WILTON – The approach to health and wellness is passionate and compassionate at The Studio, a locally owned gym in downtown Wilton. The studio offers programs with three trainers, and a new expansion will open a 24-hour gym for independent workouts.
The studio is owned by Saira Merrill, who opened the gym in a tiny space of just over 400 square feet in 2017. The studio has remained open during the pandemic by moving group classes outside to the parking lot and offering online classes and sessions. More spaces have opened in the past few years, and the latest expansion brings the gym’s total size to 2,000 square feet.
The studio offers a wide range of programs and classes, including competition bodybuilding training, group classes, and one-on-one training, as well as restorative yoga, massage therapy, and a nail studio.
“There’s no compromise,” Saira says. “You can make anything you want, you just have to work for it.”
Cyra’s approach with her clients is to help them identify their goals and the roadmap to achieve them, then hold them accountable for their own success. She finds that barriers are often more mental than physical. Building self-confidence and promoting positive beliefs about themselves translates to visible physical results for her clients.
While this gym is not exclusively for women, it tends to cater to them, and most of the clientele are female. Saira’s studio has motivational posters on the walls and plants line the windows. It offers more comfort and privacy than other gyms, which appeals to many clients. This gym is not for children, and is only for adults over 18.
Cyra’s team is handpicked to meet her clients’ needs. For some clients, Cyra may not be the best choice, in which case she is happy to refer them to other trainers.
“Movement with Mary” is a program aimed at people over the age of 55. The program has been running for a year under the direction of former teacher Mary Carell.
“We focus on what we can do and stick with it,” Mary explains. She helps her clients identify their strengths and weaknesses, find ways to modify their exercises, and improve their health and well-being in sustainable ways. “There’s nothing we can’t do, it just takes a little time.”
Sarah Patterson offers a lifestyle program called Carpe Diem Fitness. This program includes weight training, nutrition, and bodybuilding. Sarah focuses on helping her clients find their strengths. Sarah began working with Cyra several years ago and then began working as a personal trainer and nutrition coach helping others reach their goals.
“It’s a very lonely journey, but we’re all in the same thing,” says Saira. Fitness and health are very personal journeys, and while trainers are there to support and guide you along the way, it’s up to you to do the work. “Nobody wants it more than you.”
The studio’s newest expansion will feature a secure gym that is open 24/7 for members only. Membership is $35 per month. To tour the gym and meet Saira, Sarah and Mary, come to the studio on Saturday, June 1st from 8am-4pm. The first 35 members who register will receive a gift bag filled with items from local women-owned businesses in Franklin County.
The studio is located in the Old Bath Building at 284 Main Street in Wilton. To contact the studio, Facebook.
