There’s a new fitness space in “downtown” Weston and the Owl could not resist dropping by to meet its owner, Nicole Cotnoir. While the soft opening is this week (as in, drop on by and get to know the space), the grand opening of The Training Lab will be next Saturday, September 25 from 9 am to 12 pm. More information on that coming up in everyone’s favorite online almost-news source.

For longer-term residents of Weston, The Training Lab occupies the space formerly known as Barre & Anchor, and before that it was Dragon Books (the latter pre-dates the Owl’s arrival in town). For those of you who have been a reaaallllly long time, it’s right near where the Lamson homestead was and the Minute Men mustered.

Nicole Cotnoir is relatively new to Weston, having visited it as a personal trainer for a Weston resident. But she’s not new to personal training–she has over five years of experience, starting while she was at University of Vermont, where she became a trainer as a side job. For the last three years, she worked at Equinox in Boston but with the Covid changes, she worked first virtually with online classes and then with individual clients at their homes. And as often happens to people who visit our fair town, she fell in love with it.

“I’m from a small town in Connecticut,” [Ed; yay, Nutmeg state!] said Nicole, “and everything just felt right about Weston and this studio.”

Equipment arrived and was installed this week, though one piece of equipment seems to have fallen off a truck somewhere and is being replaced by the provider in the next week or so. That didn’t seem to faze Nicole too much; it’s par for the course these days.

“The grand opening is going to be more of a meet-and-greet, because I know the importance of clients finding the right fit for them and their potential trainer,” said Nicole. “I’m giving tours of the space, and discounts for sign up on that day.” Refreshments may or may not happen, given Covid difficulties.

The studio will offer 1-on-1, small group (maximum 8 people) and group classes. Small group is more focused on strength building and weight training while the group classes will be focused on conditioning and High Intensity Interval Training.

In addition, The Training Lab will offer a Fundamentals course which is 6 weeks, twice a week, and geared towards clients for whom strength training and gyms are totally new. If anyone is not sure what class is right for them, Nicole welcomes phone or email or drop by questioning of what’s best.

Classes are currently for adults (18+) with a possibility down the line of offering youth classes in the 12-17 year old range. Sports performance would also be considered.

While the class times are not yet available, they should be in the next few days. “I’m planning on having classes that will meet the schedules of people who work full-time out of their house, and those who work from home, as well as parents with young children,” explains Nicole. There will also be Saturday classes. The studio may also be rented by other licensed personal trainers during down times.

Packages will be sold in quantities from 8 to 32 for personal training, and in quantities of 10, 20 and 30 classes for the group classes. The packages are valid for one year, so no one should feel the pressure of being locked in.

We at the Owl wish Nicole the best of luck with her new endeavor! Welcome to Weston!

The Training Lab, 391 Boston Post Road, Weston. www.thetraininglabllc.com. You can reach Nicole at nicole.cotnoir@thetraininglabllc.com