AW Spotlight
The Wolves Den, a Special Place for Fitness
By Krista Martinelli
“If you can’t give yourself a few hours a week devoted to your health, you’re on the wrong sheet of music,” says owner of The Wolves Den Fitness Center Tom Fragale. Located inside WinstonTrails community in Lake Worth, The Wolves Den is a very focused fitness center, open to the public and aiming to help people meet their goals.
Tom is a body builder himself, as well as a black belt martial artist. He’s competed on many kickboxing and martial arts teams over the years. His daughter Ashleigh (23) is a bikini NPC competitor and his son Anthony (21) is also an NPC (National Physique Committee) competitor. Along with two other excellent personal trainers – Holly Fitzgibbon and Helen Strauss – they make up a team of well-rounded coaches.
“I’ve trained everyone from young kids to older adults,” says Tom. He has over 30 years of experience in personal training with multiple certifications, including basic, advanced, elderly, golf and a few others. Whatever your specialization, physical issue or goal is, Tom and his staff are able to help you with it. They are able to help people with post-surgery, post-injury, weight loss, strength & conditioning, competition training and sports-specific training.
Tom says that some personal trainers make the mistake of “overdoing it.” And then 90% of the people trying to lose weight or get in shape are turned away by a myth – that it’s too hard to do. “It’s not as hard as you think,” explains Tom. It’s a commitment that involves strength training, cardio fitness and eating properly – not to be confused with dieting.
“Don’t wait until you’re hungry and don’t eat until you’re full,” he says. Just eat smaller meals every three to four hours and eat until you’re 70% full, for example – not stuffed.
Training with a personal trainer is a “life-changing experience.” Tom calls his own training style personable, adapting to each client. “We can train people very gently if needed. For someone who wants to train harder, we can do that too.”
What do people say they like about the Wolves Den?
One client, Judith Madison, who works out at the gym regularly says, “I love it here! It’s so immaculate how everything is here. Tom’s take-over of this fitness center was such a gift to this community. And the greatest gift for me was my personal trainer Holly Fitzgibbon.” Thanks to her personal training sessions, she’s been able to get through a knee replacement very well and gently work through it.
Another thing a lot of people like is that it’s smaller than a lot of other gyms, yet has all of the same accommodations. From basic work outs to body building, you can accomplish your goals here. It’s a 4,500 square foot gym with separate rooms for cardio and weights. There are also steam rooms and saunas included.
They offer half hour and one hour sessions for the personal training. Packages are available for multiple sessions. Another popular option is small group training, for up to four people. You can save by doing your personal training with a small group.
What kinds of classes does the Wolves Den offer?
At the Wolves Den, you can find classes in yoga, circuit training, zumba, spin and karate. There are karate classes for kids and for adults. And more classes are on the way! Another nice thing about the Wolves Den is that you can visit a class, like yoga for example, and pay a one-time fee. No one corners you in a little room and spends twenty minutes trying to get you to join the gym. They just don’t operate that way at the Wolves Den, thank goodness! Many people from neighboring communities visit the Wolves Den for their excellent classes and training.
Why is it called the Wolves Den?
Tom and his family are the proud owner of three wolves! He loves wolves and got their first wolf in 1992. “It’s only fitting that we called the gym The Wolves Den,” he says.
How have people recovered or improved on their strength at the Wolves Den?
Tom and his team have helped rehabilitate stroke victims and cardiac patients. They have also worked with a lot of people after their shoulder surgeries, hip surgeries, sports injuries and just on general wellness. “I enjoy seeing improvements,” says Tom. “Whether it’s an athlete or someone learning how to walk again.” He’s fond of saying that he enjoys it so much – “If I didn’t do it for money, I would still do it for free.”
About Tom and his family
Tom took over the fitness center in September of 2013 and named it The Wolves Den. He did a complete, 100% renovation of the fitness center! Previous to that, Tom was a business owner and was in the military. His two youngest children are NPC competitors and personal trainers at the Wolves Den.
“I always knew that someday I would open a gym. I knew I wanted to make it family-friendly and more personal. And that’s what we have achieved here at the Wolves Den.”
Hours at the Wolves Den
Monday – Thursday: 5am to 9pm
Friday – 5am to 6pm
Saturday – 7am to 5pm
Sunday – 9am – 1pm
The Wolves Den
(Located inside WinstonTrails’ Clubhouse)
Open to the public!
6101 Winston Trails Blvd, Lake Worth, FL33463
Visit their Facebook page!
(561) 439-4645
Tom’s cell – 561-329-3656