Walk into the Clyde Recreation Center in Springville, and you might hear upbeat music, the clink of dumbbells, and the encouraging voice of Alec Noll leading a class through their latest workout challenge. But this isn’t just another exercise program. For Noll, teaching FIT class isn’t about sculpted abs or flashy routines; it’s about helping people discover their own strength, one functional movement at a time.
“The most important thing for me is making the workout as malleable as possible,” Noll said. “Whether someone’s been working out and exercising intensely for 10 years, or they haven’t done it a single time in their life, they can go through the same workout and get the same things out of it.”
That philosophy is at the heart of CRC Fit, the Recreation Center’s versatile program designed to build mobility, strength, and endurance through functional exercises. Noll structures his classes with a familiar warmup, followed by a circuit-style workout that changes each class. Some days focus on upper-body strength, others on lower-body or full-body conditioning. But one thing never changes: participants are encouraged to meet themselves where they are. If someone picks up five-pound dumbbells while another hoists twenty-fives, both are still doing the workout right.
And that flexibility is what draws such a diverse mix of participants. Alec has seen everyone, from young kids eager to burn energy to older adults rebuilding mobility after surgery.
“I’ve worked with people who want to simply be able to walk around all day without feeling fatigued,” he says. “My class is generally a very social area for a lot of people, to a point where I’ll often have people staying after for a good 10 to 20 minutes just chit-chatting with each other and hanging out.”
That sense of community might be what sets FIT apart from other options. FIT offers a blend of strength and endurance that’s approachable for beginners yet challenging for long-time athletes. More importantly, Noll emphasizes finding joy in the process.
“What I found often is someone who goes to the gym and they find a format that their friend or their neighbor or their family member told them that they loved. If they don’t love it too, they find it even harder to make it back to the gym because they’re like, ‘Hey, that was supposed to be something that I loved, but I just didn’t,” he says. “I try to tell anybody who comes to my class for the first time, ‘Hey, if you didn’t like me, that’s okay. There are other instructors for CRC Fit. If you didn’t like the format, that’s OK.’ It’s really all about finding something that you love inside the gym that makes you a little bit uncomfortable and helps you grow.”
Noll learned that lesson early. Growing up, he tagged along with his older brothers to the gym, copying their workouts and timers. In high school, he started branching out, experimenting with different formats, and discovering just how many ways there are to move the body. When his brother began working at the rec center and the staff needed another instructor, Noll jumped at the chance.
“They liked the way I worked out and the way I interacted with people,” he recalled. “Since then, every single day is more about learning. Every single workout that I give, I try to think of a new format, a new timer, a new way to make things feel fresh and fun. All my experiences that I’ve had have helped me learn so much that I can help give to other people.”
That humility and curiosity have carried him through nearly three years of teaching FIT. Along the way, he’s celebrated countless small victories with his clients. There’s the participant who struggled with body image but now proudly shares her progress each week. There are the older adults regaining the ability to move with ease. And then there are the moments when a first-timer, nervous and unsure, finishes the workout smiling.
“Nothing brings a bigger smile to my face than seeing the small milestones that they hit,” he says.
For him, fitness is as much about mental resilience as physical gains. He often talks about the idea of finding “discomfort in comfort”—stepping into a space that feels safe and encouraging but still choosing to push yourself. It’s a balance he tries to strike in every class.
And for anyone still on the fence about trying it? Noll’s advice is simple: just show up.
“It’s not as scary as it seems,” he said. “And I promise that if they try it and they hate it, they can always find something else. And if they tried it and they love it, they’ll be glad that they tried.”
In the end, CRC Fit isn’t about chasing perfection; it’s about progress, connection, and even a little fun along the way. Under Noll’s guidance, the class has become more than just a workout; it’s a reminder that strength comes in many forms, and sometimes the heaviest thing you’ll lift is the courage to begin.
