After August Comes SepMEMBER at Crunch Flatbush

Gym membership is a pretty personal thing. Everyone is looking for something different. But like being a member of anything, when you find “your people” you’re there for the long haul.

Crunch Flatbush is quickly establishing itself as not just another fitness option but as a community gym, where members can find support on many levels. One of the places this is most evident is in their classes. And class is definitely back in session for fall.

This September, in appreciation of their members, Crunch Flatbush is bumping everyone up to Peak Results-level memberships. That means everyone will have access to both classes and small group training sessions for the month.

We asked Josef Woodson, their “Classic Coordinator” (aka Group Fitness Manager) to tell us a bit about their new and returning class offerings. Josef’s background is primarily as a dancer and dance instructor, but he’s always been interested in fitness. He’s been working with Assaf for about four years and with Crunch for 10. His interest in dance definitely shows in the classes available to members:

VIDEOGRAPHY

JOSEF’S TAKE: This is a blend of jazz dance, hip-hop, modern, even ballet. It’s basically for all those people who’ve wanted to dance, be in a music video, this is their chance. Have a warm-up, go through all the preparations that a dancer would actually go through, and by the end of the class have a combination they can perform for each other. They can feel like that rock star they might have never had the chance to be!

While there isn’t an official video component to the class, the gym does have an internal broadcast channel called Crunch TV. So members who want to can post content to Instagram using Crunch’s hashtag and it could make its way to the gym’s monitors.

TABATA 20-2

This is a class being offered as part of Crunch’s small group training sessions, which allow members to get more individualized feedback and is generally more functional based, concentrating on helping with movement associated with everyday living. Classes typically max out at 10 participants.

JOSEF’S TAKE: This class has a maximum of 20 since people will be working in pairs. Basically one member will do 20 seconds of work and 10 seconds of recovery and repeat that. Then they would switch. As one member is doing one exercise on the CTC (Combat Training Center) unit, the other member can be doing something on the floor until they have to switch and do the other exercise. Both partners are working at the same time but for different exercises for 10 different stations.

For those who don’t know what Josef means by Combat Training Center, he describes it as kind of an adult playground set with punching bags, monkey bars, and other things where you can swing and punch and kick and “all that good stuff.”

LONG AND LEAN

This is part of their Crunch Sizzler series, in which they introduce a new class each quarter. Summer’s class was called Aerobics With Attitude. This is their Autumn offering.

JOSEF’S TAKE: This class is more of a mind/body-based class. It’s closer to a Pilates class. It can be done without any shoes, so barefoot, with a mat and light weights, usually 3-5 pounds. All of the movements are geared toward elongating the body. To sculpt and tone the body without making it bulky. It’s about nice fluidity and movement that you can really connect with your body.

CHISEL

JOSEF’S TAKE: This uses calisthenics and weights to sculpt and tone the entire body. You may be doing squats, overhead presses…it’s more strength training in the studio. It’s up to the members to decide how heavy the weight is that they want to work with. As with all of our classes, we gear everything to all members at all levels.

As opposed to Tabata 20-2, both Chisel and Long and Lean are regular-sized classes at around 35-40 people. If that sounds intimidating, Josef stresses that the members in the classes at Crunch Flatbush have really become a tight-knit community. In particular, he mentioned Deidre Ferrell, who profiled in February, as the kind of energetic, positive person you’ll encounter when coming to class at Crunch.

In addition to these new classes, they’ll still be offering favorites like Zumba®, 30 IN 30 (30 exercises in 30 minutes), and 360-3X, some of which Josef teaches himself.

But no matter who you find yourself taking class with (or next to), Josef makes one guarantee: “No judgments. It’s just a wonderful place to be, where everyone feels welcome.”

This post was sponsored by Crunch Flatbush. If you would like to reach our readers, please contact us.