On a chilly Colorado evening, I made my way to the corner of 30th & Walnut in Boulder and to my surprise, found a hidden treasure tucked into the corner of a strip mall from a bygone era. Kondition Fitness “takes today’s popular specialized fitness classes and incorporates them into one membership,” according to the owner Emma Straight. Kondition Boulder is a place for all things yoga, cycling, barre, and you can be part of special events like the one I attended.

The event— “One Love: Your Body From the Inside Out”— kicked off with a movement sequence by NUFit founder Natalie Uhling and Jess Hall, the manager of Kondition. A fun hour or so of dance-inspired cardio, both instructors were very mindful that people would be coming at this from different fitness levels. Jess did alternate moves for those who wanted a more low impact workout (although I did this one and it was still a great workout), and then Natalie led the way for those ladies who were ready to sweat!

After the workout portion, we all met in the lobby where we were greeted by Erika Elizabeth, the woman behind By Erika Elizabeth; an adaptogen elixir brand out of Boulder. She made some lovely concoctions for us to try—homemade nut milk mixed with adaptogens from her Feminine Flow line. I had the opportunity to sit down with Erika the night before the event, and she shared what fuels the passion behind her work. With a background in studying holistic nutrition, she’s had to do some of her own healing. Erika really emphasizes how much stress is harming us, and how adaptogens can help restore balance. 

The last part of the evening was a panel featuring Natalie, Elizabeth, and Cecily Yousaf from the Fertile Ground Wellness Center. The women chatted about everything from adrenal fatigue and birth control to eating real foods, movement, lowering our stress levels, getting enough sleep, and limiting screen time. 

Everyone was so engaged that the event even ran a little over time, and after it ended there were many conversations in the lobby. Every person I talked to there shared how much they genuinely love Kondition, and how the variety has sparked new vigor into their health routine. It feels like they have made a community in this little corner of Boulder. Emma had said, “Kondition really strives to be more holistic, thinking and caring about all facets of our members,” and it shows.

As I left that night, I noticed the bricked arches and the lighting… this little strip mall felt different than when I first arrived. Kondition has brought it back to life.