Speakeasy of Strength — Local services in New York

I've been a Speakeasy member for over 4 months now and I wanted to share my journey thus far. This is such a unique workout experience and environment that's particularly welcoming to people who are intimidated by gyms or the idea of working out. Up until I started here, I hadn't really worked out since high school. But after a tough year, I decided I needed a reason to get out of the house, move my body and access natural endorphins to help get myself out of a rut. The team at Speakeasy got that 100%. They validated that need and actually reassured me that I was not alone in that goal. In fact many of their members are people like me—fitness dabblers—who are just trying to do right by their aging bodies. And I've found that to be absolutely true. I have never gone to a class and felt out of place as someone who isn't in the best shape. Don't let the "hardcore" decorative aesthetic fool you, this isn't a gym filled with people whose entire personality is getting ripped. Nobody—not even the trainers—have that vibe.

This small group personal training model is wonderful for people who have a lot of "body quirks" from injuries and aging. Every class is limited to 6 people and guided by a trainer who is monitoring your form, and offering live modifications to the workouts based on your needs. Unlike other gym classes where I often felt embarrassed when I need to slow down or do an exercise to a lesser intensity, at Speakeasy everyone is running their own race. Zero judgement. Trainers demonstrate the exercises at every class (even if they've demo'd them before) and make sure to allow time for questions and setup if someone needs to make an adjustment. They also emphatically encourage everyone to meet their body where it's at that day, which I love.

I feel welcome at this gym. I feel safe at this gym. I feel seen at this gym. I feel a sense of community at this gym. Probably most importantly, I feel stronger physically and mentally because I joined this gym. This is the first workout type thing that I've been able to keep up with because I genuinely enjoy it. I'm excited to continue my fitness journey at my own pace and keep on getting to know and contribute to the...

Need a personal trainer? Great, Fury is the dude for you. Don't think you need a personal trainer but somewhat interested? Fantastic, Fury is the dude for you. Have a personal trainer and as you read this are saying 'I dunno, dude, I have someone I think I'm ok with...' well, let me tell you, Fury is definitely the dude for you and you should check him out.

My girlfriend introduced me to Coach Fury through her gym as I was looking to get into better shape and was curious to try a personal trainer. She had a hunch that Fury and I would hit it off, its more like we were twins separated at birth as we have very similar interests. We often nerd out while lifting heavy things, which I think for most is the goal of working with a personal trainer. His knowledge of physical fitness, weight training and overall health is extremely impressive, yet he always is able to state it in a way that I understand and can make work.

When we first met, Fury started with a very simple question, what do I want to achieve? My answer was simple, I'd like to bench over 215 and I'd like to grab my GF in mid-air the way Ryan Reynolds does in Deadpool. He said, 'I got it, and no worries.' Thus our training began with an emphasis on core strength training. Obviously your training regimen will vary with what your goals are, but he strives to make sure you are getting the most of every session. One thing I really like about training with Fury is his ability to make things relate-able and understandable. Fury knows I'm a Marvel fan and when helping me to refine my squats, he used an Iron Man reference to make sure I was understanding what I need to do. There's no complicated biology lessons here (though Fury does know his stuff if you happen to wax scientific), just solid training geared towards what works best for you.

In addition to private sessions, Fury runs a number of group classes and will be expanding soon to a huge studio, so there has never been a better time to try him out. Fury is awesome, and if I could throw in a 6th star here, I would. Definitely check him...

Review update December 2024! I've now been going to Speakeasy for about 2.5 years and love it just as much as when I first started going. In addition to getting stronger, I noticed that some irritating chronic issues in my body have gone away by strength training. I haven't felt the need to go to the chiropractor in a year, my posture is better and shoulder and hip irritation are gone. Clearly these issues were being caused by muscle weakness and I just didn't know it. I wasn't expecting these issues to clear up from strength training but am so grateful that they did! In addition, Steve the owner is truly a community minded guy. He's generous and kind and has created a great place (all of the coaches are wonderful). Can say I still recommend Speakeasy 10/10 two and a half years later!

I joined Speakeasy in early April 2022, looking for my version of the perfect strength training class and thankfully for me, I found it! Their classes are the perfect amount of time and use various tools for moves (kettlebells, trx, clubs and bodyweight), have minimal cardio and no more than 5-6 people in group size which allows for plenty of attention/form correction if needed. Classes are challenging but NEVER feel like torture, I always enjoy them which has not always been the case in other studios' classes. They change their programming up every few weeks and each program targets the full body. I have been consistently going twice a week and am slowly but surely regaining my strength after quite a bit of time off from working out. I've still got plenty of room to grow but I'm on the right path. All of the coaches I've met are truly lovely and the vibe is great -- they have a real community feel. Love Speakeasy, so glad I found it and I truly...