Functional Fitness RWF

06/15/2026

Last Monday, I was running on absolute fumes & more coffee than is recommended. 😅

Our flight home from the conference in Chicago got delayed — we didn't walk in the door until 12:30am. And somewhere between dropping my bag and falling into bed, it hit me: the kids' activities started THAT morning.

So there I was, half-asleep, digging out every summer activities calendar we own, cross-checking which kid needed to be where and who was driving them. By the time I sorted it out, one thing was clear: that whole week was going to look nothing like my normal one. Different availability, different rhythm, and a lot less energy after a travel day like that.

And that's when I started thinking about our members. 👇

➡️ If I'd been locked into one standing appointment with my coach, I'd have had to cancel and lose the session.

➡️ If I'd just had a 24-hour gym membership, I'd have shrugged, said "not today," and skipped it. No plan, no accountability, no one in my corner.

➡️ But as a member at Functional Fitness? I'd just message my coaches, fill them in on the chaos, and instead of guilt or a penalty, I'd be met with understanding — and options.

Maybe that week was one session instead of two, with the other made up later this month. Maybe I still got both in, just at different times. The point is: I didn't have to force it, and I didn't have to give up on it either.

That's the whole idea behind how we built this place. Life is full — work, travel, family, grandkids, the unexpected. Your training should bend with your life, not break because of it.

So if your week ever looks like mine did last week… we get it, and we've got you.

06/14/2026

Behind the business, we're just a regular family trying to do something meaningful. 👨👩👦👦

Trevor & Erin Wittwer here. We met on the basketball court at Gustavus Adolphus College in St. Peter, got married in 2013 and have two boys who are our biggest fans and our toughest critics. 😄

Our youngest was born with Down Syndrome — and he has shaped who we are as people and as business owners in more ways than we can count. While we ran fundraising events prior to him being born, our mission has expanded & our fundraisers have only grown.

Every March, in celebration of World Down Syndrome Day, we run a fundraiser through Functional Fitness in his honor to support Service Enterprises Inc — an incredible organization that serves individuals with disabilities in the Redwood area. This past March, our community helped us raise $1,635 through apparel sales and an online fitness program. We are so incredibly grateful. 💛

Every December we also run a fundraiser for Share the Spirit, which provides gifts and food for local families in need during the holidays. This past December our community showed up in the most beautiful way — together we raised $1,250. 🎁❤️

These fundraisers aren't just something we do. They're a reflection of what we believe — that money raised in a community should stay in that community, and that a small business has the ability to be a real force for good.

As we continue to grow we're excited to find new ways to give back in each of our communities. If you know of a cause close to your heart in Ga***rd — we'd love to hear about it.

Thank you for supporting us so we can keep supporting others. It means everything. ❤️

***rd ***rdMN

06/12/2026

You've been told the magic number is 8 hours of sleep.

New research on nearly 61,000 adults says we've all been chasing the wrong number.

When scientists tracked a full week of real sleep data — not a questionnaire, but actual wrist monitors — the people with the most consistent sleep schedules were up to 48% less likely to die over the next 8 years. Cardiometabolic deaths? Down as much as 57%.

Here's the kicker: HOW REGULAR your sleep was predicted mortality BETTER than HOW LONG you slept.

A steady 7 hours every night beats 5 hours on weeknights and a 10-hour weekend coma. Every time.

Think of your body like a train station. It doesn't care how long the trains sit parked. It cares that they show up on time. Same bedtime. Same wake time. Even on Saturday.

Before you stress about hitting a perfect eight — just pick a wake-up time and protect it. That one habit might do more for your long-term health than any supplement on the shelf.

Recovery isn't just what happens in the gym. It's what happens every night when you respect the schedule your body is counting on.

At Functional Fitness, we coach the whole picture — training, nutrition, and the recovery habits that make all of it actually work.

📲 DM us if you want to talk about building a routine that supports everything you're working toward.

06/11/2026

Find what motivates you & keep at it.

https://www.instagram.com/reel/DZdN2f7pYUB/?igsh=aTFteXdjdGNmdWRs

06/10/2026

Reflection Post — Two-Brain Summit

Sometimes you go to a conference and leave with a million and one ideas you can't wait to implement or experiment with. Other times you attend and realize you're already doing exactly what you should be doing.

This year's summit featured a presentation specifically on Semi-Private training — the entire setup Functional Fitness is built on. Trevor and I were eager to take notes and talk through every way we could sharpen what we're already doing to serve our clients even better.

Here's what we walked away with:

OFFER A TEAM OF COACHES

Rather than individual trainers working under one roof, each with their own select clients, be the team that supports the client. Keep open communication among coaches about every member's goals, injuries, and programming quirks so we're always on the same page. Things come up, which means members may work with any coach at any time — and every one of us should be ready to support and coach them in a consistent way.

This is something we've understood for a long time. When you're a member at Functional Fitness, you're not assigned to a single trainer and left stranded when they're out — you're supported by our entire coaching team. We talk to each other about your goals, your history, and what you're working through, so no matter which coach is on the floor, you get the same consistent, informed coaching every time.

OFFER FLEXIBLE SCHEDULING

Don't lock members into one time slot forever, where missing it means losing it. Build a schedule that works the vast majority of the time, while understanding that life happens and 24-hour notice isn't always possible. Don't punish the member who's balancing work, travel, and grandkids — life is full at every stage. Meet people where they are.

This is already how we operate. We understand your life doesn't run on a rigid schedule, so your training shouldn't either. You're not boxed into one unchangeable slot, and we're not here to penalize you when the unexpected comes up. While we don't have unlimited availability, we'll work with you to find times that fit your week, because the best program is the one you can actually show up for.

GIVE THEM EVERYTHING

Don't nickel-and-dime with one price for training, another to add 24-hour access, an upgrade for the infrared sauna, and more for programming on non-coached days… give it all.

This is one of the things we love about our facility. Members get 24-hour access right here — not a separate membership or a different gym. They can come to their home facility for extra work and follow a dedicated program designed around their specific goals. It's all included in their training membership: everything they need to succeed.

🧡🧡🧡

While we're proud that we're already doing the major things this presentation highlighted, we still walked away with some awesome nuggets, small changes we can make to support our members — new and old — even better. Especially how to make the starting process more comfortable. Because isn't getting started in a new place one of the most intimidating parts of joining a gym?

THANK YOU for letting us dip out a little early on Friday to spend the weekend learning. We can't wait to refine our services and bring you an even better experience.

If you're looking for a gym that was created to support you, work with your busy life & join a community that wants you to succeed - you've found the right spot. We're just a message away!

06/08/2026

📣 We're hiring at Functional Fitness in Redwood Falls!

We're looking for a personal training coach to join our team and lead semi-private training sessions. If you have a passion for helping people, we'd love to meet you. Know someone who'd be a great fit? Tag them -- and PLEASE help us spread the word by sharing this post!

Apply through the link in the comments. 💪

06/08/2026

While our protein is STILL ON SALE this week, supplements aren't always necessary -- though, they are VERY convenient and can help you in a pinch.

Check out this video to learn more about how much protein YOU should have in a day & some helpful tips to hit that number.

https://youtube.com/shorts/xxmqERjPnSQ?feature=share

& how to get it with mostly, if not all, whole foods.

06/06/2026

Do you think Trevor signed us up for this event instead of the Two Brain fitness conference?

🤞😜

06/05/2026

Getting out for a walk every day is a great start. But if you're strolling, you might be leaving the biggest benefit on the table.

A new study followed nearly 80,000 adults for 16+ years and compared slow walkers (3+ hours a day) against brisk walkers (just 15 minutes a day).

Slow walking 3+ hours a day? Basically no mortality benefit.

Brisk walking 15 minutes a day? Death risk dropped nearly 20%.

That's not a typo. The slow strollers got almost nothing. The brisk walkers — fifteen minutes — bought themselves years.

Here's why: slow walking doesn't load your heart or aerobic system enough to drive real adaptation. It feels productive. It pads your step count. But your cardiovascular system shrugs.

Brisk walking — the pace where you'd struggle to sing the chorus of a song — actually pushes your heart, lungs, and muscles enough to matter.

This week's challenge:
Pick one 15-minute walk every day. Walk it like you're 5 minutes late. That's it.

Forget chasing 10,000 steps if you're collecting them at a stroll. Trade 3,000 of those for 15 minutes of actually pushing the pace — and the math gets a whole lot better.

Intensity matters more than duration. It's one of the principles we build every program around at Functional Fitness — whether you're training with a coach or showing up on your own.

📲 DM us if you want to talk about how we can help you train smarter, not just longer.

06/04/2026

We're heading to Chicago! 🏙️🧡

This weekend, our team is packing up and heading to the Two-Brain Summit in Chicago — one of the biggest gatherings of gym owners and coaches in the country.

The best coaches never stop being students - we know we don't know it all & we're looking forward to expanding our knowledge base & learning new ways to serve our clients. So we're spending the weekend learning from some of the sharpest minds in the fitness industry — soaking up the latest in coaching, programming, and helping members like you train smarter, move better, and reach your goals.

Every idea we bring home is one more way we can serve YOU better.

A quick heads up: our team will be out of the office Friday and through the weekend while we're at the conference. We may be slower with our responses - please note we'll get back to you Monday, if not sooner!

Big things ahead — we can't wait to bring it all back to the gym. 🔥