416 Fitness Club
Right in the heart of Toronto’s waterfront is 416 Fitness Club, a CrossFit centre dedicated to its members and their goals.
With custom workout plans, nutrition coaching, and group training, 416 Fitness Club is known for helping members meet their fitness and health goals.
The Waterfront BIA had the chance to sit down with Dan Visentin, the owner of 416 Fitness Club, who also celebrated its 12th anniversary in 2023!
Location: 390 Queens Quay W Unit 112
416 Fitness Club celebrated its 12th anniversary at the waterfront (congrats!). Can you tell us about your journey with 416 Fitness Club, and how it started?
I opened the doors back in 2011, and at that time, I was a part-time trainer and had a full-time corporate job. I didn’t like my job and I knew I wanted to help more people, specifically through cross-fit.
I started CrossFit when I was training for rugby, and it brought me into personal training, which ultimately led me to open CrossFit 416 in 2011 in a 1200 sq foot location that was also located at the waterfront.
We have moved twice in the past 12 years, both in different spots around the waterfront. We have seen a lot of change in the waterfront neighbourhood, which has been exciting to watch.
Why the waterfront originally?
The waterfront had a lot of opportunities with an established community that was rapidly growing. There were no other CrossFit gyms at the waterfront, and there still isn’t a whole lot in the city either.
It just made sense.
416 Fitness Club specializes in CrossFit – can you tell us how that’s different from the average gym?
The CrossFit experience is going to be comprised of three different components of fitness. It’s not just lifting weights, it’s not just cardio, it’s not just bodyweight movement, it’s all three of these things combined.
But the fun part that keeps people coming back is because of variance. In your traditional training program, you go to the gym on Mondays, do your back and biceps workouts, and then next Monday you’re going to do the same thing.
It gets repetitive and boring.
But with CrossFit, it differs and varies every week.
If you could give one piece of advice to someone whose just starting their fitness journey, what would it be?
Seek consistency over anything else. A lot of the people who are ready to make a fitness or health change go in with two feet.
They’re trying to do it all at once: change their diet, fitness, water intake, sleeping, all of it. And when most people try that ‘all-in-one’ approach, they fail because it’s too much.
It’s more important to start small and build a habit.
With winter coming and New Year right around the corner – do you have any wisdom on goal setting?
Start now – don’t wait.
How is 416 Fitness Club different from all the gyms and trainers in the city?
We focus on coaching. We’re not an access gym, you don’t just come in here and work out. You are guided and coached through each workout.
Coaching is everything, and I’m a big believer that coaching will get you what you want.
The coaching service ensures that you are comfortable, confident, and competent and that you’re moving safely through all the movements. Coaching is the most important thing in a fitness and health journey.
With coaching comes accountability and motivation, and our coaches and staff can provide that.
Can you tell us what your go-to restaurant is at the waterfront?
For sure Boxcar Social. I highly recommend it.
A thank you to the 416 Fitness for their time!
