Fit to Print Volume 22, Issue 4 : December 2013 | Page 9

T h i r t y Ye a r s

By Janet Lang

First Class Ever
The Start of Something Extraordinary

Kelly

A

s the thirty year anniversary of
Fitness Incentive approaches in
August 2014, it really brings back
some wonderful memories of how it all
started. I was actually fortunate and
lucky enough to be part of the “birth” of
Fitness Incentive way back in 1984. The
1980's was the birth of Jazzercise, Jane
Fonda Workout videos, Richard Simmons,
high top Reebok sneakers, sweat bands
and leg warmers. Gyms were becoming
all the rage and exercise was becoming
popular not only to lose weight but as a
life style. Up to this point, I had never
exercised a day in my life (truth be told, I
barley passed gym in high school!). Cor
had been exercising in some capacity her
whole life.
Cor and I met on the Long Island Railroad
commuting into Manhattan in 1981. Little
did I know how much this meeting would
change my life. Early on we realized we
had a lot in common, we worked across
the street from one another on Park
Avenue, loved fashion and shopping. She
was very sneaky about getting me into
exercise without me even realizing it!
She would suggest that we not take the
subway to work and walk, briskly, to the
Upper East Side from Penn Station. If it
was raining and we took the subway, we
didn't use the escalators, we took the
stairs. That doesn't sound like much of a
workout but if you are at all familiar with

exercise certifications together. I began
teaching in the city and Cor began
building The Best Gym on Long Island. I
would love to take classes at Fitness
Incentive when I would be on Long Island
for the weekends, even back then it had a
special energy. In 1995 I moved back to
Long Island, started working at Fitness
Incentive on Main Street and witnessed
how hard work, perseverance and
pursuing your passion can create
something exceptional. As Fitness
Incentive grew and Ken became more
involved it really blossomed into the
Fitness Incentive it is today. Working at
Fitness Incentive has allowed me to
pursue my passions in both fitness and
fashion, create a healthy lifestyle for
myself and my family, and I have met
people that have inspired me and become
lifelong friends. I want to wish Cor and
Ken a Happy Thirty Year Anniversary of
Fitness Incentive and thank them for their
support, guidance and encouragement
over the years. I feel privileged to have
been there to witness the start of
something extraordinary!

the “E” train stop at 53rd street and
Lexington Avenue you know what I'm
talking about. The subway platform is
eighty feet below the street level.
Needless to say it was a very long,
steep stairway (pre Stairmaster). Even
today when we go to the city on buying
trips for the boutique, NO ESCALTORS
ALLOWED! On our lunch hour we would
travel around the city taking classes at
various gyms (leg warmers and all).
One day we would be down in the
village at Crunch Fitness and the next
day at the YMCA on 53rd street or at
Molly Fox Studios on the Upper East
Side. On Friday nights, while most 20
year olds were at happy hour, a group
of us would be at Cor's house where we
would move the furniture out of her
living room and she would host an
exercise class and the vision that has
become Fitness Incentive was born.
Janet Lang manages Secretly Chic, the
Boutique at Fitness Incentive. She is also
Cor's passion for exercise and more
a Certified Group Fitness Instructor and long-time
importantly for inspiring and helping
instructor at Fitness Incentive.
people be the best
they can be was
evident back then.
She started
planning and
talking about how
she was going to
DURING THIS HOLIDAY SEASON!
open her own
aerobic studio one
day which has
turned out to be
much more than
an aerobic studio
or your typical
gym. Fitness
COME SEE, SELECT AND ENJOY ALL THE COLOR
Incentive is like no
AND TEXTURE YOU HAVE ALWAYS DREAMED OF.
other place on the
SILHOUETTE WINDOW SHADINGS
planet.
Shop at Home Available! Drapery,
AMERICAN DESIGN
In August, 1984 I
& CRAFTSMANSHIP
Pillows, Valances Upholstery, Wallpaper
was lucky enough
And Table Pads All Available Just For
to be part of the
You.
inaugural class at
Fitness Incentive
in their first
location on Grove
Place. I got
married in
September, 1984
and moved to
Manhattan and
over the next 11
years Cor and I
kept in touch, ?????)??????????????)M????!????????
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