By Ashley M. Casey
Associate Editor
While many people join a gym to improve the way they look, Blink Fitness believes there is more than meets the eye when it comes to staying in shape.
“We are the gym that puts mood above muscle. We believe that exercise isn’t just about looking good — it’s about how it makes you feel,” said J.J. Potrikus, area manager for Blink Fitness Upstate New York.
Blink Fitness opened its first Upstate New York location eight months ago at 4979 W. Taft Road in Liverpool. Plans are in the works to open gyms in Onondaga and Greece, outside of Rochester. Potrikus said Blink will have “300 locations nationwide in the next three years.”
According to Potrikus, what makes Blink different from other gyms is its “feel-good experience.” The colors of the gym are carefully chosen with mood in mind: papaya orange for invigoration, wave blue for productivity and lime green for tranquility, with energetic music, bright lighting and plenty of open space for members to work out.
“I’ve been a member of a bunch of different gyms. There’s not many other gyms that focus on those types of things,” Potrikus said. “We’ve gone in with a culture of greeting people with enthusiasm and respect. Cleanliness and friendliness are absolutely paramount to what we’re doing.”
When gym members walk in the door, employees called “mood lifters” greet them and call out encouragement when they head out the door after their workouts.
“You’ll leave the gym and someone will be like, ‘You killed it today — you did a great job today,’” Potrikus said. “They leave with a positive vibe and a good energy.”
Blink employees are expected to pitch in to keep the premises sparkling as well.
“They can tell we are always reinvesting in the gym. We’re always going to be super friendly, we’re always going to be super clean and we’re always going to be super affordable,” Potrikus said. “If we continue to do those three things at a high standard, our members really connect with that.”
Blink staffers are honing their connections with gym members, Potrikus said, by making it a goal to greet members by name.
“Even from our interview process … we’re seeking those energetic and highly motivated, top-notch people who we know are going to greet you with enthusiasm,” Potrikus said.
Another pillar of Blink’s feel-good experience is personalization. Each new member receives a free session with a personal trainer and access to Blink’s app, which offers recipes, relaxation tips and workouts from partners such as Zumba and Yogaworks.
“Based on what you’re looking up and what your fitness and wellness goals might be, it will suggest stuff to help you meet those fitness and wellness goals,” Potrikus said.
In its location on Taft Road, Blink has found a symbiotic relationship with the Wegmans grocery store in the same plaza. Potrikus said the Onondaga and Greece locations will be in Wegmans plazas as well.
“The relationship with Wegmans has been incredible. … It’s been a phenomenal partnership,” he said. “It makes sense: People who want to exercise … want to eat well so they can go shopping after their workout.”
Potrikus said a person’s success in their fitness journey is cumulative. The better they feel, the more likely they are to continue their gym routine and develop other healthy habits.
“It doesn’t matter what the scale says, it matters how you feel after that workout,” he said. “It makes you want to eat a little bit healthier, it makes you want to drink a little more water, you’re smiling a little bit more. It’s more than how the actual exercising makes you feel. It’s how the staff makes you feel.”
‘Community Sweat’
Blink Fitness and Lululemon Syracuse are hosting a “Community Sweat” at 10 a.m. Saturday, July 27, at Blink Liverpool. The class will feature HIIT/circuit training.
Blink Fitness is located at 4979 W. Taft Road, Liverpool, in the Wegmans Plaza. To learn more, visit blinkfitness.com/locations/liverpool.
