Get A Grip is the Best, 'Hands Down'

Patch asked, you answered. Where's the best place to work up a sweat in the Land O' Lakes area?

"Get A Grip Total Fitness, hands down! After two years with Carrie, I'm in the best shape I've been in my life!" reader commented.

With 85 percent of the vote and a majority of the comments, , 1914 Oak Grove Blvd in Lutz,

And it's not because the gym offers anything trendy or unusual. What you get there, owner Carrie Kukuda said, is accountabilty.

In part, that comes from the bonds that are formed during classes, Kukuda said.

"People check in on each other," Kukuda said. "It's really hard not to show up."

And fellow classmates aren't the only ones who will call you out for missing out. So will Kukuda.

You will get an email from her, she said. Or she will write on your Facebook wall.

"People like that I take the time to make sure they show up," Kukuda said.

Get a Grip is not just a place to work out, Kukuda said. "We do a lot more than fitness."

Kukudo hosts socials as well as monthly events that benefit Bay area charities. A raised more than $300 for , Kukuda said.

Clients often team up to do events together, such as the upcoming Rock and Roll Marathon in St. Petersburg, Kukuda said.

"It's really cool to step back and watch" the bonds form, she said. "A lot of friendships have come out of  here."

In fact, some jokingly call it a cult—including her husband, Kukuda laughed.

But she doesn't.

"I call it the Get A Grip family."

It Comes from Experience

Kukuda, a nationally certified personal trainer and life coach, moved to Land O' Lakes about three and a half years ago from New York to be closer to her family.

She began her career in the fitness industry in 1993, but when they moved to the Bay area, she took a job in business development at The Tampa Tribune until her husband found steady employment, she said.

As soon as he did, she returned to her fitness career, starting boot camp classes at locations in Brandon, South Tampa and several in the Lutz/ Land O' Lakes area.

She found that she was spending a lot of time driving, she said, so Kukuda opened the Get a Grip studio in December 2010 and merged the multiple Land O' Lakes camps.

"It gave me more flexibility."

Kukuda still leads boot camp classes in Brandon and South Tampa, and clients who miss a session often will make the drive to another location—from Lutz to Brandon, or South Tampa to Lutz. Her clients are committed, she said.

There's a joke among the Get a Grip family. They call it drinking the "Kukuda coffee," she laughed.

"Not only are the workouts challenging each and every time, there is a sense of community. Everyone encourages and supports each other. Carrie Kukuda designs her workouts to burn maximum calories and my muscles are screaming after each session. She also has an awesome nutrition plan and coaching program," reader Kelly Simms commented on

Kukuda offers a variety of classes, personal training and life coaching services. Her approach has been fine-tuned with experience, she said.

One option, the 21-Day Plan, began in 1994 and has been tweaked over the years, Kukuda said. "It has been used by thousands of people now," she said.

She will challenge you, .

And the "C" word is a no-no around Kukuda. If you say "can't," you have to put a quarter in the piggy bank, she said.

Speaking of can't, Kukuda's Spartan 1000 Challenge might make you say the "C" word when you hear the requirements, but it can be done—and she has the photos to prove it.

To get your picture on the Spartan Challenge wall, you must complete 100 jump squats, 200 push-ups, 300 full sit-ups and 400 burpees, she said. And the wall is filling up.

Joining the Family

"It's basically it's a monthly membership," Kukuda said. Packages depend on an individual's goals, and "there's always a goal-setting session."

Everyone has to have a goal—and a "why," Kukuda said. And that "why" has to be specific.

"We map out a plan," Kukuda said. "We don't try to do it all at once. We pick what we want to focus on."

In addition to exercise and nutrition guidance, Kukuda helps clients identify what they need to work on in their lives, whether it's drinking more water, getting more sleep or addressing stressors.

Then it becomes a signed committment with a deadline, she said. Clients pick out an item of clothing to try on every week to see how their body is changing. They also are given goal reminder sticky notes.

The notes go on their bathroom mirrors—where they will see them at least twice a day when they brush their teeth. The notes are moved to their bedroom mirrors once the goal is reached, Kukuda said.

Kukuda "loves what she does and puts her whole heart into each individual," reader Catherine Fleming commented.

And don't forget, if you don't show up, you're not a faceless, sweaty person in a sea of treadmills at Get A Grip. Kukuda is going to notice—and you're going to hear from her.

"I don't feel comfortable taking their money if they're not here," Kukuda said.

"I want everyone to achieve their goals."

For more information about Get A Grip Total Fitness, call 813-600-5208, email carrie@thesomedaycoach.com or visit the website.

The next clinic will be held Jan. 28. Contact Kukuda for details.