HIITing it off

As the Saturday 9:15 a.m. exercise class started, the room flooded with 15 people eager to begin their High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) workout. People of all walks of their fitness journey — the experienced, the newbies, the other trainers, the regulars, younger exercisers and older clients — smiled from ear to ear and were enthusiastic to help their peers.

When searching for gyms to kick start your fitness journey, the popular commercial gyms like Retro Fitness or Crunch Fitness might come to mind.

Throughout Long Island, you can find reputable private gyms that provide amenities and services that would contribute to an enhanced gym experience.

Employees and members of Energy Fitness rave about how their experience contributes to the wellbeing of their mental and physical health, no matter where they are in their fitness journey. Many employees and members are proud to be part of the Energy Fitness family and were happy to share their experiences.

What makes this gym different?

Energy Fitness is a Long Island-based gym facility where clients can learn and grow on a personalized level, while balancing their other priorities in life, and has been so for the past 20 years. Among the five locations on Long Island, Rockville Centre’s location is its youngest and just celebrated its first anniversary.

Joshua Haan is the general manager of Energy Fitness of Rockville Centre and is working hard to maintain the company motto of “being the most supportive fitness family in the world.” He moved from Texas to Long Island in June 2022 to find a place to call home. It is his goal to make it feel like home for his staff and clients.

Energy Fitness provides its clients with a full-fledged fitness experience that is built on one-on-one coaching. When clients sign up for membership, they are paying for their training sessions. However, they can use the gym whenever they don’t have individual sessions so they can get the most out of their investment. There are also several different classes and programs that clients can take part in.

S t r o n g

This is Energy Fitness’s high intensity interval training (HIIT). It is a circuit-based workout that is completed in series of three minutes, three and a half minutes, or seven minutes, and the participant goes around once or twice. KC Putterman, a coach and nutritionist at Energy Fitness RVC, said there are six different workouts, and they change every six weeks with the help of herself and trainers from all of the locations. The coaches collectively create the workouts, and they rotate so the client does not plateau.

I was given the opportunity to sit in on this class and see why so many clients love this class.

- KC

First, I noticed the large TV with 12 boxes of exercises for everyone to follow with upbeat music playing in the background. When the class started, I realized participants don’t all follow the instructor; instead, the instructor is there to help them with form while they mimic the workout they see on the TV.

Additionally, no one is doing the same workout at the same time.

Clients follow a rotational circuit to complete the workout intervals.

KC Putterman taught this class and demoed each workout before the timer began. Using her headset, she reminded class members of important affirmations throughout the session.

The energy throughout the room was contagious, and each person helped the participant next to them get through their personal struggles.

The class commenced with rounds of applause and smiles that lit up the room with pride. Seeing how accomplished everyone felt after the workout was extremely rewarding.

F l e x

This is Energy Fitness’s low-impact, but high-intensity barre workout. This entails a lot of core and glute muscle engagement with slower movements. After class, you will feel a burn from head to toe. Participants will be led to move for four counts, hold and pulse for four counts, and feel the muscle engagement. Flex is important for isometric movements rather than power moves.

R y d e

This is Energy Fitness’s cycling class. Within the facility there is a cycling studio where trainers and participants bring their highest energy to cycle together.

Putterman is the nutritionist at Energy Fitness and offers a six-week program to clients to help with their own personalized goals.

The facility has a Fit 3D scan that displays one’s body circumference, body fat percentage and postural analysis that provides one with a baseline for the kind of meal plan one will receive.

Differing from stereotypical nutrition plans, Energy’s nutrition plan is not based on calories in or out; it is based on the percentage of carbs, fats and proteins to eat throughout the day so their client knows how to properly fuel their body for a workout.

“I had this one client who did my program. He wasn’t trying to lose weight. He was trying to firm up,” Putterman said. “So his goals are different in his nutrition plan than someone that’s trying to lose weight.”

Putterman makes the meals for her clients depending on their nutritional needs. “It’s not a crash diet. It’s just healthy, clean eating,” she said.

This is a program that the Rockville Centre location is developing and trying to get clients to experiment with.

Gi v i n g T h e E n e r g y

These local, private gyms on Long Island like Energy Fitness provide clients with a unique, personalized experience that commercial gyms don’t have the ability to offer. The trainers are able to give their clients direction and encouragement.

Not only do clients grow, but so do the trainers. “I’ve learned that I don’t need to exercise for two hours a day. I learned to make goals,” Putterman said.

If you are thinking about upping your fitness journey and taking it seriously, take a chance and trust a local gym for accountability, keep it fun, and get results.