Today we’d like to introduce you to Orion Vilchis.
Hi Orion, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
I have always been into working out since I was a kid. I grew up a big fan of professional wrestling and was enamored with these giant larger than life characters like The Undertaker and “Macho Man” Randy Savage. So I started weight lifting when I was about 12 years old, my older cousins were into bodybuilding and taught me about strength training and building muscle. After High School I started training people in gyms or out of my garage. I mostly focused on bodybuilding and power lifting programs as that was what I was familiar with.
I worked as a trainer and a manager for some big box gyms out in New Jersey but always had a dream of owning my own gym one day. In 2013 I left the fitness industry and started working for my family’s business. I went from being on my feet all day, being in a gym all day, working out multiple times a day to sitting behind a desk for eight hours a day. Not only that, but my commute was over an hour each way. That hour drive home could easily turn into two hours in the summer time with all the Jersey Shore traffic. My diet was terrible, I ate whatever I wanted because I could get away with it. So when I transitioned to this new job my weight ballooned out of control. I still ate the same except now I was sitting for 10 hours a day. My back, neck, shoulders, and hips all hurt from this new lifestyle. When I would get home at night, the last thing I wanted to do was go to the gym, so I did what most of us do. I bought a treadmill and some weights for my house. Those weights collected dust and the treadmill turned into a clothes rack. I had no interest in working out anymore.
My wife Natalia and I got married in 2018. In 2019 we decided join a workout class together so we both can get back in shape. These classes were one size fits all, high energy sweat sessions that just cared about burning as many calories as possible. Now I was out of shape but I still had a solid foundation from my days of training, playing football, and boxing. My wife however did not, so when she tried to keep up with this class she ended up hurting her back. Really bad. My wife basically could not move for a whole year. At this time I found a program called DDP Yoga. Dallas Page, the founder, was a former pro wrestler who also had a back injury and developed this program to help people. I learned it and started helping my wife rehab. We literally started with chair yoga just helping her heal and build a foundation. Through prayer and hard work, she was healed and able to start exercising again.
These experiences had radically changed my perspective on physical training. I went from the push yourself until it hurts mindset to really understanding what people go through when starting their fitness journey and how to take care of them. Being an athlete, it was hard to dial it back and meet someone where they are physically. While in the fitness industry, it was hard for me to understand why someone would be tired after working all day and not want to prioritize fitness. This was the foundation for Red Lion Fitness.
I started Red Lion Fitness in 2022. I had lost my job as a property manager when the company I was with closed that division. So I started praying and asking God what was next for me. That is when He reminded me of my dream of owning a gym. This was my chance to do things new, take all the experiences I went through and create a place that focuses on low impact training and building a strong foundation for people. A private gym where anyone can feel safe and not intimidated, where you’re not trying to compete with other people, and just focusing on getting a little better, a little stronger each session.
At Red Lion Fitness I like to blend bodybuilding, power lifting, yoga, boxing, and rehab exercises to create fun and challenging sessions. I love when clients tell me how they “never even knew there was a muscle there” or “I have never had a trainer who took the time to really understand me and what my body has been through and need.” Fitness isn’t one size fits all, that is why everything we do is specifically for that particular client. If you want to build a stronger core, if you want to be more flexible and mobile, if you want to learn fundamentals of boxing, or if you just want to get in and out of bed without pain, then we are the gym for you.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Not at all! If I started this in New Jersey if would be easier because that is where my contacts are. I started something new here, with no previous clientele and a brand that was unfamiliar in the community. So just getting our name out there and getting some testimonials took time. We also originally started in Spring, TX but never got going. The place we were supposed to start in had some buildout issues. I was running extension cords from another building just so we had lights. It truly has been a journey and I just thank my wife for continuing to support me and this dream. I absolutely could not do this without her.
We’ve been impressed with Red Lion Fitness, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
We are a Christian faith based business. We would not be here today without God, and owe everything to Him.
We don’t do contracts. I have been a member of and worked in many gyms that make canceling your membership almost impossible. I even once had a former gym I attended try to sue me and other members for canceling our memberships early. The crazy part is that the gym closed down and that is why everyone had their memberships canceled. So I try and be as easy as possible for people. Our memberships are month-to-month with absolutely zero added fees. We also don’t add any additional pricing for specialized workouts like boxing. If you want to use your sessions to focus on something in particular, great, it’s your time. You can’t find a more easy going gym. That’s why we value relationships over immediate revenue. I love building these relationships I have with my clients and getting to know them and their families. I want them to stay with us forever because they love being here and love the results they are achieving, not because they are locked in or stuck in a contract. We are so grateful to everyone who has supported us.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
“A man’s heart plans his way,
but the Lord directs his steps.” Proverbs 16:9
We plan as we can and should, but it is God who directs our steps. Every plan we make should be held in humility before God and in surrender to His ultimate will.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.redlionfit.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/redlionfitness_tx/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Red-Lion-Fitness/100086605347240/?paipv=0&eav=AfYEujwFfUK0bsRs-uZhhTb6r9VwCLxnOW4QGjtY9pnCav43LWJHJClwcknO9hbp5ig&_rdr
