Lubbock local, Ben Christian, stopped his dream of baseball to help others pursue their dreams of ideal and healthy weight. His gym, Pro Fitness, has been open for over four years, and Christian said he only expects more for the future.
Growing up in Lubbock, Christian said he loved being involved in sports, especially baseball and football. A native of Lubbock, he spoke about how Texas Tech and West Texas were a big part of his life, and also why he launched his fitness journey here in Lubbock.
“Texas Tech has always hit home with me,” he said.
After attending Frenship High School, he continued playing baseball in college. Christian explained that there were so many health and fitness tips that he did not learn until later in college. Although it was beneficial, he said he kept thinking about how that knowledge could help other people. With a huge passion for fitness, Christian explained he wanted to continue that love and became a personal trainer.
“In deciding to open up a gym, I figured I could work on helping people to get them on the right track on what they want to do in their fitness journey,” Christian said.
When opening Pro Fitness, the gym was around 5,500 sq. feet. Now after four years since the opening, Christian said they have expanded each way to maximize the space available in the warehouse. The gym now sits on 8,000 sq. feet.
“We started small and just went from there,” he said. “I think it’s only a matter of time before we try to do something on a larger scale where we can help more people.”
As being part of the Lubbock and Tech community for so long, Christian described the gym as appealing to college students, based on what they offer. While some students may feel more comfortable at the campus recreation center, Christian said his gym allows them to get a quality work out in without waiting for equipment.
“Being a smaller gym, everybody gets to know each other, so it’s kind of a place to hang out and get a good workout in,” he said.
The holidays are upon us and we wanted to know some healthy tips for our readers. Christian advises for people to keep their health in mind when making their plates. “It’s all about portion control,” he explained.
“I know it’s easy to eat until we hurt, I’m guilty of that myself, but keep your plate small, portions smaller and try not to go back for seconds until 2-3 hours later,” he said.
Pro Fitness Gym is located at 7201 Marsha Sharp Fwy. The gym is open 24 hours a day, and membership costs $24 a month.