BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN MAKING IT OFFICIAL — Co-owners Eric Lee and Julie Kaidor get ready to cut a ribbon, officially opening CrossFit Envision in the Brandywine Shopping Plaza on North Woodland Boulevard in DeLand.

What better way to start toward your goal of getting fit this year than to work up a sweat on New Year’s Day?

That was the thinking the co-owners of CrossFit Envision, next-door neighbors Julie Kaidor and Eric Lee, used when deciding to hold a grand opening of their facility on Jan. 1.

“It was our way to promote fitness and wellness for the new year,” Kaidor told The Beacon the following Monday.

CrossFit Envision opened at 3128 N. Woodland Blvd., near Winn-Dixie in the Brandywine Shopping Plaza, on Nov. 26, but didn’t have the ribbon-cutting followed by three hours of giveaways and friendly competition until the first of this month.

But the start of the business actually came a lot earlier than Black Friday, Kaidor said.

“We launched virtually in May 2020 so people could stay fit at home,” she said. “The pandemic showed how critical fitness is to staying healthy.”

The studio is another way to reach the goal of staying fit. A lot of the virtual clients stayed with Kaidor and Lee when they opened the new studio, which the two worked on for 10 months before opening.

CrossFit is a specific form of exercise. Kaidor defined it as “consistently varied functional movements done at high intensity.”

But despite its strenuous-sounding description, Kaidor maintains it is beneficial for everyone, whatever their age, and can help players in all sports.

“We believe all ages can maximize their health and wellness potential,” she said. “Using the CrossFit methodology, we can help an 80-year-old man prolong his mobility and longevity just like a 25-year-old competitive athlete.”

BEACON PHOTO/MARSHA MCLAUGHLIN
ROW, ROW, ROW YOUR MACHINES — Opening-day participants take part in various friendly contests with others in their age groups, including on rowing machines.

CrossFit Envision also focuses on nutrition, encouraging clients to eat whole foods, with a balance between carbohydrates and protein.

Kaidor and Lee have the backgrounds to lead participants through their paces.

Kaidor, a Massachusetts native, has been a CrossFit coach for eight years and has a Level 2 certification in CrossFit. She also has certification in nutrition from the National Association of Sports Medicine and as a coach from USA Weightlifting.

For good measure, she has a B.A. in elementary education and an M.S. in education, both from Stetson University.

Lee, also a Stetson alumnus, was born and raised in DeLand, Kaidor said. He played tennis at Stetson, taught volleyball at an elite level for more than 10 years, and is a Level 1-certified CrossFit coach.

He has a B.S. in business and an MBA, both from Stetson.

CrossFit Envision offers classes Monday through Saturday mornings, and Monday through Friday evenings. The studio is closed Sundays. While the classes focus on CrossFit workouts, there are other programs offered for such things as nutrition, mobility and flexibility, weightlifting, and others.

There is even CrossFit Kids for ages 5-12, offered Mondays and Wednesdays.

Classes are available for children through seniors. Costs vary depending on how many classes are taken each week.

For more information or to contact the studio, go to https://crossfitenvision.com/.

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