By Jeffrey Shwom

Positive, welcoming, and supportive, with gym dog Barli close by. These words do not define many folks’ previous experiences with fitness spaces. Luckily, Shannon Walsh, Owner of Expansive Strength & Fitness on Cedar Street, and two other trainers who rent her space, create that environment and more. Shannon sat down with The Somerville Times to talk about her “haven where fitness meets inclusivity, laughter, and a profound sense of well-being.”

ExSF says, “Forget the one-size-fits-all approach to fitness. At ExSF, we’re all about building strength, enhancing mobility, and boosting cardiovascular health. Our focus isn’t on shedding pounds; it’s on the lifelong routine of exercise that helps you feel stronger, move more freely, and improve your overall health.”

A small familiar group of three was working through their individual reps, together, when I visited the space. Walsh taught “Strength,” a class focused on max strength rather than reps and endurance. Folks were supportive and celebratory, with two-hand high fives being thrown and helpful, engaging instruction.

Much of the discussion, besides chatter about previous workout experience, was “getting to failure,” the point at which the muscle group just cannot finish the group of exercises. All while Barli kept a watch on the door and the activities. Walsh said, “That’s an ugly five, but good work!” as the group laughed. “I feel good about that,” said one of the participants before the clean-up ensued. It’s a tight space with the squat racks so it was a group effort to move around benches and equipment.

Three trainers, with three distinct brands, operate in the workable space. Walsh explained, “We all have our own brand. My brand is Expansive Strength & Fitness. The other Shannon has Shannon Wheel Fitness. She focused on women going through life transitions like menopause, pregnancy, and injury. Chloe Zwiacher, who owns Coach Chlo, works with chronic pain, chronic fatigue, hypermobility and neurodivergence. We are all friends and are very supportive of each. We talk about research, talk about a client, about schedule software. It is not a competitive environment. It is important to find like-minded coaches because I want this to be a non-judgmental space. I don’t want to hear the whole ‘earn your pizza’ or ‘summer bodies are built in the spring.’ We want to stay away from toxic diet culture.”

Shannon went further about shaming and negativity about our bodies. “A lot of marketing is about shame – ‘your body is not good enough as it is.’ We all try to uplift them and help them feel supported. We are not trying to get people through negativity. That positive atmosphere, it engenders a sense of safety. You do not need to be self-conscious. You feel okay coming into a gym, which can be a very scary place for people.” She praised Somerville too, which “has a really great fitness community. My friend Hannah has a space at Bow Market, called Soft Space Wellness. She is very wellness-focused. My friend Sean has a space in Teale Square. They really helped me investigate the Somerville inspections [for licensing]. They helped me choose equipment and deal with the stress of opening a new space. Somerville, this is a really great place to be.”

Before we talked, Walsh asked her clients what they liked most about the space. She listed, “the camaraderie, the ‘I do not need to be a big muscle man’” and the feeling that folks do not need “to be perfect to be here.”