Our Story

New Horizon Fitness Center

Hi, my name is Kyle Taylor. I am the owner and founder of New Horizon Fitness Center located in Swansea, SC. I opened NHFC because I'm passionate about health and fitness and I realized that it was lacking in my  hometown.


There was not access to a local gym or fitness center for people in Swansea, Gaston, and surrounding areas. 

I desired to solve this problem by offering a friendly atmosphere for people to better their life through health and fitness. I was fortunate when a member of the community saw the potential in what I wanted to achieve and was willing to invest in my dream. 


I remember discussing my future plans; I was going to work as a personal trainer at a facility in Columbia but my ultimate goal was to eventually own my own gym in Swansea. He said that he had a building that he could show me if I was interested, and after considering his offer, I said yes. He gave three days to put together a business plan to present to him and his wife. I put everything I had into researching and constructing my business plan that would soon become a reality. They accepted the plan and we began to renovate the building one year prior to our grand opening on February 18th 2013.


The first day was exhilarating and scary all at the same time. There were some bumps along the way. We ran out of paper and even ink from printing all of our gym agreements. Within the first month we had over 300 members join. 


In the beginning,  we only offered gym access, that included machines, cardio equipment and free weights which is now the main floor.  Our goal was to add additional services each year.  Within the first year we renovated and opened the group fitness room to incorporate group classes, personal training, and karate. During that time we also partnered with Relentless Training Corp (Luke Beasley) to help meet the growing demand for personal training. 


Within the 2nd, 3rd, and 4th year we renovated the rest of the building to add tanning services, a smaller functional training/multi purpose room and started selling supplements.

We wanted to offer a local place for our members to learn about and purchase various supplements at reasonable and affordable prices to help aid in their fitness journey. Over the last 3 years our supplement inventory has grown increasingly so that we were able to convert an office space into a pro-shop; an easily-accessible space dedicated to providing a relaxed environment for members and customers to check out our merchandise. 


We have also added additional equipment each year such as; glute-ham developer, t-bar row, hack squat, and various cable attachments.  We are striving to improve our facility and provide the best for our members.


Our biggest improvement to date was on May 24th, 2019 when we officially converted to 24 hour access.   I wanted to provide around the clock access for our gym goers so they could train whenever they please, allowing flexibility in their schedule. Our gym goers can train whenever they please, giving them flexibility in their schedule. All is required is a bar-coded key fob to scan at the entrance and members can use the gym’s main floor day or night. 

New Horizon

Fitness Center

Let us help you by mapping out a plan to

achieve your goals!

Choose your location

Swansea

1741 Southbound Rd

Swansea SC 29160

West Columbia (Springdale)

2927 Platt Springs Rd

West Columbia SC 29170

Our Staff

MEET THE PEOPLE THAT WORK HARD TO SERVE YOU!

Kyle Taylor - Owner, Personal Trainer, Martial Arts Instructor

I’m Kyle Taylor, founder and owner of New Horizon Fitness Center. For me, health and fitness isn’t just a careerβ€”it’s a lifelong passion. My mission is simple: to help people unlock their potential and live stronger, healthier, and more confident lives.

My journey began over twenty years ago when I first stepped onto the mats as a martial artist. That experience not only sparked my love for fitness but also instilled in me the discipline, focus, and perseverance that I still carry today. Martial arts taught me that true growth is about more than just physical strengthβ€”it’s about mental resilience, self-awareness, and balance.

Over the years, I’ve expanded from martial arts into personal training and wellness coaching. I’ve had the privilege of working with a wide variety of peopleβ€”from children learning their first martial arts forms, to adults training for competition, to families looking for something active to do together. I’ve also taught countless self-defense courses, equipping people with practical skills to stay safe and confident.

At heart, I’m a mentor. I love teaching, coaching, and guiding others to reach new levels of successβ€”both inside and outside the gym. My goal is to help you become not only fitter, but also more confident, resilient, and empowered in every area of life.

πŸ‘‰ If you’re ready to take the next step in your fitness journey, let’s work together. Reach out today and let’s build the stronger, healthier, and more confident version of you.

Christine McClure - Personal Trainer

Hi, I’m Christine. Movement has been a part of my life since I was two years old, when I first stepped into a dance studio. Dance quickly became my passion, but my journey wasn’t without obstacles. Growing up, I battled repeated injuriesβ€”breaking each ankle twice. Doctors told me I’d need ankle braces for life and that my dream of dancing professionally would never happen.

I refused to accept that. Instead of giving up, I committed myself to strengthening my body, focusing daily on rebuilding stability and reducing pain. After years of consistent effort, I not only danced without braces but also discovered something life-changing: movement has the power to heal.

That realization sparked a lifelong passion for fitness. I joined a gym, began strength training, and saw firsthand how intentional exercise could transform not just performance, but overall health and quality of life.

My dedication led me to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Dance Performance and a Bachelor of Science in Exercise Science with a concentration in Pre-Physical Therapy from Georgian Court University. I went on to achieve my dream of dancing professionally for four years, while also earning my Personal Training certification, Precision Nutrition Level 1 certification, and NASM Corrective Exercise Specialist certification.

For the past several years, I’ve been helping clients overcome pain, improve mobility, and reach their personal goalsβ€”whether that’s losing weight, building strength, or simply moving through life with more confidence and less discomfort.

My philosophy is simple: movement is medicine. I know what it feels like to be told you can’t do something, and I know the power of proving that wrong. My mission as a trainer is to create a supportive environment where every client can build strength, improve movement quality, and achieve lasting resultsβ€”without having to figure it all out alone.

If you’re ready to move better, feel stronger, and take back control of your health, I’d love to help you get there.

  

Taylor Freeman

I used to believe fitness had to be perfectβ€”perfect diet, perfect workouts, perfect willpower. If I slipped up, I thought I had failed. That mindset kept me stuck for years.

As a teenager, I was always bigger than my friends, and I obsessed over the number on the scale. I tried every quick fix I could find onlineβ€”water fasts, keto, skipping mealsβ€”but nothing worked long term. Each time I β€œfailed,” I gave up and convinced myself I was destined to be unhealthy.

By the time I had my baby at 19, I weighed 330 lbs. Everyday activities like playing football with my brothers, walking the zoo with my family, or even shopping for clothes felt overwhelming. Eight months postpartum, I realized I couldn’t keep living that way. I wanted to be present and active for my child.

I started smallβ€”more home-cooked meals, more daily movementβ€”and I lost 10–15 lbs. Then I discovered weightlifting. At first, I was terrified to step foot in the gym again, worried everyone would judge me. But what I found was support, encouragement, and the realization that lifting weights didn’t make me β€œbulky”—it made me strong.

Instead of chasing perfection, I focused on building consistent habits:

Getting to the gym 3–4 days a week

Prioritizing protein at meals

Taking progress pictures and measurements instead of obsessing over the scale

Over the next two years, I lost more than 100 lbs. I wasn’t perfectβ€”holidays, life, and busy seasons got in the way sometimesβ€”but I never quit. I reminded myself that progress, not perfection, is what truly matters.

Today, I’ve kept that weight off, and I’m still working toward new goalsβ€”because the journey doesn’t end at a certain number on the scale. Health and fitness are about growth, consistency, and finding strength you didn’t know you had.

Now, as a personal trainer, my mission is to help others the way I helped myselfβ€”by breaking free from β€œall-or-nothing” thinking, building confidence in the gym, and creating realistic habits that last a lifetime. If I can do it, you can too. And I’ll be right there to guide you every step of the way.

Maxwell Labree - Personal Trainer, Boxing Coach

Keegan Ringenberg - Personal Trainer

Our Blog

Slow Cooker Coconut Lime Chicken

Slow Cooker Coconut Lime Chicken

June 06, 2024β€’1 min read

Slow Cooker Coconut Lime Chicken

πŸ₯₯ πŸ— Want a 15-minute healthy meal that tastes like it’s from a restaurant? 

Then SAVE THIS RECIPE! πŸ‘‡

Slow Cooker Coconut Lime Chicken 

(Serves 6)

Ingredients

● 4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 2 lbs/900 grams)

● 14 oz (400 ml) can light coconut milk

● Juice and zest of 2 limes

● 2 garlic cloves, minced

● 1 Tbsp coconut aminos or tamari

● 1 Tbsp honey 

● Β½ tsp ground ginger

● ΒΌ tsp red pepper flakes (optional, for heat)

● Salt and pepper, to taste

● Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)

● Lime slices (for garnish)

Place the chicken breasts in the slow cooker. Season with salt and pepper.

In a bowl, whisk together the coconut milk, lime juice and zest, minced garlic, aminos or tamari, honey, ground ginger, and red pepper flakes (if using).

Pour the coconut lime mixture over the chicken in the slow cooker.

Cover and cook on low for 5 to 6 hours or on high for about 3 hours, until the chicken is cooked through and tender.

Once the chicken is tender, remove it from the slow cooker and shred it using two forks. Return the meat to the pot to soak up more sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning, if needed.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and lime slices. Serve with rice, quinoa, or steamed vegetables.

Want more slow cooker recipes like this one? Make sure you grab my latest resource, Set It & Forget It Healthy Slow Cooker Recipes. DM β€œSlow Cooker” so I can send it over to you.

πŸ“· If you make this recipe, be sure to grab a photo and tag me with it!

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