Photo courtesy of KōR Komplex
St. Charles is home to one of the most unique gyms in the local area: KōR Komplex Integrated Fitness (546 First Capitol, Suite 5, 636-724-8166, www.korkomplex.com), a functional movement playground for adults and kids alike. Facility owner Brendan O’Neill began KōR with six obstacles that were inspired by the TV show American Ninja Warrior and designed to teach people to move with agility and grace.
O’Neill’s journey started in a corporate setting. Late into his sales career, O’Neill sustained a hip injury that took years to heal. That lengthy process fostered a new level of understanding and appreciation for fitness, and the experience ultimately lead O’Neill to develop KōR.
O’Neill says, “The idea was to create a place where people could learn the basics about fitness and have a good time doing it. Fitness is about movement, and I wanted my gym to be less about pretty dumbbells and cables, more about creating fun ways to get people moving.” ANW became the inspiration for that gym not just because of the training style, but also because it brings the athletes together for personal growth instead of competition.
Since KōR’s opening, the gym has gained a climbing corner, parkour, and freerunning, as well as additional obstacles. ANW fans will find a crowd favorite, the Warped Wall. O’Neill says his programs emphasize seven basics of fitness: balance, coordination, endurance, flexibility, speed, strength, and power. It also offers kids an opportunity to hone all the basics without committing to a sport.
Photo courtesy of KōR Komplex
The American Ninja Warrior–inspired Warp Wall sits on the left.
What is your favorite exercise?
Don’t really have one, but I’d say dead lifts.
Why do you feel fitness and exercise are important for everyone?
Fitness presents you with problems and fears to overcome. Anytime you can overcome an obstacle or something fitness-related, it creates mental toughness. That is good in everyday life.
What is an exercise that everyone should have some relative strength at?
Hands down, the dead lift.
What sets you apart from other gyms?
We offer fitness that is not obtained in a controlled environment. Sports are not controlled outside, so why not acquire fitness the same way? Our facility is all about free movement. Also, no other gym offers a place where you can actively train with your kids.
Who is your favorite superhero?
When I was a kid, it was Superman, but for a hero in life I would have to say my dad—for the values that he instilled in me. He taught me how to be a man, how to take initiative and to be self-sufficient.
The Pulse, SLM’s fitness blog series, seeks to inform readers about the best and brightest in the fitness business. The goal: to help guide you to great workout spots, whether picturesque parks, sweaty gyms, or martial-arts studios.
Writer Brian Byrd runs Train 4 Life Studio, located at 4255 Laclede in the Central West End. A father of three, he enjoys "talking about training, food, and consistency, as well as spreading the word about all the cool venues and people in St. Louis who do what I do.”
