Couple combine efforts at new personal training studio

Cristin Kynett and Chris Sigouin believe their combined talents put their fitness studio on a level apart from other exercise spaces.

They co-own Level Up Health and Fitness on Kalispell's west side, where each of them dispenses their individual athletic expertise to clients.

"We thought we could offer something that nobody else in the valley was offering in one place," Sigouin said.

The partners both provide personal training sessions in their new space at 860 N. Meridian Road, formerly the home of an art studio.

Sigouin's specialty is movement and muscle; he's certified in not only personal training but also physical therapy and massage.

Kynett, meanwhile, works with clients from the inside out. She's a certified nutritionist as well as a personal trainer.

"We really fill in each other's gaps," Sigouin said.

Kynett and Sigouin work separately with clients, usually one-on-one or in small groups no larger than three.

They like to tailor their training to individual athletes, because they both found their niches by pursuing fitness interventions catered to their specific needs.

Kynett, for instance, achieved long-hoped-for weight loss when she started to fuel her fitness with proper nutrition. In her case, it was important to broaden her focus to healthy interventions outside the gym.

"It's an entire lifestyle change," she said.

For Sigouin, feeling better was more a matter of moving his body in a different way. After years of weight-lifting and feeling intense back pain, he finally found relief by practicing yoga. That led him to learn more about the body through physical therapy.

With their personal approaches combined under one roof, Kynett and Sigouin hope they can help their clients figure out which strategy works best without going through the pain and frustration they personally experienced.

"The opportunity seemed more readily available when we were both involved in it, because of how much we complement each other," Sigouin said.

ALTHOUGH THEY feel they have a lot to offer local athletes, they don't need much space to do it.

"It's a really individual, private setting," Kynett said.

That's deliberate, because Kynett likes to work with women who might not feel comfortable walking into a busy gym. One of her goals is making sure clients can get fit without feeling intimidated.

However, people with all different backgrounds are encouraged to work with the trainers at Level Up Health and Fitness.

Kynett stressed she and Sigouin have the capacity to help "all fitness levels." They have interventions that apply to various ages, athletic abilities and personality types.

Their previous experiences play a big part in that versatility. Kynett has local roots as a born-and-raised Montanan, whereas Sigouin brings an outside perspective from working in Hawaii before moving to Montana four years ago.

They believe their strength lies in weaving together their differences in a productive way — and it isn't limited to the studio, either.

Sigouin and Kynett recently became engaged amid the tumult of opening a new business together. Kynett said the timing was a little like riding a rocket ship, but it gave them both shared strength they didn't have on their own.

"We became unstoppable," she said.

Reporter Bret Anne Serbin may be reached at 406-758-4459 or bserbin@dailyinterlake.com.