Fun. Intentional. Together. Those are the three driving factors of Kai O’Neil’s new business, Ekklesia F.I.T.

Ekklesia is an old term meaning “a gathering of those summoned,” a phrase O’Neil learned about while attending church.

“I’ve been in fitness professionally for the past 18 years,” O’Neil said. “But I felt a deeper calling for something that involves the spirituality of being fit…It’s more about treating your body as a temple and stewarding it well, so we can do the good works we’re supposed to do out in the world.”

Once the pandemic hit and O’Neil was no longer teaching at a gym, she said she entered a transitional period where she felt it was finally time to go after her dream.

“My 3D approach to fitness is to keep it fun, keep it intentional and, the part that keeps it all together, the community that builds behind it,” O’Neil continued. “We don’t preach or share scripture in class, but the message of Ekklesia F.I.T. is that we get to have these bodies, they’re a gift, and if you want to go out and have fun in the world, we need to condition our bodies first.”

O’Neil said she and her students take the classes seriously, but not themselves. In other words, they put in the work, but they like to have fun while doing it.

Ekklesia’s workouts are varied, featuring everything from Zumba and muscle conditioning to more unique offerings such as Drums Alive and Pound.

“We’re looking for the more fun workouts, the ones that create laughter,” O’Neil said. “These are the kinds of workouts where you end up doing lunges and squats without even knowing it.”

O’Neil also offers small group training, with workouts modeled around fun outdoor activities including hiking, skipping rope and the like.

Giving back to the community is another part of Ekklesia’s structure O’Neil and her students take seriously. They recently took part in a fundraiser for Project iRISE, which is dedicated to helping those impacted by human trafficking.

“Staying fit so we can serve others and have fun,” O’Neil said. “That’s what Ekklesia F.I.T. is all about.”

Ekklesia first got rolling this past June and currently operates out of KDA Dance at 11010 N. Saguaro Blvd. O’Neil’s goal is to eventually open her own studio but, for now, she said she’s happy to take it one step at a time.

“I know that God will make it possible when it’s the right time,” O’Neil continued. “Until then, we’re going to just keep doing what we do.

“…We’re growing. Word of mouth has been great, but we want to introduce this whole new concept of staying fit to anyone who wants to experience it. We want you to live life in an elevated way, not coming to class because you have to, but because you want to. We want you to feel good inside and out.”

Those looking to learn more about Ekklesia F.I.T., including workouts, community involvements and memberships, should visit ekklesiafit.com. For questions, email info@ekklesiafit.com.

“The best part of what I do is watching the light change in someone’s eyes as they connect the fun part with the exercise,” O’Neil said. “I had a woman recently tell me, ‘I came here to lose weight, but what I got was so much more.’”

O’Neil said those types of stories are the best part of her job and why she wanted to open Ekklesia F.I.T. in the first place.