Owner Of Pongo Power Talks Personal Training, Comedy & More As She Opens New Flatbush Avenue Location

Neighbor and local businesswoman Elizabeth Pongo opened her first studio dedicated to personal training on 5th Street in 2007, and interest has been so high that she’s opening a second one. Just in time for those New Year’s resolutions, Pongo Power Flatbush is celebrating its grand opening this Saturday, January 10, and locals are invited to check it out from 12-6pm at 350 Flatbush Avenue — expect demonstrations, food and drinks, and, because she’s got a pretty serious funny bone, some live comedy as well.

Ahead of the opening, we asked Pongo some questions about how she got into fitness, what you’ll find at her studios, what she’s learned in her time running a business in the neighborhood, and more.

Park Slope Stoop: Tell us a bit about your background — how did you get interested enough in fitness to open your first gym in the neighborhood?

Elizabeth Pongo: After graduating from Middlebury College, I was 184 pounds! Forget the freshman 15, try gaining the freshman 40! Obviously I didn’t feel like myself when I got back from Vermont, and I tried every crash diet possible in order to lose the weight. It simply wasn’t happening without proper exercise.

So, while enrolled in acting school, I ended up getting a job at the New York Health & Racquet Club as personal trainer. I didn’t realize how much I would love being a personal trainer at that time. I just like having a healthy environment to go to for work. But over the years, the relationships with my clients blossomed, I got further certifications and more education, and I ended up as, well, a jolly good trainer, if I do say so myself – some even say, a “great” trainer.

I opened up my own gym, because it became fairly obvious to me, over the years at the gym, that there were many cultural and environmental imbalances going on. The atmosphere didn’t suit me. I didn’t like the music, I felt self-conscious being in front of so many mirrors every day, and I really didn’t enjoy the way big corporate management treated the personal trainers.

So, in 2007, I launched Pongo Power in order to save myself and others from that ecosystem. We treat everyone properly at Pongo Power, as equals. We let the clients choose the music. If it’s too cold, we turn the heat up for you. If you don’t like looking in the mirror, we move you to a place where you can choose to have an internal focus. We make the experience a truly healthy one. It’s sustainable.

What in particular is it about personal training that you find so appealing?

Primarily, I am fascinated by anatomy and physiology! When I became a personal trainer, I actually wasn’t in great shape. I was overweight, and I got migraine headaches frequently. It is amazing to me that exercise can really transform, not just your body, but your entire life. When you feel healthy and strong, things fall into place a little bit easier.

As I got into great shape, my headaches went away, and the weight came off naturally. Exercise performs the same functions as medicine in the body. So, the release of endorphins in the brain, the lubrication of the joints, the extra oxygen intake, all helped me to heal myself.

Also, I love the relationship building, and the one-on-one attention to detail that personal training allows.

Why did you choose to open in Park Slope in the first place, and what led to the decision to expand?

When I moved to Park Slope, I was originally training at another fitness studio that went out of business. So, I needed to go to my clients’ homes for two years while I figured out what to do next. Naturally, my clients loved me coming to their homes. But it wasn’t easy. I felt like a traveling sales woman at times, always pounding the pavement. Rain, sleet, hail, dead of night. Then I would go out to perform comedy. It wasn’t an easy time for me.

Also, I love people and having team members. I needed to hire employees, so that we could establish a sense of community and team spirit.

It was certainly a dream come true when I found the perfect location in center Slope, at 402 5th Street, near the corner of 6th Ave.

I decided to expand, because I had no choice! We had a waiting list that was three months long at 5th Street!

When a new client signed up, we literally all texted each other immediately with any openings at all, because there were none! So if a client bought a package, we had to tell them that they could only train if there was a cancellation. And people still purchased packages, even though they didn’t have reservations! It was intense.

What can neighbors expect to find at the new location that’s either different or the same from the first spot?

Pongo Power Flatbush is bigger, and has incredibly beautiful equipment. We have Olympic lifting squat racks, a cable machine, exercise bands and tubing (which are great to minimize stress on the joints, and also wonderful for travel), spin bikes, treadmills, and a whole host of the best equipment out there.

We offer classes now that are semi-private. This is fantastic. We only allow four to six people, so you get lots of supervision and instruction. Our clients actually learn how to exercise. We don’t just tell people what to do, we teach clients why it is important perform the movements properly.

I love the feeling of having a bigger space on Flatbush. We’re very excited to be offering memberships, as well. There’s nothing like that sense of going to a health club, and actually feeling comfortable, like you have a home away from home, to take care of your body.

Pongo Power 5th Street is one-on-one, it is a boutique setting, so there is only enough space for one trainer and one client. This is wonderful, for the privacy. But Pongo Power Flatbush has a whole new energy and excitement to it. We can train multiple clients and welcome in members now who want to do their homework.

January is a popular time of year for people to renew their interest in fitness — what would you say to someone who’s considering your services but who may be concerned because they haven’t been to a gym in a while?

I’d say, you’re in luck because we’ve been told that Pongo Power is as comfortable as exercising in your own home. Not only is it less hectic than a regular gym, it’s also based upon functionality, and safety. We even let the clients choose the music and set the temperature! We want people to be truly comfortable.

Also, most importantly, everyone is given a free fitness assessment at Pongo Power. We go over your health history first with you, and then perform a movement analysis. After completing the movement analysis we can determine which muscles are tight and which muscles are weak. Then we can discuss your goals, and the appropriate exercise for you to do, in order to achieve those goals

What can people expect to find at the grand opening on Saturday?

Please join us! We’re so excited to be having stand-up comedy, live music, interactive activities, free local food, and artisanal drinks. It’s a great time to celebrate and ask us questions, too!

Here are the activities:

Guided Visualization: Achieve Your Highest Level of Health and Fitness
Free to all guests at the event. Noted graphic artist Jonny Goldstein will be guiding visitors through 1-on-1 visualization as he illustrates your vision of your healthiest self.

Concrete Jungle Challenge
Everyone is invited to try this is exciting and safe obstacle course! A fun way to challenge your core strength, test your balance, and improve your coordination. This is important as we enter into the icy winter.

Make Fun of Your Fitness with Live Comedy at 5pm
Laughing is a proven way to boost your serotonin levels, and achieve personal catharsis. NY comic Jessica Delfino will be entertaining guests and singing her funny fitness rap.

Live Music
Frogbelly and Symphony, “a progressive rock sound echoes in folk landscapes. Urban poetry, pop melodies, and repetitive chants cast a rousing wave of contemporary performance.”

Delicious Brooklyn Locally Sourced Food and Artisanal Drinks
Do you love all the goodness of the farm to table food movement? Come enjoy free food, and tasty mixed drinks.

What’s one of the most important things you’ve learned so far as a business owner in Park Slope?

I love this question, because I’ve learned so much! The most important thing that I’ve learned is that through the power of community and loyalty, anything can happen! We’ve been amazed by how supportive our clients are. People do really well with great coaching and teaching. It is amazing how, when you share your knowledge with someone, they share their own gifts with you. In this way we all raise each other up, and get stronger each and every year!

You’ve done a bit of stand-up comedy in the past — can people still see you perform live these days? And how, for you, does comedy relate to fitness? And to the general atmosphere of Pongo Power?

Oh yes, indeed! You can still see me perform live, for sure. I perform at Gotham Comedy Club and Broadway Comedy, just email me, and I’ll let you know when my next show it.

Comedy is absolutely integral to fitness for me. Bodies are funny, weird, and strange things. I was so self-conscious before I got into shape, and not very good at sharing my feelings. Comedy and personal training have taught me that you can trust people, and you can share the tough stuff with one another, laugh about it when you’re ready, maybe cry, and then move on!

We are so blessed to be able to talk, move around, and share our feelings with each other. Yet, in our modern society, sitting at desks in front of iPads and computer screens has taken over! Sitting is killing people!

We need to be able to experience true emotional catharsis in order to take back the right to love our bodies, and take good care of ourselves. For me, that’s where stand-up comedy comes in. I love the courage it takes for both exercise and comedy to be experienced properly.

Anything else you’d like neighbors to know?

I’d like everyone to know that you should never be intimidated by our prices, or by Pongo Power in general. We are the anti-gym. We work with you. After going over your health history, and the movement analysis, we are super honest about how long it is going to take for each client to get into good shape. It takes a commitment to truly train properly.

We talk earnestly with you about your budget, and what you can afford. We are transparent. So that means that we tell you about our business, and what it takes for us to stay in business, in order to help people. And then we ask you: What can you afford? How can we make this work? We have deals and discounts that are offered according to commitment and need. I wouldn’t have been able to go to Middlebury College if it wasn’t for financial aide. So, let’s just say that we have an educational program that’s right for you. We can figure it out, together.

Exercise, health, and wellness must be available to everyone. Every age, every background, every socioeconomic level. So that’s what we do. We plan to change the fitness industry and make it safe and accessible to everyone.

So, come to party with us on Saturday, January 10. Check us out, and see for yourself!

See the new Pongo Power Flatbush at its grand opening celebration this Saturday, January 10 from 12-6pm, at 350 Flatbush Avenue, between 8th Avenue and Sterling Place. For more info, call 718-638-7722, and follow Pongo Power on Facebook and Twitter.