Skip to main content
Home/About
A community of fitness exploration

Beach.
Fitness.
Culture.

FitnessBeach is a community of fitness exploration — building experiences for people who love movement, travel, and the cultural moments that bring the two together. Designed for you. Lifelong appreciation. Community of support.

The Brand Promise
Fitness is my beach.
— What we mean by it, on the right →
01 Designed for you.
Exercises and experiences geared toward you.
02 Unique and fun.
We don't do it if it's not fun, or we can't make it fun.
03 Social culture.
Learning from each other is inspiring and motivating.
What moves us

Our passion for the beach, fitness
and culture.

Two things on our minds for you
01 Boutique and unique luxury accommodations
02 Fun, socially connected fitness experiences

The beach represents a lot to us: happy times, calm moments, vivid beauty, blissful engagement, active and free, open and pure satisfaction. For us, fitness is our beach. It brings us comfort, connection, strength and joy.

Fitness is not just for the gym or studio. It's in our daily activities, our weekend hikes and bikes, walking with family and friends, and our travels. Travel brings transformative moments of awe, inspiration and rest. When combined with a group of souls that understand what the benefits of exercise can do to improve your day, it becomes blissful.

"Join us on a journey of lifelong connected fitness exploration and appreciation — in our lives, in our weekly classes, and in our travels."

The benefits of being active are essential at all ages, and become more apparent as we age. We understand that clear relevance and embrace it. We create, plan, and provide related fitness activities that bring the full benefits of an active lifestyle — from the studio in your neighbourhood, to the deck of a villa above the Platinum Coast.

Three pillars

How we design
every experience.

The three pillars below run underneath every class, hike, session, and trip we plan. If something doesn't carry all three, we don't do it.

01

Designed for you

Positive motivators

Exercises and experiences geared toward you are important to our actions. Every plan starts with the person, not the programme. If it doesn't move you forward, we change it.

02

Unique and fun

Lifelong appreciation

We don't do it if it's not fun, or we can't make it fun. Life is unique to everyone, but the fun is about everyone. The goal is a relationship with movement that lasts.

03

Social culture

Community of support

Learning from each other is inspiring and motivating. The strongest workouts happen with people you like, on routes you'd take with friends, with food you'd want to eat after.

What we do

Four programs.
One philosophy.

FitnessBeach runs four programs across Toronto, Ottawa, Montréal and Barbados. Show up to one or to all of them — they're designed to stand alone, and to compound together when you do.

Year-long

The Year

An immersive eight-month wellness journey, September through April. Monthly fitness, wellness and community events that close with the April retreat in Barbados.

Sept 2026 → Apr 2027 · cohort programme
Annual check-in

ActivePace

A culturally aware wellness check-in at partner gyms — fitness assessment, nutrition consult, and a connection to mental-health support if needed. Free with partner-gym membership.

September launch · 10 partner gyms
Monthly

Active Hikes & Mind+Body

Drop-in fitness classes and Saturday hikes across Toronto, Ottawa and Montréal. Free Active Hikes; Mind+Body sessions at studio rates. Open to anyone.

Year-round · monthly cadence
Retreat

Blissful Barbados

Seven nights at La Maison Michelle on the Platinum Coast. Boutique luxury, fitness, food and rest. The closing event of The Year, and open to walk-in bookings.

April 17–24, 2027 · 8 guests
Why Barbados

We know the island.
And we love it.

The people, the atmosphere, the views, the food. Barbados is rich not only in history but in its lifestyle. The Platinum Coast on the west of the island assures the best in its sunsets, turquoise waters, restaurants, shopping, golf and overall vibe.

Our retreat home, La Maison Michelle, sits above the Platinum Coast — a boutique villa expertly designed to capture your senses. Because of our connection, knowledge of the island, and on-the-ground partnerships, we can provide the best cultural and luxury experience the island has to offer.

La Maison Michelle · St James
The Platinum CoastWhere the sun sets late and the breeze stays warm.
Our team · Our strongest asset is each other

Explorers, advisors, planners
and connectors.

Travel, fitness and culture brought us together. We're here to help you find your beach.

Marq Nelson

Founder · Culturis

Founder of FitnessBeach and the wider Culturis brand. A lifelong explorer of travel, fitness and wellness. Brings opportunities for representation into the luxury travel and wellness space.

Donovan Prendergast

Fitness Expert · Host

Certified Personal Trainer, motivational speaker, Co-Founder of Fitness Nation. Decades of experience in corporate fitness and personal training. Believes in expectancy — the belief that effort leads to performance.

Sheila Aue

Travel Expert · Retreats

From Caribbean to Europe, South Pacific to Africa — Sheila can take you there. Whether it's a cruise, an adventure, or just lazing on a white sandy beach watching the world go by. The person behind every retreat booking.

Erica Gittens

Yoga & Meditation

Toronto-based mindfulness artist and founder of AURA BODY+HOME. Through movement and stillness, Erica creates imaginative, mindful experiences infused with breathwork and music. Leads Mind + Body sessions and morning yoga at retreats.

Part of Culturis

FitnessBeach is part of a connected brand family.

The travel, fitness and community side of Culturis — a brand management group focused on transformative lifestyle experiences in fitness, wellness, travel and food.

Wellness directory
InnaPace
Practitioner directory for therapists, dietitians, trainers and RMTs across Canada.
Cultural education
FlavourLore
Culinary education app teaching cuisines through story and history.
Business directory
Mentioned
Relationship-aware directory for Canadian small businesses.
Professional network
COIN
Cultural Opportunities Interest Network — for professional connection.
Come along · Find your beach

Reward yourself.
Find your beach.

Drop into a class. Sign up for an Active Hike. Reserve a seat on the April retreat. Or just join the newsletter and see what fits.