By Renee Hunter
Dave and Cindy Bowling opened Pace Fitness Zone in Vilonia 6 1/2 years ago “not as a business venture per se, but as a service to the community.” “It was actually Cindy’s idea,” Dave said. 
The decision was based on “feedback from friends,” who said Vilonia needed a fitness center, and Dave’s own commitment to fitness after knee-replacement surgery that resulted in a five-month recovery period, 50-pound weight gain and a doubling of his body fat. He works out six days a week and has lost the weight and reduced his body fat.
“We’ve never taken a nickel out of this place,” Dave said. “Everything goes back in.”
Dave is a reforestation manager with the State Forestry Commission, and Cindy is office manager for a Conway business. At Pace, Cindy does the accounting and Dave is the “face-to-face” person.
“We make a pretty good team that way,” Dave said.
“It was a jump,” he added. “It was a much bigger risk starting from scratch than building our own building.” After all, Vilonia had never had a fitness center, and the couple had no basis for believing the business would succeed.
In February 2007, Pace moved to a new building at 22 S. Church St that is over four times as large as the old place.
The Bowlings – Dave, Cindy, Zach, 16, and Jacob, 13 – moved to Vilonia 7½ years ago from Sherwood because they wanted to live in a small town. They were particularly impressed with Vilonia schools. Both boys are distance runners, and both have set school records. They also play basketball and football. 
Because he believes an active lifestyle is necessary for health, Dave encourages Pace members to make a personal commitment to fitness.
Prospects are offered five free visits to decide if they want to join. Dave can’t remember without checking the database what the membership is, but he knows exactly how many different people have worked out in the past year – 500.
“Usage is more important than membership,” he said. “We want to support our members every way that we possibly can.”
With that in mind, he often sends cards or calls members who haven’t been in for a while. Key cards provide members with 24-hour access, so there are rarely crowds or a wait for the equipment. According to Dave, the center is usually empty only between 12:30 and 4:30 a.m.
Fourteen is the minimum membership age; however, most members are over 30. 
“We don’t really encourage body-building types,” Dave said, adding that he wants to help ordinary people stay fit and active.
Fitness Zone is staffed only 16 hours a week, 4-8 p.m. Monday-Thursday, so books are prominently available illustrating proper use of the equipment for safety and maximum benefit. The business has six paid employees.
Fitness Zone offers martial arts classes that will accept children as young as 5. It also offers two types of aerobics, a low-impact instructor-led class and “Turbo Jam,” which is more intense. Both meet on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.
Concerned about obesity among youngsters, the Bowlings last year offered a free instructor-led class for 10- to 12-year-olds on using the equipment for fitness. It was not well-attended, and Dave believes it was not promoted as well as it could have been. They plan to try again.
Pace offers a variety of equipment, including the usual weight machines and free weights, medicine balls for back-protected exercise, balance equipment, and cardio equipment such as bikes, elliptical trainers and treadmills. It also has hydraulic-resistance equipment, which matches the effort of the user to maximize results so that a 30-minute circuit provides both cardio and muscle-building benefits. A punching bag is also available because “we have had multiple women ask” for it, Dave said.
Circling the machines is a walking track. Two tanning booths are also available.
A small, gated children’s area with a television is provided, and videos are available. Toys are not provided to decrease the spread of illness, Dave said. He encourages members to come without their children if possible because they get a better workout without the distraction. 
Many of the center’s innovations, including the single large television (instead of multiple small ones) and the locker-free restrooms (complete with a shower and dressing area), are preferred by members.