Gracelyn LaFleur, Owner:

I started in the fitness industry as a personal trainer in 2007. I am extremely passionate about everything health and fitness! I now am broker-owner of a real estate brokerage and bought Mission Fitness in 2021.

I love being a part of improving the health and fitness of our community.

I am very fortunate to have a crew of some amazing instructors who offer a wide variety of classes such as: Bootcamp, strength, HIIT, low impact strength, spin, senior classes, stretch & balance. Our classes are great for ALL levels of fitness and we offer modifications for any of those that need it.

We also offer personal training if you’re looking for one on one training to meet your fitness goals

Nancy Hemphill:

Hey there. My name is Nancy. I have been a certified NASM personal trainer for 14 years. While I enjoy personal training, truthfully, my heart is with group classes. I love the energy and camaraderie that a group class exudes, and I love that I can impact many people at one time. Along with fitness, another passion of mine is dog rescue and I am the president of Life Savers Animal Rescue. I work part time at Polson Animal Clinic as well as at Mission Fitness. The best thing that has happened in my life recently is the birth of my very first grandson! I love and adore my three kids, but that grandson – he is perfection!!!

I teach three different classes at Mission Fitness. The first is a Strength class. I like to mix this class up with hand weights and equipment like the BOSU, bands and steps. The format varies each day from single muscle group exercises to tabata type workouts to stations. I like to add cardio and my favorite types of exercises are compound movements that work multiple muscle groups and raise the heart rate. Another favorite are squats of all varieties, which my classes will confirm.

Core, Balance and Stretch class is my favorite class to teach. I think everyone should take a class like this. As we age, these three things, core, flexibility and balance all take a hit and decline if we don’t work on them. This class focuses on all three areas starting with warm up, then a variety of balance and core exercises (think yoga and Pilates), finishing with deep relaxing stretches incorporating the floor, wall, BOSU, exercise ball, bands or a stick.

The last class that I teach that will be taking a vacation for the summer is Kick and Pump. This class is for everyone, not that the others aren’t, but this class is fast moving for those with short attention spans. It starts with cardio kickboxing, which has both high and low impact options but really raises the heart rate. We then do either an upper or lower body strength training session and finish with a nice long stretch.

Deanna McElwee:

After years of training for triathlons and trail races, I decided to earn my Personal Training certification three years ago through NASM.

This will be my fifth year as the co-leader for the student-athlete summer workouts at PHS.

I’m completing my third year of leading “Buff Babes”, an adult education class through the Polson School District. The group has steadily grown in numbers with a whopping 29 female attendees this year!

At Mission Fitness, I enjoy subbing Straight Out Strength, Max Out, and Bootcamp. Early mornings work best for me since I am a full-time school teacher, mother, and wife.