UpFit Training Academy Downtown — Local services in New York

Having battled COVID twice last year, I found myself in a struggle to regain the weight and muscle tone I had lost. My arms trembled during the downward dog, a reminder of the strength I lost. After turning 70 last year, I also discovered I had osteoporosis, making weight training a necessity. Uncomfortable with the idea of a large gym, I sought a smaller, more intimate setting within walking distance of my home.

I stumbled upon UpFit Training Academy in downtown Manhattan a few weeks before Christmas. It was the perfect location, class size, cleanliness, and atmosphere I was looking for to get back in shape. But what truly set it apart was that it is a minority-owned small business.

UpFit scheduled my evaluation on December 13th, an assessment that took into account my health history, fitness level, and personal goals. I started my training on December 16th. They didn't just give me a generic plan. They took the time to understand my needs and created a personalized training program tailored to my goals and limitations. They also helped me develop a nutrition plan.

Thanks to UpFit, I'm training three days a week, and my resting heart rate has improved to 60 BPM. I can now hold one-minute planks and bench press two 20-pound DBs. I've even started doing lunges again, something I haven't done in years. But it hasn't been an easy journey. The first week, I found myself questioning my decision, wondering, 'What the hell am I doing?' It was a realization of how out of shape I was. I even found myself thinking, 'Do these guys remember how old I am?' But instead of taking it easy on me, they kept pushing me to lift more weight or do more reps. Their unwavering support and encouragement inspired me to keep going, even when it was tough. But my age didn't have anything to do with it. The light bulb came on, and I got my act together. I look forward to every training session and know I can do it.

The Coaches are friendly and great at teaching proper movement, safety, and form and keeping the weight and exercises appropriate for each individual skill level. Personal training with small groups keeps me on track and not distracted by people moving around and having personal conversations when they should be breathing hard and not able to complete sentences. I love the accountability and the fact that I can push pass my limit and feel...

Upfit academy has truly transformed my life! If you are thinking about bettering yourself, lifestyle, body, and mental health, I highly recommend giving them a call. The trainers make you feel welcomed — all ages, body types, and training levels. I’ve trained with most of the trainers, and they’re all lovely. Paul especially is very motivating and a really stand out person. Same with Brian, Patri, the Davids, Josh, Darcey, and Jelani. I haven’t directly worked with Wes due to my work hours, but he’s been lovely as well. Chris helps with scheduling and is so sweet too. They’re the type of people who push you in a good way. They believe in your ability and potential for growth. I decided to train after law school where I neglected my physical and mental health needs and a year out from my wedding. I am also small framed, so the weight gain looked and felt significant. Since training for over a year now, I am stronger than I ever have been and transformed the way I approach my mental health, body, and food. For my wedding, I lost inches off my waist and was very happy with how I looked in my wedding dress. I’m also a lawyer with odd and on-call working hours, and they’re very flexible with my schedule. So don’t let your busy schedule sway you from not training. I even decided to stay with training after my wedding because this academy and the trainers truly made my life better. Please support them,...

One of the most appealing things that led me to the Upfit community three years ago was the class size and attention to detail in strength training. The trainers are all amazing; they tailor the workout routines specifically to you. You feel a sense of deep motivation when the community is rooting each other on. It is helpful when there is someone to guide you in the process, because strength training requires expert knowledge about proper form. There are days when I am definitely not in perfect form, but the team at Upfit motivates me to show up and give my best effort, which is very rewarding at the end.

The community varies in ages, so it is nice to see everyone going on their individual journey. I actually started off doing individual training for 3 months, but I moved towards 2-day-a-week group classes, which I really enjoyed. One of the trainers convinced me to start working out 3 days a week, which has made all the difference in the world.

I’m not a big corporate gym person; I even have a private gym in my building. However, I go to Upfit, because they provide consistency, motivation, proper technique education, strategy towards nutrition, goal setting, clean facilities, and accountability. I love the midtown location, but the downtown location is...