If you’re looking for more than what you are getting out of your typical gym, maybe 9Round Kickboxing Fitness is what you have been searching for.
In just 30 minutes, you’ll be pushed to your max with constant personal training.
9Round Kickboxing Fitness owner Cheryl Torres said, “It’s a 30-minute full body kickboxing workout. There’s no class time; you come in anytime we’re open. Trainers are included every single time you work out. You get nutrition, the workout changes every day. It’s basically built to help you gain mentally and physically, strength and endurance.”
Torres is an Odessa native, Permian graduate, United States Army veteran of the Gulf War, registered nurse, entrepreneur, and a mom to three. She’s been married to her husband, Adrian, an Odessa High graduate, for 22 years.
Torres said she’s been into athletics since elementary school. She and her family have always been into working out. On a vacation trip to Myrtle Beach, S.C., they discovered 9Round Fitness and fell in love. When they got back to Odessa she found out the nearest 9Round Kickboxing Fitness gyms were in El Paso and Dallas, so she decided to open one in Odessa.
Torres opened the location at 3600 Billy Hext Road in 2016 and another location in 2017 at 1024 Andrews Highway in Midland. She employs seven trainers between the two locations.
“You get your first workout for free. That way you can see if it’s something that you like or not. And after you do that first workout, you join as a member,” Torres explained. “You get all your gear, you get gloves, you get wraps, you get a key tag, heart rate monitor, bag, all of it comes with it. Unlimited workouts.”
“The concept for the heart rate monitors is to see where you are while you’re working out. We want you to burn fat as you’re doing your 30-minute workout.” Torres stated.
The heart monitor uses colors to show how far an individual is pushing their heart rate.
“You stay within your fat burning zone in the green and yellow, within the 30 minutes. You’re burning fat 24 to 48 hours after your 30-minute workout.” Torres mentioned.
“You have nine different rounds; each round you do for three minutes, trainer led,” Torres said. “One you do agility and endurance. You got strength training, you have hand and eye coordination. You have kicks, punches; trainers pull you off, do mitt work, on bags. You have double-ended bag, you have speed bag and you have a full workout.”
Torres said she’s always been about helping people, both as a nurse and in fitness. She hopes to create an overall healthier community.
“COVID kind of slowed us down a little bit, but we’re actually building back up and we honor anyone. We take ages 8 to 100… but we’ll take younger if they can listen and be taught.” Torres said.
Myka McKenney says she tries to come six times a week and occasionally brings her daughter. “She loved it. She doesn’t have time to come because she’s got soccer practice. But she loves it,” McKenney explained. “Every other gym I’ve gone to, it’s like the trainers leave you to yourself to do your own thing. And here, you get a workout every time … They’re helping you, showing you what to do and doing it right.”
“I love it and it’s different every time,” McKenney said. “I have no idea what I’m doing today.”
9Round Kickboxing Fitness Trainer Amanda Bustillo said, “I had never actually tried the workout until I was getting interviewed. And so, trying it my very first time, I fell in love with it. Knowing that, ‘hey, there is nothing like this. You’re not going get a great workout like you do here at 9Round.’ I knew right away this is for me.”
“My favorite thing about being a trainer is encouraging and motivating people letting them know that they can.” Bustillo said. “They can accomplish their goals, whatever they set their mind to they can do it with the help of the right trainer or encourager or motivator, that they will reach their goals one step at a time.”
9Round Kickboxing Fitness is open Monday, Wednesday, and Friday from 5 a.m. to 2 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30 a.m. to 2 p.m., Monday through Thursday 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Friday 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. and Saturday 8 a.m. to 1 p.m.
“You get out in 30 minutes, you’re going to burn 300 calories and up,” Torres said. “I’ve seen somebody burn 900 calories in 30 minutes.”
