New fitness studio offers up workout camaraderie



When Ryan McDonagh decided to open a Burn Boot Camp location in Garden City, he did it to establish a strong sense of fitness community. The main mission behind the BBC theory is to build confidence, happiness and fitness disciplines into the lives of people.

McDonagh, who lives in Manhattan, said that Burn Boot Camp is a franchise establishment with over three-hundred locations across the country. The new location, located at 910 Franklin Avenue, is the first one to open on Long Island.

“I chose to open this location in Garden City because the Village is central to a lot of things and has a great sense of community spirit,” said McDonagh. “I was somewhat familiar with the area, because my father had graduated from Adelphi University and my college roommate was from the Village.”

What makes BBC unique is that it has a floating floor, which is positioned seven inches off the ground. The floor moves with the motion of the body and is meant to alleviate the stress of high-intensity workouts through shock-absorption ratio.

“The floor cushions the blows to the joints during each workout session and is much more forgiving than a concrete floor would be,” said McDonagh. “It is especially helpful for people who are carrying extra weight or are suffering from some type of injury.”

The workouts are performed in 45minute intervals, which are focused on both strength and cardio training. The gym is stocked with all workout essentials, including free weights, kettlebells, jump-ropes, resistance bands and hurdles.

Classes at the new facility will include things like plyometric training, high-intensity interval training and one-on-one fitness training.

McDonagh is a former athlete who played lacrosse at Villanova university.

“Fitness is always something I’ve been interested in, and when I graduated college I really delved into the details of the health and wellness field. I wanted to be involved in something that makes people feel better and gives them more confidence.”

He said that while living in Manhattan, he got involved in the Soul Cycle and Boutique Fitness workout craze.

“I tried a lot of things to get back into shape, but when a family friend opened a Burn Boot Camp, I was immediately hooked. I thought it offered up such an amazing fitness product and a sense of community all rolled into one.”

He said that working in the real estate market for several years, gave him the “entrepreneurial bug” and he wanted to open his own franchise location.

The grand opening of Burn Boot Camp is set for early December with a followup ribbon-cutting ceremony planned thereafter.

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