Bringing the Heart and the Hustle to Fitness

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By Jailene Adorno

With boutique fitness studios on the rise in New York and Los Angeles, different areas around the country are putting their own spin on workouts that are both fun and energizing. One such studio is GrooveRyde, which features cycling, pole dancing, yoga, boxing, and so much more. GrooveRyde was founded in the suburbs outside of Cleveland, Ohio by husband and wife duo Zosimo and Anjua Maximo.

“Anytime you have an opportunity to take on an idea you had, to watch it grow from a seed to a full blown thing, it’s rewarding,” says Anjua Maximo. “Working with my husband and using his background in film and my background with dance and theatre, we were able to create something new.”

Initially, there was GrooveRyde and Pure Mvmnt—GrooveRyde incorporated yoga and cycling, and Pure Mvmnt focused more on pole dancing with the purpose of promoting self-esteem and self-love. Anjua Maximo had always dreamed of opening up her own studio where female empowerment and natural energy were at the forefront. All the while, Zosimo Maximo was falling in love with yoga and became inspired by Soul Cycle. Today, GrooveRyde and Pure Mvmnt work hand-in-hand to bring boutique fitness to the people in the Greater Cleveland Area.

Riding the groove and changes in workouts, Anjua Maximo found that there was a shift away from big box gyms because people were tired of contracts.

“They wanted workouts that were different and challenging in different ways,” she says. “They wanted a community.”

What sets GrooveRyde apart from other fitness studios is the energy that they bring. From the moment you walk into the studio, you can feel the good energy welcoming everyone.

“We had a very clear vision of how we wanted [the studio] to look and feel,” says Anjua Maximo. “It’s for everyone. You should never feel like you can’t be a part of it.”

GrooveRyde is making it their mission to bring good in and spread wellness throughout their workouts and with the employees they hire. In addition to founding GrooveRyde, Anjua Maximo is also a life coach and she uses a lot of her coaching skills to interact with her staff and ensure that the positive energies are kept alive within the studio.

With a staff of about thirty, GrooveRyde celebrated their second year in July of 2017. Soon, Anjua Maximo will be bringing positivity and female empowerment to the Downtown Cleveland area.

Anjua Maximo’s advice to future entrepreneurs is to keep a balance.

“Find a balance between the heart and the hustle,” she says. “We get caught up just in the hustle. But never forget the heart—the heart is what we have naturally; it’s something that’s intrinsic.”

Learn more about GrooveRyde and Pure Mvmnt here.