BUILDING A TRIBE FOR HALF A DECADE Feeling The Burn And Making Friends At The Tribe Gym IT IS 5:30 AM and while most Windsor-Essex residents still sleeping or just waking up, a parking lot on the south side of Manning Road is packed. The building those cars are in front of is alive with a community gathering to become their best selves. The Tribe Gym is a gathering place for people from every walk of life, from the humble beginner to pro athletes. There is no pressure. No judgement. People follow along at their own pace. Standing at the head of the class and leading everyone through exercises is Tiziana Sofikitis, owner and trainer, but everyone calls her Tiz. During workouts, Tiz guides everyone through proper form and offers altered versions of moves she is using for those who are not able to perform more intense actions. By matching workout intensity to what a client can do, Tiz pushes and inspires them towards a healthier lifestyle, both physically and mentally. “Fitness and health have always been a passion of mine,” Tiz says of her over 20 years of experience in the field. “My father always said find your passion, follow it and you will never work a day in your life. That stuck and here I am today, loving what I’m doing.” Gym owners Tiz and Laz Sofikitis in Zoe’s Café Corner
To the many people who take part in The Tribe Gym’s classes it does not feel like a traditional workout. Tiz specializes in high intensity interval training, or HIIT for short. While more traditional gym workouts would last an hour or two, a HIIT session is roughly 35 minutes. The goal is to provide a workout hitting cardio and weight training at the same time. “I’ve had professional athletes as well as people who have never picked a weight up before,” Tiz says of the clients she trains. “Seeing them progress and getting stronger is just amazing.” The pandemic did not even stop Tiz. With her husband, confidant and biggest supporter, Laz, they looked for new avenues to deliver fitness options. What this led to was The Tribe Gym’s YouTube channel. Tiz posts 5 to 25 minutes free HIIT workouts you can follow along anytime and anywhere. Subscribing is always free and new videos are constantly being added. Every day is different at The Tribe Gym, but regardless of the day’s moves you always get an intense workout in. “I focus on the full body during workouts but love to isolate different muscle groups to sculpt the body,” Tiz says. For some it is a strong start for the day and for others their time at The Tribe Gym allows them to unwind and destress from their day. Post-workout coffee and tea is brewed fresh at Zoe’s Cafe Corner, named after their daughter. The added option to gather round for a drink after an intense workout Pantone 109 CP C=60 M=40 Y=40 K=100 C=0 M=9 Y=100 K=0 makes the space feel less like a gym and more of a social space.
“What has grown out of this is incredible,” Tiz says. “We’ve made great friendships and met wonderful people. They aren’t just my clients, they’re my friends. They’re my tribe.” You can find Tiz on Instagram at thetribe_leader or on at The Tribe Gym. Classes are weekdays starting at 5:30 am, 6:30 am, 7:30 am, 9:00 am, 10:00 am, 4:00 pm and 5:30 pm while Saturdays are 7:00 am, 8:00 am, 9:00 am and 10:00 am. To learn more about how The Tribe Gym can change your vibe head to tribegym.ca, call 519-979-4441 or visit at 1855 Manning Road in Tecumseh.
1855 Manning Rd 519-979-4441 info@tribegym.ca / tribegym.ca