New Studio Opening: Studio 14 In Portchester
Stretch And Spin Meet For A Total Workout
Smack dab in the middle of Portchester’s bustling business area sits the new Studio 14 Indoor Cycling and Yoga, a high-end fitness experience that offers yoga, indoor cycling, boot camp workouts, and Westchester County’s first-of-it’s kind cycling/yoga hybrid classes.
Sound interesting? Right now, along with plenty of free parking and a commuter-friendly walk-to-the-train location, Studio 14 is offering two complimentary classes for all first time visitors who are willing to come give it a spin.
The brainchild of New York City yogini Gwen Lawrence and skilled fitness experts, Jonny Rothschild, Dennis Briscoe and Thomas Martinetti, Studio 14 is a state-of-the-art fitness space with a variety of programs catering to all levels. “We consider ourselves a place to treat the entire person,” says Gwen, who began thinking about the
idea for a studio while teaching yoga to a group of New York City cyclers with too much spin in their lives and not enough stretch. “To me,” she says, “the combination of the two disciplines – yoga and cycling- fit perfectly.” Luckily, her partner Jonny agreed and the wheels of Studio 14 were set in motion.
Gwen brings to the studio a vast knowledge of yogic principles as well as anatomy, athletics and nutrition. Celebrity-endorsed by the likes of Letterman and others, she teaches yoga to New York’s Giants, Yankees and Red Bulls among other pro and college teams. Jonny, an accomplished endurance athlete, is an NASM certified personal trainer, a certified indoor cycling instructor and an official Ironman Triathlete. Their partners, Dennis and Thomas, are the principal owners of Rye Health and Fitness, a personal training studio based in Rye.
Altogether, the new 5,000 square foot Studio 14 location houses two large studios in addition to a smaller space for privates and small group training sessions. The cycling room with stadium seating includes 40 Keiser M3+ bikes, HD TV and a high-tech video projection screen for competition and simulated course rides. The yoga studio is spacious, zen and large enough to accommodate 40+ yoga mats.
While the schedule is still developing, right now there are plenty of options and classes start at 5:45 in the morning, so even commuters can get there. So far, they have everything from power vinyasa and teen yoga to themed cycling classes and beginner rides. But what sets the studio apart is their trademark S14 CYCLE class featuring 40 minutes of high energy cycling followed by a 14 minute yoga set designed by Gwen. CYCLE YOGA, their other hybrid class, promises a full body workout in just one hour. Built upon yoga and cycling’s similar principles of using breath and core to go deep, the class is 30 minutes of powerful cycling finished with another half hour to flow, strengthen, stretch and cool down.
Since its recent grand opening earlier this month, Studio 14 has instituted an impressive community outreach program titled “14 for 14” as a way of giving back to the local community they have already embraced. Their hope is to partner with 14 charities a year.
--Susie Rubin
