Located just off of Old Riverhead Road is a private, state of the art gym, locally owned and operated by Mr. Hoyt, a WHBHS gym teacher. Hoyt, who has a passion for all things fitness, played college lacrosse at Cortland University, and his gym bears the name of his jersey number- 7 Fitness.
Built into a commercial building with a barn-like structure, 7 Fitness opened in 2019 after it was completely refurbished and redecorated with new flooring, stairs and exercise equipment. Three years after opening, Hoyt purchased the second half of the building, doubling the size of the gym and expanding the amenities to include inhouse physical therapy, acupuncture, IV treatments, a sauna, ice bath and more.
Offering a variety of classes ranging in skill levels and types of movement, there is an opportunity for everyone to find a class that works for them at 7 Fitness. For high school and middle school student athletes interested in getting in shape for season, Hoyt recommends attending the 7 Sport Classes that run 3-4 days a week after school.
According to Hoyt, “The design of 7 Sport is to help athletes improve strength and conditioning, that will help their overall performance and hopefully prevent injuries. Not only are the athletes performing these movements during their workouts, they are learning techniques to help in their future workouts.” Although many highschool and future college athletes attend these classes, anyone, athlete or not, can benefit from these workouts.
Hoyt says athletes who participate in the 7 Fitness Sport Classes are constantly pushing themselves and each other and attending these classes are a great opportunity to “work with like-minded kids who are looking to improve their fitness for athletics.”
Additionally, those enrolled in the classes will also have access to several recovery tools, such as compression boots, red light therapy, and massage devices.
WHB Senior and varsity lacrosse captain Lily Graves, committed to continue her lacrosse career at Binghamton University, has been attending 7 Fitness for about three years now. She feels she has seen extreme growth in both her strength and endurance and says “I attend 7 Fitness rather than other gyms because of the privacy and equipment. The equipment is very nice, clean, and easy to use where in public gyms you may not always have an open machine to use.”
The quality and cleanliness of both the equipment and the space is superior to what any other gym in the area offers. Additionally, there is always a 7 Fitness staff member, whether that be Hoyt himself or Natalie Reilly, another fitness instructor at 7, who is ready to assist and teach any athlete who needs instruction or correction.
Another option for students looking for a gym membership would be joining the main gym on an annual or monthly membership. Another WHB senior and varsity lacrosse captain, Reese King, committed to play college lacrosse at the University of North Carolina, has been training for the spring lacrosse season at 7 Fitness. With an annual membership, King can workout in the privacy of the member-only gym whenever she likes, or can opt to join a class.
Going to the gym nearly every weekday, she uses Hoyt’s app, “Trainer” that provides the day’s workout, giving specific instructions about form and what weights to use. The app allows athletes to monitor their progress and shows their improvements over time.
Soon to be a D1 athlete, Reese says, “I feel the workouts I complete at 7 Fitness are definitely preparing me for the transition into college athletics. I am excited to go to team lifts in college and already have a very solid understanding of my abilities in the weight room and how to do everything.”
In all, 7 Fitness offers a variety of options and opportunities for high school students to get into shape for spring sports. Between the level of instruction, quality of equipment, assortment of amenities, and mindset of athletes attending the gym, 7 Fitness is the best gym in town!
For more information, you can visit their website at 7fitness.net or their instagram page, 7_fitnesswhb
