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“We help clients improve their speed, strength, power and performance, said co-owner Dan Goodman.
He and partner Joe Riggio started their company 10 years ago in New Jersey where both grew up - Goodman went to Northern Valley Regional High School at Demarest and Riggio to West Milford High School.
The men were high school and college athletes. In fact, Goodman trained with Riggio before deciding to join him in running the gym.
“We started in New Jersey, then moved to Old Tappan. Two years ago there was an opportunity to buy property near the New Jersey-New York border and we relocated here.
The training facility at 337 Blaisdell Road has clients from 10 to 65.
“Our sweet spot is we have hundreds of high school and college athletes, but also over 150 adults who are general population training clients," Goodman said.
The company has enjoyed "a natural growth" form its early roots as strictly a place for professional and school athletes to train.
"We are a private facility and train athletes. All our coaches are strength and conditioning coaches, with college degrees and practical applications, but we also train adults,” Goodman said.
The gym’s coaches include a former NFL player, two competing on a national level for Strong Man, and a woman on the USA Bobsled team.
"We started just training athletes. Joe started the business and I was one of his athletes. The relationship fostered from there. We ran the gym for four years, then started to take athlete's parents on to train privately. There were no group classes, but we said, 'Are we missing the ball? Training is popular for everyone.' Now we have over 30 classes a week and 150 members," Goodman recounted.
When clients come in they have a goal-setting assessment. Athletes are evaluated for their performance and human movement.
In addition, gym members have to take three private training sessions before they can start classes.
“We protect the integrity of what we do here. We train a lot of local high school athletes, collegiate athletes and a handful of pro athletes train here," said Goodman.
Click here for more information about Varsity House Gym or call (201) 767-1305.
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