RACINE — Out of breath, with a beer keg strapped to a belt around his waist, Alexander Ersing explains he’s “a little extreme with everything I do.”
Ersing, 30, won a national strongman competition last June. Last July 4, he and others received some media buzz after recreating the iconic Iwo Jima flag-raising photo — only with Ersing hanging off the pole, playing the role of the flag.
This week, Ersing opened a gym that goes well beyond dumbbells and exercise bikes.
Mt. Sinai, 2045 Lathrop Ave., has equipment replicating what’s seen on “American Ninja Warrior,” the NBC reality show on which contestants compete in a series of obstacle courses.
There are giant tires in the back. A “peg board,” in which a person uses pegs to move across a wall. Boulders weighing 150 pounds. A “salmon ladder,” which involves moving up a ladder with a barbell. And a “floating staircase,” where instead of going down the stairs, people climb up the back of a staircase suspended in air.
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“You go to a (traditional) gym and they have all the machines. There’s only so much you can do with the machines,” Ersing said.
“Well maybe one day you’re like, ‘You know what, I want to try some of these boulders.’ You might watch ‘American Ninja Warrior,’ suddenly have the inspiration to try some of these obstacles. Now, you have the space to grow. Here, there is no limits to where your growth can go.”
Ersing emphasizes, though, that Mt. Sinai is open to anyone of all fitness levels. In addition to the obstacle course activities, it also has traditional weightlifting and exercise equipment for those looking to lose some weight or get in shape.
Mt. Sinai wants people “to be stronger, healthier,” said Pablo Davalos-Alonso, 24, who’s a business partner. “Bring fitness back to what fitness actually means, especially with the youth.”
The gym, which officially opened Thursday, has a grand opening scheduled for Saturday, with live music and more planned. Residents are welcome to come in and see what the gym has to offer, Ersing said.
Longtime dream
The opening of the Mt. Sinai represents the fulfillment of Ersing’s longtime dream, which became more serious as he began accumulating and buying equipment about three year last three years.
Many members of Ersing’s Relentless training team, which compete in various competitions, are also involved. They have already seen a steady stream of interest and sign-ups, Ersing said.
Mt. Sinai is open from 5 a.m. to 9 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sundays. Membership costs are $25 per month. For more information, stop by the store or visit the Relentless team’s Facebook page at facebook.com/RelentlessTeamWI.