A Visit To The Fitness Office Personal Training
By Glenn Dickstein
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On a picture perfect day, I made an impromptu visit to one of the Upper East Side\’s best kept personal training gym secrets. I made a quick call over to The Fitness Office, spoke to Vinnie Laspina and I was on my way. Tucked away in a residential apartment building is this two floor facility.
As I entered the building I was quickly reminded of one of my favorite lines from the 1996 movie Swingers.
\”For some reason the cool bars in Hollywood have to be hard to find. It\’s kind of a speakeasy thing. It\’s kinda cool. It\’s like you\’re in on some kind of secret. You tell a chick you\’ve been some place, it\’s like bragging you know how to find it.\”
Vinnie and his business partner, Joe Burt, started The Fitness Office about three years ago after working together for a three-year period as personal trainers. They wanted to create a space where every trainer and client combination would feel welcome. After getting reacquainted with the space, I concluded that they succeeded.
\”We built this space purposefully to feel like you\’re at home,\” says co-founder Vinnie Laspina. \”It\’s about what each client needs individually each and every session on that specific day. Each trainer has the opportunity to deliver just that to each of their clients every time. Everyone here is as social as they want to be without ever feeling the need to \”be\” anything but themselves. That\’s when the results come….comfort + relationship with trainer + trainer skillset = results. That\’s the formula we have and will use moving forward. Very simple.\”
The Fitness Office space is advantageously unique. The space was originally a two floor apartment fantastically turned into a personal training gym. So, rather than having one open space, you have the benefit of three different indoor spaces, each with its own uses, plus an outdoor space (more on that later.)
While both lower areas can be used for personal training sessions, the main room is for some serious strength training. The room is chock full of dumbbells, kettle bells, balls, and other \”toys.\” The adjacent room is a bit more open, lending itself to small group training opportunities, as well as one-on-one sessions. Trainers will be happy to know that the room is equipped with TRX for five so there is no need bring your own straps. With all of this equipment, you\’ll have some exhausted and strong students by the end of class.
Just out back, there is outdoor space. Yes, I said outdoor space. It\’s the perfect space for a quiet warm up, cool down, or stretching session. Maybe even a yoga or Pilates mat session being mindful not to disturb the neighbors. Vinnie and Joe can tell you more about the outdoor possibilities.
But wait there is more! Remember I mentioned a second floor. Adding to the versatility of the space, upstairs has a massage table, some cardio to warm up on, and a kitchen. The separation is an especially nice feature here so you can separate more intense activities from the less.
Both trainers and clients will not only appreciate The Fitness Office for its equipment, but also for its amenities. The previously mentioned kitchen is open for use by trainers and clients. It may be just storing your breakfast, lunch or dinner in the fridge or perhaps to make a post-workout shake. BYO only. On top of that, the facility boasts 3 full bathrooms, towels, toiletries, and private lockers.
Vinnie and Joe have designed an environment which takes away any excuse a client may give you. No excuses about cold lunches and no place to shower when you work out at The Fitness Office. Check and check! They have also created an atmosphere where independent trainers can feel comfortable and build a thriving business. I would recommend any Upper East Side personal trainer check out The Fitness Office for themselves. It has a lot to offer and should meet the needs of many personal training clients. Just call and ask for Vinnie or Joe before heading over. They\’ll be happy to talk to you.
By Glenn Dickstein
By Chris Granville
