While women make a large part of Lowes current clientele, she said the gym is open to all people who are looking to build strength and achieve better health.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re finding, especially as we age, the importance of muscle to having high quality of life,\u201d Lowe said. \u201cGreat bone density, and muscle mass is key to managing your metabolism, keeping body fat down and there aren\u2019t many places that train in a way that\u2019s designed to help you build muscle.\u201d<\/p>\n
Unlike gyms that focus on high-intensity circuits, CrossFit-style training or yoga and pilates, Lowe said Sweat Equity specializes in small-group strength training sessions capped at eight people. Members commit to training a minimum of two to three days a week, choosing from Hype, a high-energy hypertrophy program designed to maximize muscle growth, and\u00a0Hype Classic, a slower-paced option with joint-friendly modifications.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhat we do here, versus the other gyms, is the equipment we have is all designed for weightlifting and muscle building,\u201d Lowe said. \u201cWe aren\u2019t a HIIT (high-intensity interval training) facility, we\u2019re not CrossFit and we\u2019re not doing large group classes.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/sweatequity-sbt-1110125-5-1024x683.jpg\")
Ashley Lowe, owner of Sweat Equity, works with client coaches Lacy Morrill at the recently opened downtown Steamboat Springs gym.Whitney Shaw\/ Courtesy photo<\/p>\n
Lowe\u2019s classes accommodate up to eight people, and the training emphasizes hypertrophy using compound movements and accessory exercises. The gym offers a supportive, non-intimidating environment.<\/p>\n
\u201cI used to hate gyms and group classes that were intimidating, impersonal and just not for me, said Whitney Shaw, a client. \u201cSweat Equity completely changed that. The classes are personalized, the community is welcoming and\u00a0Ashley\u00a0is truly amazing, supportive, encouraging and always knowing exactly what you need.\u201d<\/p>\n
Lowe is a former public relations professional who pivoted her career to coaching three years ago after completing advanced training with Elevated Coaching Systems. She earned her coach certification with \u201cNo BS Weight Loss\u201d and started training clients online and at her private barn studio in Routt County.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SweatEquity-sbt-110125-6-1024x683.jpg\")
Owner and coach Ashley Lowe high-fives members after a small group training session at Sweat Equity after a recent class.Whitney Shaw\/ Courtesy photo<\/p>\n
Sweat Equity uses a combination of free weights and machines for it\u2019s classes. Lowe\u00a0recently hired her first coach, Abby Hill, who is teaching the 6-7 a.m. classes and is also looking for a coach that is willing to teach classes after 4 p.m.<\/p>\n
She said her staff has the ability to customize exercises for all ages and ability levels and that she has plans to add more programs in the future.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019m going to pilot a program for teen girls in December focused on learning to lift weights,\u201d Lowe said. \u201cWe will do it two days a week for girls ages 12 to 16. It\u2019s called Hype Girl, and it\u2019s all about building confidence and strength with no focus on esthetics \u2014\u00a0It\u2019s just about coming in and learning to become strong and powerful through lifting weights.\u201d<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SweatEquity-sbt-110125-7-888x1024.jpg\")
Sweat Equity members Nicole Ouellette and Brynn Swanson high-five during a small group training session recently.Whitney Shaw\/ Courtesy photo<\/p>\n
She said the gym\u2019s current programming is focused on helping members \u201cget their ski legs back\u201d and offers small group training. Sweat Equity also offers a \u201cFirst Week Free\u201d\u00a0promotion, which includes two complimentary training sessions in the first week for those looking to join.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis is the gym I always dreamed about \u2014 the best equipment, killer high-energy playlists, weightlifting programs designed for real results and no extra fluff and the camaraderie of people who want to train as hard as I do,\u201d Lowe wrote.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/SweatEquity-sbt-110125-3-2-1024x679.jpg\")
Ashley Lowe takes a seat inside Sweat Equity, which offers small group, weight training sessions in Steamboat Springs.John F. Russell\/Steamboat Pilot & Today<\/p>\n