OCEAN CITY — How does someone terrified to step foot in a gym end up a fitness instructor, a member of the Healthy Living Advisory Council and the owner of a fitness/athleisure business?
For Brielle Pontelandolfo, the first step was a group fitness class.
“What’s funny is I actually was one of those girls who was intimidated to go to the gym. My parents always wanted me to go to the gym. They said it would make me stronger and would benefit my softball career growing up,” she said. “But I was just scared to go and then finally I decided to go take a group fitness class with a family member and I just fell in love with the group fitness aspect of the classes.
“I felt like I was a part of a community and didn’t feel like people were staring at me or judging me. I just fell in love with it.”
The 28-year-old started to run spartan races with that gym and then her family bought a house in Ocean City. That’s when she got her certification to become a group fitness instructor.
“I went from someone who didn’t want anyone to watch me to being a fitness instructor where everyone is watching me,” she said.
“I was scared to be a fitness person and now I help show people that anyone can do this if they want to get stronger or make themselves feel more confident and happy. Actually, my logo has a saying – ‘strong, healthy, happy’ – and that’s honestly my motto. Anyone can change their life through fitness.”
Pontelandolfo has been teaching at the Ocean City Community Center for five years. Her classes include spin, total body, kickboxing and on occasion barre.
When Pontelandolfo was teaching she had the idea to open what would become Ashore Fit.
Ashore Fit started out as an online store while she looked for a physical location. There is a grand opening for Ashore Fit at 1215 Asbury Ave. this Friday, May 12.
“I’m super happy with the location that I’m at and the space that I have. It definitely was a waiting game to find a location but I’m grateful for it now,” she said. “Everyone is definitely very excited about my business finally opening.
“They keep asking me in class especially because it was a slow start. They would ask me have I found a location yet. And then I always wear my outfits into my classes, too, so they are always super excited about it.
“There’s also really nothing like my store in Ocean City,” she said. “I know there are some stores that have very limited activewear, but no store has the niche like mine does, so I think that’s very important for our community to have.”
Pontelandolfo has big aspirations including a second location in either Ocean City or one of the surrounding island communities such as Margate, Stone Harbor or Avalon.
“I would just love to see everyone repping the clothes around the city and seeing something other than the fitness wear clothes you see all the time,” she said. “Just to have more and more people showing up to my classes and knowing that they are wearing my clothes and feeling confident in them.”
Ashore Fit carries high-end and affordable brands such as Varley, Cruise Control, Strut This, Kimberly C, PopFlex, Rae Mode and more.
Ashore Fit will be open 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Wednesday through Monday and closed on Tuesdays.
For more information visit ashorefitocnj.com.
By CAMRYN SCHULTHEIS /For the Sentinel
