Reebok Thinks Inside the Box

t u e s d ay | 1 0 . 1 5 . 2 0 1 3 | E x p r e s s | 19
phys ed
fit
Reebok Thinks Inside the Box
Find CrossFit-specific
gear and classes at
the brand’s new store
nequin holding dumbbells is the
store’s CrossFit section, which
showcases how seriously Reebok
takes its partnership with the conditioning program.
FitHubs are designed to resemble CrossFit boxes (that’s CrossFit
lingo for gyms), with rings and
ropes dangling from above, kettlebells and medicine balls hanging out in cubbies and jump boxes
taking the place of chairs.
There’s also a giant board, similar to what boxes often use to post
the workout of the day. On this one,
Jennifer Maanavi, left, and Tanya
Becker founded Physique 57.
shower, while Becker has found a
move she can do even when going
through paperwork: She lies on her
belly and lifts her upper body like
cobra pose in yoga.
“It feels so good after sitting,”
Becker says.
It also feels good to be successful
in a male-dominated field. Although
men own the major gym chains,
women have a real opportunity
in boutique fitness, Maanavi says.
“We had to prove we had a business and not a hobby,” she says.
Now, everyone can see how strong
they are. vick y hallet t (e xpress)
teddy wolff (for Express)
Andrea Ferry is attempting to take
every single exercise class in Washington. Since she moved to town
six weeks ago, her schedule has
been packed with so much dancing, lifting, jumping and running
that she’s dropped 10 pounds from
her already petite frame.
What’s Ferry been training so
hard for? Saturday’s grand opening
of Reebok FitHub Georgetown
(1251 Wisconsin Ave. NW), where
she’s the fitness ambassador.
It’s the brand’s third such concept store in the U.S. — there’s one
in New York and another in a mall
near Boston. The fitness ambassador at each store is responsible
for sending customers home with
not just the right gear but also
new ideas about where and how
to work out.
“I’m finding instructors who
are fitfluential,” says Ferry, who’s
been inviting her favorites to teach
classes at the store. At least once
a week, the racks will be rolled to
the sides to make room for a free
workout.
Even when the store doesn’t
have a scheduled event, Ferry — a
certified CrossFit coach — hopes
to give customers more than they
customers can see information that
Ferry has scribbled about upcoming events and pick from a collection of cards with sample CrossFit workouts.
Reebok’s CrossFit apparel is
geared specifically to that style
of training — men’s shorts have
drawstring waists that won’t ride
up with a barbell, long socks protect shins from bruising, and sports
bras leave extra space in the back
for large lat muscles.
Even the shoe collection emphasizes the CrossFit connection. The
most prominent pairs ($85-$120)
are ones made to withstand the
rigors of heavy weightlifting and
rope climbing.
But there are also plenty of
products for other kinds of exercise, says Ferry, who points out
the reflective details in the running gear and the feminine touches in the dance line. At the back
of the store is the “Classics” section, which features retro Reebok
designs.
Ferry expects customers to
aggressively try out the gear.
Changing rooms have diagrams
on the walls showing how to do
squats and lunges. Customers can
also use the agility ladders painted on the floor, or go for a test jog.
That’s how people can ensure
that a workout will actually work,
Ferry says. vick y hallet t (e xpress)
Andrea Ferry, center, fitness ambassador for Reebok FitHub Georgetown, leads impromptu kettlebell workouts at the store.
Details
The main event for the Reebok
FitHub Georgetown grand opening
on Saturday is a series of CrossFit
workouts for all levels starting at
1 p.m. See details at balancegym.com/
reebokfithub. Also on the schedule
for this month: a cross-training Burn
class from Washington Sports Clubs
at 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, a YaLa
dance workout at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 24
and a 5K training program that kicks
off at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 30. v.h.
bargained for. People who have
been wandering into the FitHub
since the store’s soft opening last
week have been greeted with a fitness challenge: How fast can you
do 10 burpees? (Ferry’s best time
is just under 17 seconds.)
That’s only the first question.
Ferry also wants to hear shoppers’
fitness goals, so she can customize her FitHub tour.
All tours start with a walk
along a wall of graphic T-shirts,
including several with D.C.-specific designs ($20). Just past a man-
Physique 57 founders
head to D.C. to help
women find strength
Physical strength can play a role
in an executive’s ability to punch
through that glass ceiling.
That’s why Jennifer Maanavi
and Tanya Becker, founders of
the barre-based workout program
Physique 57, will be warming up
attendees at the Fortune Most
Powerful Women Summit in
Washington this week. The event
also will feature appearances
by Facebook’s Sheryl Sandberg,
Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan
and Yahoo! CEO Marissa Mayer.
“Our mission is to show women
they’re stronger than they think
they are,” says Maanavi, who joined
forces with Becker in 2005 to launch
Physique 57, which has since become
an established fitness business with
studios in New York, Los Angeles
and Dubai, as well as a book, DVDs
and online workouts. (D.C. could be
in contention for a future studio;
it’s where Maanavi’s in-laws live.)
They know how tough it is for
busy women to make time for exercise. Even working in the fitness
industry, both of them manage to
squeeze in workouts only when
they’re scheduled — or sneaked in
at any available moment.
Maanavi does pushups before
bed and hamstring stretches in the
physique 57
Ready to Reach the Summit