Owners of gyms and fitness centers throughout Long Island have had to figure out how reinvent themselves while helping people maintain their fitness goals after Governor Andrew Cuomo ordered the temporary closure of all gyms about a month ago. NXT GEN Fitness and Performance Training, a gym in Port Washington, has been offering virtual fitness classes via the Zoom app for people of all ages.
Adam and Evy Cirker opened NXT GEN Fitness in 2011, wanting to create a gym that offers fitness for every level, as well as a safe place for kids to be able to exercise alongside their parents.
“We want to be able to offer general fitness for everybody,” Adam Cirker said. “We can train anybody at any age in anything that they want to do. The reason why we did this was because as a parent, having a young mentor for our kids was always an important thing. We want NXT GEN to be a safe place for kids. I think it’s a really great resource for parents in this neighborhood.”
The Zoom classes are taught by NXT GEN’S personal trainers, each class is taught for one hour twice a day with alternatives/moderations to each move so those in the beginning, intermediate and advanced levels can all get a workout in. Participants can experience a full body workout with a dozen essential movements. Those with more advanced equipment like dumbbells or those with an everyday item such as a backpack can still experience a workout that meets their fitness level.
NXT GEN will also be offering five-minute virtual classes for children. The classes will feature basic movements for children of all age groups.
As a way to give back to the Port Washington community, NXT GEN also rented out their fitness equipment to their members to help them stay fit during quarantine.
Since its inception in 2011, NXT GEN has been a staple in the Port Washington community, offering the opportunity for people in the community to get to know each other and develop both fitness goals and friendships. NXT GEN Fitness has also given back to the Port Washington community, participating in a number of charity events such as the Navy Seals Foundation, Barbells for Boobs and Movember, in total they have raised more than $50,000 for local charities.
After the stay at home orders are lifted, NXT GEN Fitness hopes to offer fitness sessions to those in the health care industry as a way to give back to those on the front lines fighting this pandemic.
“We were talking about possibly giving sessions to those who are part of the healthcare system,” coach Mike Monaco said. “Offering them a way back to normalcy, where they can come and work out on us after this is over. I think this is an important way of giving back after the situation, not just during. We want to give back as much as possible to those who helped us during this time.”
Fitness classes are offered via Zoom twice a day at 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. To participate in the classes, direct message @NXTGENFITNESSPW on Instagram. Visit www.nxtgenfitness.com for more information about NXT GEN Fitness.
