@drzewieckinbh
NEWINGTON – A soon-to-be-wed couple has followed their dream and opened their own CrossFit gym right here in town.
Pennsylvania-born Kevin Witchey and Southbury native Hayley McCormick recently opened the doors to CrossFit Topside at 190 Fenn Rd.
“The beauty of CrossFit as a whole is that everyone shares the same experience,” Witchey said. “Anybody can do it. The methodology is designed so an Olympic athlete can benefit from it but so can my grandmother. We meet you where you are on your fitness journey.”
The gym currently offers two one-hour group workouts per day, Mon.-Fri. At 6 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., as well as a Sat. class at 9 a.m. They also offer individualized training.
CrossFit Topside’s “Workout of the Day” will be announced the evening prior on the gym’s website and social media pages.
“We’ll add more classes as we go,” McCormick said.
People of all ages are encouraged to join. Discounted memberships and special rates will be offered through the end of the month, ahead of the facility’s grand opening Oct. 22.
“Newington was recommended to us by Hayley’s mom, who also works in town,” Witchey said.
“It’s a beautiful town and a fantastic location for us,” McCormick added.
The pair met at York College in Penn. while both were studying sports management and playing lacrosse.
“We discovered CrossFit as collegiate athletes and we stayed with it because we experienced the impact,” McCormick said.
The 2,300 sq. ft. facility has a large workout space. Workout supplements and recovery drinks are available for purchase.
People interested in joining are encouraged to take advantage of a complimentary introduction session offered to new members free of charge.
“As coaches it gives us a good chance to meet them, learn about their fitness goals and past injuries,” McCormick pointed out.
CrossFit is a fitness movement that was founded in Calif. in the year 2000 and is now offered in over 14,000 locations worldwide. It combines strength and conditioning with high-intensity interval training.
McCormick and Witchey added “Topside” to their company’s name to represent their fitness and life philosophy.
“Topside to us means when making decisions in life, responding above the standards,” Witchey explained.
“We strive to build camaraderie, strong minds and healthy bodies that respond on the topside of the line,” McCormick added.
Visit them online at crossfittopside.com.
Erica Drzewiecki can be reached at edrzewiecki@centralctcommunications.com. 
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