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New Indianola gym not just about getting fit
INDIANOLA, Neb. — A new training center has opened in Indianola that will offer martial arts for kids and adults, strength training and mobility classes.
But it won’t be all about lifting barbells, kickboxing or losing weight, although that’s part of what is available. Rather, it’s about self-empowerment and what each individual needs, said Thomas Thatcher, who with his wife, Savanna, have opened Thatchers’ Training Center.
“We’ll like to focus on how people move, different mobility exercises to get optimal muscle movement, and how to move properly to avoid taking on pain,” he said. “It’s complimentary to physical therapy without being physical therapy.”
Thomas said Thatchers’ Training Center comes from a different perspective because it won’t just be a “get fit gym. This means training sessions that meet individual needs, whether it’s learning footwork in martial arts, gaining muscle strength, or simply being able to lift your arm above your shoulder without pain, Thomas said.
The Thatchers are both professional trainers with more than 10,000 hours of training between them. A Marine Corps veteran who served two tours in Iraq as a sniper scout, Thomas opened his first gym in 2010 in Lawrence, Kan., where he taught personal training, strength and conditioning and later, mixed martial arts, where he also competed. A black belt in karate, he’s been a professional trainer for all ages, from those who started their own gyms to senior citizens, like an 80-year-old who needed help in mobility.
Savanah graduated in 2005 from Southwest High School in Bartley, Neb., and attended the University of Kansas on a volleyball scholarship. She later played volleyball professionally and after retiring from that, started teaching kids martial art classes at the gym in Lawrence. Thomas eventually closed the 6,000-square-foot gym in Kansas and brought his favorite pieces of equipment back to Indianola, Savanna’s hometown. “We’re closer to grandma now,” he said.
Growing up, he was the short fat kid who like to read, the “smart” nerd, Thomas said. This changed in his teenage years when his dad taught Thomas and his siblings karate, which gave him the confidence to later join the military, he said. But by the time he retired from the service, Thomas said he couldn’t touch his toes, due to stress and carrying his 100-pound backpack. That led him to start training and opening up his first gym.
In fact, his specialty now is working with veterans. The suicide rate among vets is increasing and Thomas said he’s had friends in the military pass away due to opiate overdose because of pain. In his training, “we find creative ways to make it more applicable to vets, tailored to each individual,” he said.
For Savanna, teaching martial arts to kids is second nature. She homeschools their four children and also teaches physical education to children in a local homeschool group. “It’s really cool to see kids transform with confidence they didn’t have before,” she said. The class includes training in footwork and striking but also helps kids gain discipline and to become more focused. Those benefits can be long-term, she said, as these concepts can carry over with choices they make later in life.
To get people started, there’s a free workout class offered at 5 a.m. on Monday, Wednesday and Friday, where there will be training in kickboxing, strength and mobility.
Other classes offered at Thatchers’ Training Center are: Kids martial art class, 4-9 years old, Tuesday and Thursday, 4:45 p.m.; Adult martial arts, age 10 to adult, Monday-Thursday, 7 p.m.; and Personal Preventative Maintenance, Wednesday, 6 p.m. For more information on how to register, call (901)-244-0937.