New studio

Sweating together: Pumping in the steelworks

Philipp Hager has fulfilled his dream of owning his own fitness studio.

(Bild: Wenzel Markus)

Philipp Hager (28) from Linz has fulfilled a lifelong dream with his fitness studio. He focuses on community instead of high-tech equipment. Pumping should be an experience and the old-school studio also has a few other special features to offer.

The smell of engines still hangs lightly in the air, but where cars were once on sale, muscles are now being worked out. Philipp Hager (28) and his partner Patience Pesendorfer (34) have fulfilled a dream. "I've been training very intensively for more than ten years and have always wanted to run my own gym," says the business administration graduate from Linz.

Simple but modern
Now he has taken the plunge and is of course aware of the dangers, as there are already many gyms out there. But the two want to set themselves apart from the other operators. The unique selling point: "The community is important to us. People should train together, chat and spend time together," says Hager. "Unnecessary" bells and whistles have also been dispensed with. The focus is on having fun while training. "You could say that everything is old-school, with very high-quality equipment," says Hager.

Wide range on offer
In addition to classic pumping (training with weights), there is also a functional training area, powerlifting and some cardio machines are also available. The "Stahlhütte" - as the studio is called - has a special surprise in store for the summer: parts of the glass façade can be opened up so that you can also train outdoors. "Just like in Los Angeles," says Philipp Hager with a wink. In terms of price, the "Stahlhütte" is somewhere between the low-cost providers on the market and the high-end studios. A monthly subscription costs 49.90 euros, 39.90 euros for students. A chip gives you access between 5 a.m. and midnight. The studio is located at Industriezeile 55 (opposite the Haribo store).