WHITMIRE — Studio 714 Fitness and Self Defense, located at 505 Church St., opened its doors on May 1 and incorporates fitness, self defense and martial arts/jiu jitsu exercises all in one to get your heart going.

Owner Chris Willingham said he decided to open a fitness and self defense center after popular demand from the community.

“At my previous job, I met a lot of people from here, because I’m not from here, I’m from Prosperity. But there were a lot of people talking about how the kids here need something to do or we’re having to travel outside of Whitmire to go to the gym,” said Willingham. “I think it’s important to understand that I’m a pastor first and a martial arts and fitness instructor second. So 714 Ministries, that’s what all of this falls under. Once I got up here and got an idea of the town, that the people here love their town and they never want to leave here.”

Willingham has 25 years of experience in fitness and martial arts training and decided to make the jump and open his own facility.

At Studio 714 Fitness and Self Defense, there are opportunities for people from the smallest to the tallest to participate in. A kids program called Bully Busters is offered, with two different age groups, 5-7 year olds to 8-11 year olds.

“It’s a combination of mixed martial arts, involving taekwondo and jiu jitsu. The actual first program they enter into is called Bully Busters, which is a lot of how to deal with bullies in school the right way and the right way to stand up to a bully. It’s not about punching and kicking and most of that is centered around jiu jitsu and being able to control the bully instead of punching and kicking them,” said Willingham.

Willingham said that the largest and most successful class offered is the ladies self defense class.

“It started off as just a six week self defense program. The fitness aspect of it is the way the classes go is the first half of the class is fitness, with 20-30 minutes of real fitness like a crossfit-type environment and the rest of the class is self defense. The surprising part about it is that all of my ladies decided to sign back up again to continue to learn martial arts,” said Willingham.

Girls as young as 13 and even seniors are encouraged to sign up for Willingham’s self defense class or sign up to take part in the senior exercise class that is offered.

All classes are $99 a month, with family rates available to make the classes affordable.

“I think it’s a very unique program and I know that there are a lot of karate schools in the area. But I think our program is unique because of the combination of the fitness aspect. We do a full fitness class, so you’ll get the best of both worlds and then the jiu jitsu and martial arts,” said Willingham.

“My background is physical therapy and I was a physical therapist in the Navy for six years, so I’m able to do some things with the elderly population that are more of a rehab type exercise environment other than seeing a bunch of 70 year olds and making them do squats or burpees,” Willingham added.

For more information on Studio 714 Fitness and Self Defense, follow their Facebook page or call 803-768-9651.

Learn self defense at Studio 714 Fitness and Self Defense.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Defense2.jpgLearn self defense at Studio 714 Fitness and Self Defense. Kelly Duncan | The Newberry Observer

Studio 714 Fitness and Self Defense owner Chris Willingham.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Defense3.jpgStudio 714 Fitness and Self Defense owner Chris Willingham. Kelly Duncan | The Newberry Observer

Chris Willingham, owner.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Defense4.jpgChris Willingham, owner. Kelly Duncan | The Newberry Observer

The ladies earned their pink belts in self defense class.
https://www.newberryobserver.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/07/web1_Defense1.jpgThe ladies earned their pink belts in self defense class. Kelly Duncan | The Newberry Observer

By Kelly Duncan

kduncan@civitasmedia.com

Reach Kelly Duncan at 803-768-3123 ext. 1868 or on Twitter @TheNBOnews.