BY GLORIA STRAVELLI
Staff Writer
CHRIS KELLY staff Owners Alyssa and Bernie Bray insist on keeping Freedom Fitness in Long Branch a “no-musclehead zone.” Alyssa Bray knows that sometimes the first step into a fitness center is the hardest one to take.”I got a call from a guy that was over 350 pounds. He didn’t want to come in because he was embarrassed,” said Bray, co-owner with her husband, Bernie, of Freedom Fitness in Long Branch.
“He didn’t want to walk in the door. I told him, ‘Come in. I’ll meet you downstairs.’ I went downstairs and waited for him, and we walked upstairs together. Then I popped him right on a treadmill. He lost 50 pounds!”
That one-on-one support is what the Brays say sets their independent fitness center apart from the competition and is the reason the couple recently marked 20 years in the fitness business.
The Brays opened Freedom Fitness, located on the second floor of 200 Ocean Ave., in 1993, well before the redevelopment got under way in Long Branch.
Bernie was looking to expand and go out on his own after operating a franchise gym on Monmouth Street in Red Bank since 1986.
“We outgrew the location and a lot of members came from towns like Long Branch, Monmouth Beach and Little Silver,” he explained.
Besides the large space – Freedom Fitness occupies 11,000 square feet – the ocean view and the nearby boardwalk, which was conducive to cycling and in-line skating, convinced him to relocate to the city.
“I told my wife we were moving to Long Branch and she said, ‘You’re crazy, it’s a horrible area,’ ” admitted Bernie, laughing.
The move proved a good one and the business has thrived.
“In February we had our best month ever,” said Alyssa, who attributes the gym’s success to its friendly ambience.
“Every gym has the same equipment. Every one has what we have,” she said. “But we’re not a fishbowl and that’s big. We’re much more personal, we have a small club atmosphere.”
The gym in Red Bank had been a magnet for body builders but in Long Branch, the couple wanted to encourage a clientele that tended more toward busy executives and homemakers so they cultivated a welcoming environment.
The first rule of the house: Freedom Fitness would be a “no musclehead zone.”
“The general population comes into a gym and they think it’s intimidating,” said Bernie. “There are people throwing weights around; everybody’s all in nice little outfits and in great shape.
“Here, we have a ‘no musclehead zone,’ and people love it. They come in and say that’s exactly why they never went to a gym.”
The gym’s appeal cuts through generations; clientele at the fitness center ranges in age from 14- to 83-year-olds and includes parents and children who work out together, he said.
“We’re trying to cater to the mainstream market, the average person,” Bernie said. “It’s the neighborhood gym. We know everybody’s name when they come in.
“It’s not set up like a fishbowl. It’s not wide-open spaces with cardio equipment in front of the windows so people are all on display. Unless you’re in the one percentile who works out consistently, it’s intimidating.”
That doesn’t mean that someone who’s serious about fitness and working out is excluded at Freedom Fitness.
“We’re a full-service facility with all the equipment the big-name gyms have like treadmills, elliptical trainers, cross trainers, recumbent and upright bikes, so if you’re serious about fitness, this is the place,” he said.
And, equipment is turned over every three years, so the gym always has the newest and best equipment.
In addition, the Brays put in a lot of time and hire only qualified help.
“Between us, we are always around,” said Bernie, a former accountant who manages the business side of the fitness center, while Alyssa oversees day-to-day operations and staffing. She’s also a certified personal trainer and nutrition counselor.
An important way the Brays have kept Freedom Fitness accessible is through pricing.
“It’s affordable for everybody,” Bernie said. “We get a lot of families who work out.”
At Freedom Fitness there is a $49 enrollment fee plus just $19 month, a price that’s guaranteed for as long as a patron maintains membership.
Hours of operation are 5:30 a.m.-10 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 7 a.m.-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.
The Brays said they avoid fads in fitness, sticking to what they know works.
“A lot of times our business has suffered because if we don’t believe in the ‘latest thing,’ we don’t put our name on it,” Bernie said. “Over 20 years there’s been every kind of new thing out there. We research it and if it doesn’t work, we don’t have it.
“We take pride in what we do. We’re here every day trying to help people in a positive way. We want to make sure everybody can come in and exercise at whatever level they’re at and feel comfortable,” Bernie added.
“I’ve been telling people for 20 years that you don’t need to do a lot, just be consistent,” Bernie continued. “The goal is to get your body to the level where you feel comfortable. You have to have realistic goals.”
“It’s not all about the body,” Alyssa added. “A lot of times it’s having a place where you can feel comfortable. When you walk in, you’re greeted with ‘How’s it going?’
“People don’t always have to change their body, they just have to enjoy coming here and feel comfortable. … We do it the right way, and the path is fun.”

