By Trudy Whitman
When it comes to big gains from your exercise regimen, it’s time to think small — intimate private gyms outfitted with knowledgeable and supportive personal trainers. That’s the philosophy of the Fitness Together franchises, one of which opened this spring at 213 Court Street.
“We exist because we get results,” remarked Bob Milkie, the owner of the Court Street facility. “We are the number one private fitness training center in the world with an effective formula — one client, one trainer, one goal.”
Fitness guru Rick Sikorski sold the first Fitness Together franchise in 1996; last month the 500th was purchased. In addition to hundreds across this nation, there are studios in Ireland, Israel, Canada, and Costa Rica.
A client’s first visit to Fitness Together starts with a model session and physical and nutritional assessment. A health history is taken and goals are discussed with certified personal trainers. The storefront is outfitted with two fully equipped training rooms in which the client is guided through individualized programs devised to attain goals. Clients are also advised about healthy eating — the studio employs the Diet Master Pro plan — and are asked to keep accountability journals throughout the week.
The affable J. Ellis Jones is the club’s manager and senior trainer. Accredited through the American Council on Exercise, Jones is a former wide receiver for the semi-pro Boston Bandits. He says clients range from triathletes and teenage Alpine skiers to beginners who have never picked up a weight before. Many, he adds, “have had it with crowded, impersonal gyms” where they have to compete for equipment that is not always kept in tip-top shape.
J. Jones is assisted by Jessie Fahay who has a background in dance, pilates, yoga, and soccer, and Steve Myers, who is a kick boxer and former basketball player. Myers believes that circuit training is the best way to improve cardiovascular health while building muscle strength and conditioning. Both Fahay and Myers are certified trainers.
Owner Bob Milkie came to Fitness Together through the back door — well, actually, through doors, windows, ceilings, and walls. Milkie is a New York City architect who was hired to design Fitness Together facilities. A self-professed “gym rat,” the architect “fell in love with the concept” and purchased a franchise. He hopes to enhance Brooklyn with additional Fitness Together facilities in the near future.
Milkie’s design expertise shows. There is an inviting flow to the interior, soft colors, and gentle lighting. Pristine changing rooms and a shower make it a pleasure to get ready for the office or a dinner appointment after your workout. The atmosphere alone could “psych up” a tired executive for an energizing session. And then there are, of course, the trainers who don’t take wimping-out lightly.
Bob Milke is upfront about Fitness Together’s clientele. “We are not for everybody,” he observes. “You have to have the money and the desire to take care of your body in a specific way.” Members can sign on by the month — three sessions per week cost $960 per month; six weekly workouts cost $1,800 per month — or purchase a number of different packages, including an $8,574 Couples Plan. This entitles two people to 100 training sessions, two free initial fitness assessments, nutrition guidance, ten retests, and two accountability journals. Trainers review the journals with clients before every session.
Fitness Together, 213 Court Street, 718 576-1704, Mondays-Fridays 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. and Saturdays from 6 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Break out the berets! Bastille Day is back on Smith Street! On Sunday, July 15 (the day after the traditional date), from noon to 8 p.m., the trendy strip really struts its stuff for this street fair with a French twist. There are special culinary treats prepared by local restaurants, music, and dancing in the streets. Also featured are rows of pétanque pits — a French game similar to bocce played on sand trucked in for the event. (Hint: Arrive early to sign up to compete.) Allez! Amusez-vous bien! Information: 718 852-0328.
© Brooklyn Daily Eagle 2007
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