PINE LEVEL — Downtown has reached a new “level” with the opening of  Level 9 Fitness, a gym.

Owner Christine McLean said her parents encouraged her to take the business leap. “They kind of made the push for it,” she said. “They were like, ‘Why not go for it? Shoot your shot.’ ”

After thinking it over, the idea made sense to her, McLean said. “I majored in exercise at a college,” she said. “So it was something I was always passionate about.”

Located at 105 W. Pine St., Level 9 Fitness offers both large and small group classes.

“They run anywhere between eight to 10 people,” McLean said of the larger classes. “We just finished up a program, and we focused on Pendlay row, close-grip bench press and hip thrust,” she said, referring to some weight-based exercises.

Large-group classes are at 5:30 a.m., 7 a.m., 8:30 a.m., 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

“Then we offer small groups, which are gonna be tailored more towards a person-specific goal,” McLean said. “Now say they have a sibling or they have a friend that must work out with them. They want to be a little bit smaller group with anywhere between two and maybe five people. We can create a group based on that.”

In those smaller settings, people can work toward specific goals. McLean said. “You might have one person doing more esthetics-based training -— you want to tone up — versus somebody else that might want to do more strength training,” she said. “You can kind of combine the two of them and hit their specific goals.”

Finally, Level 9 offers one-on-one personal training.

“I have a client who, for instance, has young kids,” McLean said. “She works from home. It’s easier for her … to come in and be able to bring the kids. They just sit on the side and play on their iPads.”

The fitness center also offers help with nutrition, McLean said. “A lot of people just need help with tinkering their meals, so we offer that as well,” she said.

Level 9 Fitness provides a more hands-on approach than the big box gyms, McLean said. “They’re gonna sell membership for $15 and then they don’t care if you show up or don’t show up,” she said. “We’re gonna be reaching out to you if you don’t see you. We’re gonna call you and be like, ‘Hey, what’s going on?’ ”

Level 9 makes it easier to get and stay fit, McLean added. “You can just come in and work out — you don’t have to think,” she explained. “In a session here, you don’t have to worry about whether you did all your squats today, versus going to a big box gym, where you have to make your own workout plan. You have to show up for yourself, versus here, we’re going to make sure you show up.”

The reaction has been positive, McLean said. “A lot of people have been excited about it and having something new here where you don’t have to drive 20 minutes or 30 minutes away to go to a gym,” she said. “It’s been really positive so far.”

For more information, visit level9fit.com , call  919-351-4028 or email level9fit@gmail.com .

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