Aroostook County Fitness opens its doors for health and wellness on Main Street

PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — Aroostook County Fitness has come to 499 Main St., with owner and human movement specialist Steve Plummer hoping to bring health and well-being to area residents.

Aroostook Fitness offers training for tactical athletes such as law enforcement, firefighters and emergency services workers, in addition to greater functional fitness training for middle-aged people, and helps prepare others for military basic training.

Plummer hopes to attract anyone wanting to better themselves through health and wellness through cardio, fitness rooms upstairs and a weight training room in the basement. He bases his business on his belief in a balanced wellness program, with a minimum of 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity each week and good nutrition.

“Presque Isle right now needs more facilities that have activities that are healthy for people. We all recognize the need for this and I think it’s a very beneficial addition to the Presque Isle community,” Plummer said.

Plummer rented the space for Aroostook Fitness around the end of July and beginning of August 2022, operating in the building that used to be Glass with Class. Renovations began shortly afterward with an opening date of Sept. 28 set, with a temporary schedule of operating hours from 4 a.m. to 10 p.m.

“We’ve got some issues we’re dealing with in the city, and I think that as members of the community, it is our responsibility to help where we can,” Plummer said.

Plummer is a health and human performance doctoral candidate for Concordia University in Chicago, having 30 years of gym experience and earned his professional body builder card in 2018. He recently opened a business called KPX3 Labs, which stands for knowledge is power with the three representing exercise, nutrition and recovery.

One study Plummer is working on through his doctoral candidacy is mental health benefiting from a mix of prescribed medication and exercise, with the second study on how exercise can help with substance abuse disorder.

Plummer talked with Galen Weibley, the director of Economic & Community Development, about his plans to launch his knowledge is power research facility meant to help people better understand the benefits of exercise for treating depression, anxiety and substance use disorder.

“In such a small community as Presque Isle, we look at ways we can collaborate and certainly the services that [Plummer] is offering might also strengthen the services that are available at UMPI and NMCC, which is our local health and wellness center locations, to help encourage fitness and well-being in the community,” Weibley said.

Plummer said personal trainers in the area are having a problem finding a place to train, with no open gym for them to work out. Personal trainers can come to Aroostook Fitness with their clients, who have memberships to train there.

Monthly and annual memberships are available.

Plummer also offers nutritional advice and tips to help people with healthier eating that can result in weight loss. There also will be holiday-related packages available.