David Sontag, March Spotlight

David Sontag joined Graviton three years ago with one goal: to keep up on the soccer field. What he didn’t expect? To fall in love with lifting, planking with extra weight, and even attempting handstands.

David's introduction to Graviton was inspired by his nephew's private lessons. He and his wife, Sarah, began with private sessions to regain fitness post-COVID. Observing the dynamic classes, David transitioned to group sessions and has been a consistent participant ever since. He attributes his commitment to the thoughtful coaches and the supportive community, stating, "The coaches are really thoughtful and they really care about what you do here, and the people around in every class are awesome." He also added how much he appreciated that Graviton welcomes people of all fitness levels and supports them to improve, no matter what they are looking to achieve.

In fact, the entire Sontag family embodies the Graviton spirit. David's wife, Sarah, not only participates in workouts but also contributes as a morning coach. Their extended family, including David's brother-in-law and children during summer breaks, are also active members, making Graviton a true family affair.

For David, fitness isn’t just about soccer anymore—it’s about staying strong for life’s big and small moments. Whether it's keeping up on the field, hiking without gasping for air, or simply making sure he doesn’t tweak his back during a routine morning task, he’s all in. “I just felt like as I’m aging, I need to make sure I’m in shape so I can do it as gracefully as possible… and not hurt myself when I reach for my toothbrush.”

Among his notable achievements, David has steadily increased his lifting capacities. He's diligently working towards performing a freestanding handstand and has impressively held a forearm plank with a 45-pound weight on his back for over three minutes.

At the end of the day, David keeps showing up because of the people. The coaches challenge him, the community supports him, and the friendships make every workout worth it. “I’ve made some of my best friends here, and I just love coming to the gym every day.” And when you love what you do, sticking with it is easy—even when it involves planks with extra weight.