They’re here to pump — you up!
Two brawny young Brooklynites want to bring the gym to your front door. The service — called “Gym Guyz” — sends trainers and a truck full of workout gear to clients’ homes in Bay Ridge.
The neighborhood — home to a veterans hospital, countless seniors, and a dearth of parking — is a gold mine for a door-to-door workout service, the business owner said.
“Bay Ridge is a great location for us,” said 21-year-old franchisee and Marine Park resident Michael Hjalte. “Parking can be very tough, so not everyone wants to look for a spot when they come home from the gym.”
The former St. Edmund Prep baseball player was looking to start a business, and purchasing an on-the-go gym franchise came with no heavy lifting, he said.
“Gym Guyz kind of just fell into our laps — my mom overheard her chiropractor talking about it at his office,” Hjalte said.
But Hjalte needed a second trainer, so he hired a friend that he met slamming weights at the Harbor Fitness in Marine Park, and now the two 20-somethings are pumped to hit the streets — even if the idea of running a business at such a tender age is a bit daunting.
“I’m really excited,” said 22-year-old trainer Mike Cronin. “I know they’re taking a little bit of a risk. I’m definitely young, but I’m certified, and I really like the concept.”
About one-quarter of the neighborhood’s population is over the age of 65, and the pair of iron pumpers are preparing for that reality by getting certified for “corrective exercise.”
“We’re trying to work in and for community,” Cronin said. “Corrective exercise really highlights on people who have had past surgeries or injuries. And in my experience with the elderly population, somewhere along the line, they’ve hurt themselves — or have arthritis.”
The pair will make individualized workout plans for each client and meet them wherever is convenient — work, home, or in the park, Hjalte said.
They’ll use a van to get to clients, but at the end of the day, they’ll still have to carry equipment in and out of peoples’ homes — but that prospect doesn’t bother either instructor.
“We’re young — it’s not like we’re bringing 100-pound dumb bells,” Hjalte said.
They plan to launch by June.
