By Hannah Cumler | May 28, 2021 at 3:18 PM EDT - Updated May 28 at 3:18 PM

COLUMBIA, S.C. (WIS) - Fit Columbia, an exercise studio in Five Points, is celebrating ten years of fitness in the Midlands.

Offering personal training, aerial yoga, goat yoga, and more, owner Angela Yong Sellers says she wanted to create a fun approach to fitness that any age, shape, or size could participate in.

The unique options, such as bungee fitness, offer benefits that can’t always be found in traditional cardio exercise.

For instance, Sellers says, those with knee problems, or those who have recently undergone a surgery or procedure, can use bungee fitness as a way to get their heart rate up, without as much impact as running or biking.

Fit Columbia is located at 2121 College Street in Columbia.

May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month + today we’re sharing a conversation we had with AAPI community member and business owner Angela Yong Sellers.

Angela is the owner of Fit Columbia (2121 College St.), a fitness studio that offers personal training, yoga classes (including aerial and baby goat yoga), stretch therapy, and more. She opened Fit Columbia in May of 2011 + is celebrating its 10 year anniversary tomorrow with a drop in from 5-7 p.m.

Angela has been a part of the fitness industry since she left college + is also an avid reader and listener of audiobooks, especially fantasy and biographies.

fitcolumbia

Table of Contents

• What’s your name, title, and 3-5 things you want people to know about you?

• If you’re originally from Cola, why have you stayed here? If you’re not, what brought you here?

• Convince a friend to move to Cola in 15 words or less. Go.

• What’s an improvement you’d like to see in Columbia?

• You can only choose one local restaurant menu to bring with you to a deserted island.

• What do you hope Cola is like in 10 years? 20 years?

• How did your parents or parental figures influence you?

• Tell us about an obstacle you’ve had in life and how you overcame it.

• What life advice or epiphany would you share with others that you’re thankful you learned?

• What 3 people (living or dead) would you invite to an imaginary dinner party?

• Name 3-5 other local leaders/influencers/movers + shakers you’re watching.

• If you were taking someone on a tour around Columbia, where are the 3 places you’re going?

• You’re taking someone on a date in Cola. Where are you going?

• Other than yourself, who would you consider to be the local expert about Columbia?

• How are you going to celebrate Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month, locally?

• How has your upbringing — and your Asian American identity — influenced your work?

• What’s new or coming up for Fit Columbia?

• What is your favorite Fit Columbia class to take? To teach?

• Who should we interview next?
  
  Link to article: https://colatoday.6amcity.com/interview-fit-columbia-sc/

Like many small business owners, Angela Sellers struggled to get through 2020. The Fit Columbia owner found her ninth year in business a brutal one, battling like so many others to overcome COVID-19’s obstacles. Her way through it turned out to be an unexpected one: a bigger space.

“It was grow or die,” Sellers said. “If I didn’t move into a larger location, Fit Columbia would have closed by year's end. My former space had a CDC capacity of 4-6 people and with all the business interruptions during the pandemic, we would have closed.”

Fit Columbia’s new home is not far from the old one, still in Five Points at 2121 College Street. The larger space means more capacity for social distancing and includes multiple entrances and a private treatment room for stretch therapy and other treatments Sellers and her staff offer in addition to personal training and aerial silks, wall yoga, bungee fitness, traditional yoga and occasional surprises like baby goat yoga.

While celebrating the new home and Fit Columbia’s survival, Sellers is well aware of other small businesses who did not make it.

“I have friends who have closed and each decision was gut wrenching,” she said. “Now more than ever, we need community, mindfulness, healing, yoga and movement. 2020 was brutal to all of us. I hope no one else closes.”

Entering her 10th year as a business owner with a bigger start than ever before, Sellers is excited.

“Isn’t it beautiful?” she asked, looking around the new place and the 1,600 sq.-ft. outdoor area where she hopes to eventually add a pergola for outdoor aerial yoga. “Cork floors, high ceilings with exposed beams and the energy is magic.”

Fit Columbia has and will continue to observe safety precautions including and going beyond city and state guidelines for the pandemic. More information on the steps taken to keep staff and customers safe and on the many classes and treatments available can be found at fitcolumbia.com.

Sometimes helping a good cause means doing something difficult. Other times it’s possible to do good and have fun at the same time. Sunday afternoon’s event at Fit Columbia in Five Points was an excellent example of the latter.

Fit Columbia owner Angela Sellers and her team opened the studio for a special aerial yoga class to raise awareness and money for the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault (SCCADVASA).

“It’s a wonderful opportunity for us,” said SCCADVASA Executive Director Sara Barber, who participated in the aerial fun. “It’s a way for people to do something they like, contribute to a business that supports our community, and then learn more about what we do, what the issues are and how they can help.”

SCCADVASA is a statewide coalition of organizations providing services to victims and survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault and offering Primary Prevention programs to students and communities across the state.

“We work around four pillars: advocacy, collaboration, education and prevention,” Barber explained. “We try to coordinate efforts around those four pillars to really change South Carolina’s narrative regarding domestic and sexual violence.”

South Carolina, year after year, ranks among the 10 deadliest states for women. The Violence Policy Center ranked the Palmetto State sixth-worst in 2018, with 48 women killed by men in 12 months.

“I think we’re starting to make progress, but it’s a very, very long road,” Barber said. “I think people can take positive steps and think that we’re done, and we can never let up.”

Fit Columbia donated $221 to SCCADVASA Sunday afternoon, in addition to helping raise awareness. The fundraiser allowed those in attendance to experience yoga with aerial silks, a new experience for some, but one enjoyed by all.

Information for those who would like to support SCCADVASA and for anyone in need of help to escape domestic violence is available  at SCCADVASA.org.

Columbia fitness studio offering yoga with puppies 

Erin Shaw

First, there was goat yoga. Now, there’s puppy yoga. 

Fit Columbia in Five Points will offer a yoga class where dogs are welcome on Saturday.

Owner Angie Yong Sellers said she was inspired by the goat yoga trend.

“It's been really successful and I thought about it and realized I have the perfect space for puppies,” she wrote in an email.

The class is $20 and BYOP - Bring Your Own Puppy. It will include yoga on mats, “so everyone can smell each other and explore,” as well as aerial silks “to see our cute, furry friends playing down below,” Sellers said. 

As of Monday afternoon, the class was nearly sold out. If you miss it, there will be a second class on June 17. Find out more at Fit Columbia.

Read more here: http://www.thestate.com/entertainment/local-events/article149354624.html#storylink=cpy