Good Sweat
Personal training gyms muscle in on group fitness
A group class at the new Fitness Cell Collective.
In early July, Fitness Cell owner Boaz Saar opened a second location on East 61st Street, just beneath the 59th Street Bridge. But unlike the original location—a five-year-old personal-training-only gym on the Upper East Side—Saar dubbed the new space the Fitness Cell Collective and added a menu of group classes to its offerings.
He’s not alone. Group fitness classes have become such an important, brandable, and exciting part of New York’s workout scene that now many gyms formerly dedicated to one-on-one instruction are throwing their kettlebells into the group-fitness ring.
Boaz Saar, owner of the Fitness Cell Collective.
In April, Upper East Side brand Remorca Fitness opened a sister location around the corner from its personal training gym to begin offering group classes. Elite trainer Will Torres introduced WillTKO group sessions at his gym, WillSpace, and Union Square’s Nimble Fitness added a basement workout studio so that it could offer group TRX classes.
And while it may seem like these studios are trying to muscle into an already crowded market, they do bring a few things to the table that group fitness junkies just might appreciate.
What are they? Well, for one, classes are not just small. They’re tiny. At the Fitness Cell Collective, you’ll never be sweating alongside more than six others, which means that during class, Saar or one of his trainers can carefully correct your form and offer personal encouragement. (I really appreciated the “That’s my girl!” he threw my way during the most grueling part of the session.) WillSpace’s classes also max out at 6, Remorca’s are typically between 6 and 10.
Also, the facilities are typically high-end and stocked with top-of-the-line equipment, since they’re built for more expensive personal training. Witness amenities like Fitness Cell’s ski ergs, which deliver killer cardio and upper body work, and 40-foot monkey bars.
Of course, these small classes will cost you slightly more than a sweat session in a packed spin studio. The Fitness Cell charges $45 for a single class, Remorca charges $38, and WillSpace is $55. But those prices seem pretty reasonable when you consider they’re often charging upwards of $200 for one-on-one training.
A downside? If you’re fueled by the collective groans and shouts of a packed room, you may not be as motivated to move. Oh, and there’s definitely nowhere to hide when the training gets tough. —Lisa Elaine Held
Thanks for covering this niche. I too recently opened a school with small group fitness classes and workshops in Manhattan this year. We like to dynamic of small groups, it allows you make all those personalized observations and adjustments to ensure members get the best experience possible. The better the member experience the better I feel about my career choice on my way back home.
Keep up the good work Well+Good NYC!
Fantastic piece! At Equinox in TriBeca, I’m offering small group training for clients who want a more affordable option to one on one personal training without sacrificing the individual attention. Beginning this September, I’m offering 30 minute Spin classes with complimentary bike fitting, personalized instruction, tips & “homework” challenges. My Pilates-Fusion semi-private “Corset” has already started a buzz amongst busy professionals who want an intimate setting and a challenging core workout in under 30 minutes.
It seems like a couple of fitness studios recently opened on East 61st Street a couple of months after I moved OFF it after living there for six years! Interesting block, especially since Sports Club/LA is there too.
Thanks for this great article! I love how classes are kept small, trainers could still focus on each student from time to time.
Ed
We too opened a gym with small group classes. Well + Good, you hit it perfectly… the price is much less than that of a personal training session but you get much more instruction than a big group class. People coming to us for Eric Von Frohlich’s Practice class or for crossfit Upper east side are rarely alongside more than 9 other participants which means lots of personal attention!
Like many of the other gyms above, we offer small group fitness classes (max 16 ppl) at As1, often with 2 teachers in a class so you still get the individualized coaching of a private session. Come check us out in Columbus Circle…first class is FREE!
Definitely respect the display of your rates right out here in the pubic. If only all gyms would follow suit!
3 years and counting for me with this small group training format, and I love it!