Glad you asked.
Our goal is to provide a great fitness experience for members of all ages in a clean and safe environment.
We’re dedicated to the integration of medicine and fitness to improve community health by focusing on prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation of lifestyle-related disease.
our history
acac’s Roots
Always interested in sports and fitness, acac owner Phil Wendel first joined a fitness club when health spas became popular in the early 1970s. By his count, Phil has had lifetime memberships to more than 20 fitness clubs. Like many others, he joined club after club.
“It seemed like the clubs would get a new owner every month, and eventually the doors would shut,” says Phil. “I observed the comings and goings of all these clubs and thought to myself, ‘There must be a better way.’”
In the midst of the 1980s fitness craze, Phil opened the first acac in a small shopping center in Charlottesville, Virginia. “My goal then was simply to open a club that would not close,” quips Phil. After his first decade in the fitness business, the concept of working out had become more than a fad. By the mid-1990s, studies reporting the benefits of exercise were published daily in respectable health and medical journals. Phil, a voracious reader, kept abreast of the latest research. Convinced that gyms should not just be for the young and fit, Phil set out to operate a health club where everyone would feel comfortable coming to exercise.
. . .
acac today
a new fitness standard
Today, there are 12 acac clubs with thousands of members in three states. They’re a new type of fitness center, focusing on the health and wellness needs of groups typically overlooked by traditional clubs, including older adults and physically inactive adults and children. Our partnerships with area hospitals, physicians, and other healthcare professionals allow for an increasing number of members to utilize acac’s medical services and programs.
But that doesn’t mean our clubs lack in diverse offerings for other active populations. acac locations boast high-quality equipment, a comprehensive schedule of group exercise classes, and a full spectrum of programs and services for all ages and fitness levels. Flagship sites include on-site physical therapy clinics, expansive indoor and outdoor aquatics facilities, and spas offering both therapeutic and aesthetic treatments. We’re confident that our amenities provide everything you need to get moving.
acac Locations:
Virginia – Charlottesville | Short Pump | Midlothian
Pennsylvania – West Chester | Eagleview
centered in community
At its core, acac is about community, both inside and outside our club walls. We are proud to give back to our club communities through donations, sponsorships, and contributions to local events and non-profit organizations.
Our 30 days for $30 campaigns have donated over $1 million to various non-profit organizations including the Alzheimer’s Association, Special Olympics, local animal shelters, Boys & Girls Club, local fire & rescue squads, local food banks, UVA Cancer Center, One Love Foundation, Habitat for Humanity, and more.
acac will always remain committed to the people and various organizations that help make each community a place where we’re all so proud to live.