”
FirePower began as a boxing gym, but soon after, Andrea and George expanded into CrossFit, which incorporates various functional movements – sequences based on real-world situations rather than aesthetic goals – and selective high-intensity exercises.
“There’s fun and connection and community, but there’s also empowerment that comes with intense training and showing people that what can look scary – once you have the courage to try…[can feel like] ‘I’ve just overcome this! I’m so excited. Look at what I’ve just done!’ That changes their mindset, that changes what’s possible in life,” explains Andrea.
Enabling adults, and parents in particular, to achieve their wellness goals starts with creating an environment that takes all of their needs into account. Members can receive 1:1 personal training, which offers flexibility and caters to unique goals, and also participate in group training. Group programs include CrossFit, boxing, and specialty courses such as the Small Change Habit Challenge, designed to help improve participants’ lifestyles, metabolisms, and minds.
Most importantly, family is always at the forefront at FirePower, and members are encouraged to bring their kids along. Young children occupy themselves in the mezzanine while their parents work out, allowing them to see their parents “having fun with fitness.”
FirePower offers a tailored Youth Fitness program for older kids in grades 6 to 12, with classes ranging from novice to advanced and unique programming for each age group. Younger kids participate in more game-based activities, while the middle age group incorporates games and skill work. Older athletes can participate in the higher-intensity competitive program with specific training. No matter the age or level of experience with fitness, their goal is to build athletes for life.
As parents of a child with neurological and physical challenges, holistic health and wellness are especially important to Andrea and George. That’s why FirePower offers support “beyond the [gym] floor,” including physiotherapy and nutrition coaching.
“At the end of the day, you can’t out-train a bad diet,” explains Andrea. “So nutrition has to be part of the conversation if people want physical change, and we know that nutrition has a direct correlation to social health and physical health.”
FirePower Fitness is continuing to evolve along with the Savard family. For instance, it now offers an older adults program tailored to the needs of members aged 50 plus.
“We’re 20 years into this now. Our kids – we started this when they were six months old; they turned 20 this year, so their fitness interests and needs have evolved as well. So, our business is often a reflection of the owners, and I think that as we age, we’re finding more comfort in…lifespan health-focused CrossFit,” a training method, Andrea explains, that uses the same philosophy but at a lower intensity.
Part of the joy of growing the business over the past two decades is seeing not only clients’ fitness journeys but also personal ones. They’ve witnessed full circle moments, with members of the gym meeting, starting their own families together, and then bringing their own children to the gym.
“My heart goes to moments where I see kids that have grown up in our community, and I know that those kids found life because two people met under our environment at FirePower,” shares Andrea. “Two people who didn’t know each other beforehand came together, created a life, and created a human. It’s happened many times over the last 20 years. But gosh, there’s so much pride in [seeing] that this young human is here because of something we thought was a fun way to hang with friends.”
Adults and teens aged at least 17 who are interested in learning about how FirePower can support their wellness goals can book a free exploratory Intro to FirePower conversation. Youth athletes in grades six to 12 can also get in touch to book a free trial class.
You can find FirePower Fitness & Wellness at teamfirepower.com or on Facebook and Instagram.
