Divide Fitness Celebrates 10 Years in Business

Initially, Jessie Fain and her husband Nick were going to use a small portion of the Bullion building to create a personal gym for themselves while Nick’s graphic design and award manufacturing business operated on the other side of the building located on The Divide between Virginia City and Gold Hill. As their collection of exercise equipment grew, their vision expanded to a gym that could serve the Comstock community.

Fain said the couple decided, “Let’s just go for it and make something for everyone.” Divide Fitness opened its doors in 2016 and is celebrating its 10-year anniversary.

“We are proud to offer a service our residents need.”

Divide Fitness has a self check-in model and is available 24-hours to its members, with a current membership of around 130 people. The facility is clean, typically uncrowded and offers a variety of cardio and strength training equipment. Classes are held in the cardio room and include a Monday night spin class, Saturday morning cardio, and pilates and yoga classes during certain parts of the year.

Fain takes pride in having created a welcoming, judgment-free space that promotes health, wellness, and longevity. Having a local gym provides the community with a more convenient option for people to make fitness part of their routine without having to trek down the hill to Reno or Carson City.

“Once they form a habit, they make it part of their lifestyle here,” Fain says. Members become familiar with the others who go to the gym at the same time, and sometimes those people become their accountability partners and friends.

“I’ve heard people strike up friendships and then they’re going to dinner, they’re going to the camel races together.”

Divide Fitness members include people of all ages and walks of life, from high school athletes and military service members to busy moms and retirees. Everyone has different fitness goals and reasons for going to the gym. For some, their exercise routine has a deeper meaning. “Some members are beating alcoholism, depression, boredom, postpartum—all the struggles life throws at you.” Fain says she’s inspired by the member transformations that she has witnessed over the past ten years as she sees people build their confidence, improve their health, and get off medication.

The gym also helps older adults exercise close to home, helping them stay limber and prevent injury. “The older people, that’s probably where I get the most people being just so thankful. I’ve had several people tell me stories of how they’ve fallen off a little step ladder or tripped, and they were able to gracefully fall and not break something.”

Reflecting on the 10-year anniversary, Fain says, “We’re going strong. We want to keep on going.” She also encourages those who are hesitant to join a gym to, “Give it a try,” because they may end up liking it more than they think.

“It’s truly inspiring when somebody that joins that’s unsure of themselves. They haven’t ever really been to a gym and then they fall in love with it and become a regular. I really enjoy that. For the most part we’re average people in here just trying to take care of ourselves and age gracefully.”