30-minute workout routine is simple yet effective
Published in the Oct. 14-27, 2015 issue of Morgan Hill Life
Watch the business profile video of 9Round Kickboxing by clicking HERE
By Robert Airoldi
Photo by Marty Cheek
Wes Terrell in his East Dunne Avenue 9Round Kickbox Fitness center.
When Wes Terrell was a short, pudgy boy living in Connecticut, classmates often teased him, saying he looked like William “The Refrigerator” Perry, a 335-pound lineman for the Chicago Bears. The comparison made him decide to get into high school football, which led to him finding a love for fitness.
“It was through playing sports and being involved with a more healthy lifestyle that I grew out of that and lost weight and became more of an athlete,” he said.
That passion for health led Terrell to open a 9Round Kickboxing Fitness franchise in Morgan Hill. He loves spending his day at his specialized gym inspiring women and men in the community to become more physically healthy through 30-minute bursts of intense cardio workouts.
“When you’re healthy, your self confidence goes up and you feel good,” he said. “And when you feel good about yourself you put best foot forward.”
9Round is now the largest cardio kickboxing franchise, with about 270 gyms in six countries. Founded by Shannon “The Cannon” Hudson, it puts clients through the same workout that propelled the 2008 champion kickboxer to the top of his profession. The workout routine is simple yet effective with the mentorship of personal trainers who lead customers through nine stations in the gym at which they spend three minutes each. The workouts are fast, work every muscle and require high-energy. Trainers and a virtual nutrition coach are included, they change every day, and there are no class times so it allows for flexibility. Participants can burn up to 500 calories in 30 minutes, Terrell said.
“Someone is going to get better results doing a 9Round workout than other routines because they combine different exercises and resistant training for a full body workout,” he said. “They are not monotonous. There is kicking, punching and constant movement.”
Trainers at 9Round are less concerned with technique and are more focused on helping everyone reach their potential, he said. They provide a positive workout environment and constantly try to build everyone up.
Women especially enjoy the convenience and non-threatening environment.
“Here it’s kind of like a nonalcoholic ‘Cheers,’” Terrell said. “We know all our members’ names and something about their life. They are a part of a community within a community.”
Terrell, 39, was a two-time All American at the University of California, Davis, and was invited to a Oakland Raider mini-camp. Unfortunately, he faced an injury the first day of the camp, ending his dreams of playing in the NFL. Terrell, who grew up in San Jose, still lives there, but enjoys working in Morgan Hill.
“I’m a small-town guy who eschews big cities,” he said. “The people here are very friendly and personable.”
The businessman is promoting his kickboxing studio through the Chamber of Commerce and other venues. He has reached out to local businesses, offering them a discount for corporate memberships for their employees.
“We’re happy to help the community get fit however we can,” he said. “Our mission is to empower members to reach their physical fitness goals nine rounds at a time.”
