.bodytext {float: left; } .floatimg-left-hort { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right: 10px; width:300px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 10px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} Performance Fitness and Health Club, which combines education, health screenings and physical activity to expedite wellness, opened its facility in Waukee on Sept. 3.

“We are here to promote health and wellness,” said Kelly-Jo Balignasay, a registered nurse, an American Council on Exercise certified clinical exercise specialist and co-owner of Performance Fitness along with her husband, Manni.

More than exercise equipment and cardio classes are offered at Performance Fitness. It provides FitRX (a medically supervised fitness program for people with special health needs), Total Body Wellness (a 12-week program designed to transform participants to live a healthier lifestyle) and a Worksite Wellness Program.

“Wellness includes everything from seminars and education on lifestyle changes and medical topics,” Balignasay said, including health screenings and self-defense classes open for members and the public.

In January, Performance Fitness will offer Zumba (a Latin-inspired, high-energy dance) and Urban Rebounding (a low-impact technique involving trampolines).

“We want to keep everything cutting edge and keep up with the new trends, bringing them here from the east and west coasts as soon as possible,” Balignasay said.

The owners called Performance Fitness a club because they want customers to feel like they belong. The Balignasays’ objective for the 7,000-square-foot facility is to be a comfortable and friendly place for all patrons, from those using a gym for the first time to the most experienced exercisers. Amenities include extended hours, child care, always being staffed and group classes.

With a bachelor’s degree in exercise science and experience working as a nurse, Balignasay said building a healthier community was important to her in beginning the business. Balignasay said she had always wanted to combine her degree and nursing. Her husband has an M.B.A. and wanted to work for himself.

Growth in Waukee and the opportunity to promote wellness in the community, where the Balignasays felt there was a need, helped to determine the location for their first business venture.

“People had to go east to find a gym with all the amenities; we wanted to bring something closer to home,” she said.

Long-term goals include expanding the site to include amenities such as a spinning room. Performance Fitness may open additional locations in the future if this one proves successful, Balignasay said.