Why Thousands in Recovery Are Turning to This Sober Fitness Community

In 2019, Jeremy C. spent his days roaming the streets of Las Vegas and frequenting its underground tunnels, a sprawling system of dark storm drains that, while designed to protect the desert city from flash floods, have become an unofficial shelter for people facing homelessness and substance use disorder. Jeremy, who is originally from Miami, began gambling, drinking, and using drugs in his teen years. When those habits deepened to the point of being insatiable in adulthood, Jeremy placed his bets on Vegas, where he soon lost everything. Six years later, the now sober 48-year-old leads what he calls a “simple” life: driving for Uber, walking his dog, and volunteering as a CrossFit instructor at a Denver branch of The Phoenix, a nationwide nonprofit organization that promotes recovery through no-cost, substance-free fitness classes.

For people like Jeremy—who prefers to use only his first name to respect the confidentiality of Alcoholics Anonymous (AA)—The Phoenix doesn’t replace the work he does in 12-step meetings, because the two models serve different roles. “AA has taught me how to live and to lose the desire to use drugs, drink, or gamble,” Jeremy says. “The Phoenix is more of a community of people that are helping me build my health and wellness.”

Providing a shared sober space where every person can become mentally, physically, and socially strong has remained the mission of The Phoenix since Scott Strode founded it in Boulder, CO, in 2006. Today, The Phoenix has a presence in all 50 states, with programs spanning everything from CrossFit, boxing, and yoga to painting and musical jam sessions. While every branch is different, most locations have a large gym space with equipment where fitness classes are held at various times. In Denver, the gym is next door to an additional building that houses the organization’s burgeoning arts programs. Boston’s branch has an indoor rock climbing wall. Classes are always free and everyone is welcome, as long as they commit (on an honor system) to 48 hours of sobriety before attending. 

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As of late 2025, The Phoenix reported it had served one million people. That number speaks not only to the impact of the organization, but also to a growing need for more modern, accessible recovery programs that destigmatize sobriety, address the loneliness crisis, and provide people with the non-judgemental support networks they need to thrive.

Telling a New Story 

The Phoenix shares a few common goals with traditional 12-step programs by supporting people in sobriety—without the coffee pots, church basements, and sobriety coins. There isn’t a spiritual undertone either. Recovery milestones are celebrated if they come up in conversation, but talking about past and current troubles isn’t the focus. 

If 12-step programs foster self-improvement by emphasizing stories about what you’ve done wrong and who you’ve harmed, The Phoenix provides people with a clean slate on which to tell a new story about themselves.

Vince Huseman, Community Center Manager at The Phoenix in Denver, says this is why he felt welcome during his first boxing class at The Phoenix nearly a decade ago.

“There wasn't this expectation to talk about my past—about the path of destruction I left behind me,” Huseman says. “Any time I was in group therapy or treatment, that topic kind of ruled the conversation. That was really my identity—all the terrible stuff I experienced. But all of that seemed to go away in those 90 minutes that I was at The Phoenix, learning how to box with other sober people.”

Huseman relapsed after his first bout with sobriety, a common occurrence for those with substance use disorder. He got sober again and found himself in 12-step meetings; however, he felt they promoted a fear-based mindset that ultimately diminished his quality of life. 

“ I realized that I was sober, but I was not having fun in life,” Huseman explains. “I was afraid to go anywhere but a meeting, or somewhere with my sponsor if there was alcohol around, which is nearly everywhere. I had this moment where I’m like, ‘There has to be more to life than this.’”

Longing for the camaraderie he’d felt in that initial boxing class, Huseman opened up to his sponsor, who explained that he could follow whatever path he wanted, because recovery is a uniquely personal journey. “That's kind of the point where I started to grow out of my 12-step phase of recovery and reintegrated back into The Phoenix,” he says. 

Huseman acknowledges that 12-step programs work for countless people, and he respects that it’s a lifeline for some of his fellow volunteers, including Jeremy. For him, though, The Phoenix provided what 12-step couldn’t. “It was the first time in a long time—years—that I felt like I belonged,” Huseman says.  

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Sweat Connection

The Phoenix may play different roles in the recovery journeys of its members, but in an era where loneliness has been formally deemed an epidemic by former United States Surgeon General Vivek Murthy—causing 871,000 deaths annually, according to the World Health Organization—everyone stands to benefit from a greater emphasis on community-building. There’s also a direct link between loneliness and substance use disorder. This can be seen in data from the COVID-19 pandemic, when drug-related deaths spiked in response to social restrictions. 

Sherma Morton, M.D., national medical director at Eleanor Health, explains that groups like The Phoenix combat both loneliness and substance use through inclusivity, healthy self-image, and acceptance.

“These models make individuals experience a sense of belonging, stigmatize them less, and assist in developing ‘recovery capital’—all the personal, social, and community resources necessary for long-term recovery,” Dr. Morton explains. “Recovery is really about connecting with others.” 

Physical activity also replaces that surge of endorphins and other feel-good brain chemicals a person might’ve previously gotten from substances. Such a shift is especially important among men, who are more likely than women to face substance use disorder, which can lead to a cascade of poor health outcomes, including low rates of exercise, unhealthy diet, and challenges with sleep.

“By learning new, healthier ways to cope with stress and negative emotions, people are less likely to revert to negative behaviors,” adds Mindpath Health Therapist Gabrielle Wanchek, LMFT.

A model like The Phoenix, which combines the benefits of physical activity with those of sober, social connection, can be hard to find on a large, organized scale. Neither 12-step models, nor the average gym, meet this unique need. Yet it’s what many people in recovery both yearn for—and may need to thrive long term. 

“Whether it's going outside, boxing, biking, or strength training, I know that it’s an outlet for me and it really does a lot for stress relief,” Huseman says. “I gravitated towards The Phoenix because I knew I could get the exercise that I needed for my mental health, but that I could do it with like-minded individuals.”

Volunteers who lead classes at The Phoenix stand to benefit from the community as much as the people they serve. Anyone can train to become a volunteer after attending three events, and no teaching certifications are required. However, some volunteers are already certified in their respective area and, other times, The Phoenix will help pay for fitness instructor training.

As Huseman puts it, this altruistic approach creates infinite possibilities for improving lives.

“When I first came as a member, the instructor that taught my fitness class really pulled me into the community,” Huseman says. “It was the trickle down effect of that. He not only had a positive impact on me, but everybody that I interact with, because now I'm thriving in recovery.”

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