COURTESY YOU VS. YOURSELF

You Vs. Yourself owner Curtis Walls takes a different approach to fitness training by stressing personal bests.

Charlotte native Curtis Walls is opening a new sports performance training and fitness gym.

You Vs Yourself, which debuts June 4 at Camp North End, works to inspire members in a different way than most gyms. They teach the notion that there is no such thing as competition—only striving for your personal best.

“It is a space where people don’t just come to lift weights,” Walls said. “They’re coming for a deeper purpose and to engage in an environment that motivates them to become the best version of themselves while also being inspired and empowered by intentional hard work. One of the things that sets us apart is our intentionality. We are more than a gym from the moment you walk in the door.”

The 3,000 square-foot location will offer private, semi-private, and group training for fitness levels ranging from beginner to professional athlete.

Group training includes cardio hip hop, boot camps, and yoga. All classes and training are led by a professional instructor.

In addition to fitness classes, the gym has wellness services, such as clinical massages and bodywork therapy for stress, tension, pain, and recovery. Members can work hard in the gym and relax harder with a Swedish, deep tissue, or sports massage. Integrated Shiatsu, reflexology, or trigger point therapies are also available.

The gym’s focus is on mobility and movement patterns. To stick with this goal, the gym was designed to include a generous amount of open space to allow for programming flexibility.

Walls is committed to building strong community, experiences, and culture. This new gym is just one of his endeavors on his plight to accomplish that personal mission. Walls, who played football at North Carolina A&T State University, trained professional athletes, worked as a sports performance coach, culture development consultant, and even found time to lead a local nonprofit and start a lifestyle, entertainment, and events agency. That full-speed-ahead approach inspired the new location for You Vs Yourself.

“I successfully ran one of the largest nonprofit organizations to serve boys and girls grades 7-12 for over 12 years,” he said. “It helped me get out into the community and make a name for myself so I would be able to politically and socially organize. When I think about the concept I’m opening here, I want to tell people that you have to immerse yourself in the community first.”

Walls opened the first location earlier this year at the new Visual and Performing Arts Center in Uptown. The Camp North End location was part of their expansion plan as well as reach Walls’ targeted clientele.

“From NASCAR drivers to new moms looking to get back in shape, and everyone in between, it’s crucial that people see You Vs Yourself as more than just a place to lift a weight,” he said. “They come to be part of a community that inspires and empowers them to become their best.”

To build momentum toward the grand opening going, the gym offered free public programming April 30- May 7 with the Mad Miles Run Club: Anniversary Run, full body yoga flow, and We Got Goals Bootcamp led by Walls himself.

“This new location creates an opportunity for everybody to tap into. Everybody needs to tap into ensuring that their health is an integral part of their life and one way to do that is to have fun and be in a community that you enjoy, that motivates you and empowers you to become the best version of yourself,” said Walls.