Elements Fitness Studio is out to reinvent the gym.
Elements Fitness Studio founder and head trainer Andrea Fornarola Hunsberger.
Dancer, performer, actor, fitness guru: Andrea Fornarola Hunsberger, it seems, can do it all. And with Elements Fitness Studio, she brings all her glorious expertise to East Hampton. But this is no ordinary gym. “At Elements,” she says, “we are 100% client focused and experience driven, meaning our brand goal is to meet and service clients in every element of their daily lives.” On offer are Hunsberger’s signature classes like Barre Toned, Barre Dance and Barre Sweat, which she has developed and perfected over 15 years in the biz.
Here, expect customized, small-group and private classes that put wellness at the forefront. “We encourage our clients to take a holistic total-body approach to health and wellness,” she explains. “We realize that their wellness experience needs to extend past our studio walls.” This ethos comes to life in the form of seminars with lauded wellness professionals, introducing clients to emerging trends in the field and fostering partnerships with like- minded brands.
The East Hampton studio.
In the wake of the pandemic, Elements, like so many other businesses, has gone digital—expanding its online presence and getting creative with its client services. For VIPs, private in-home training takes the form of digital small- group classes over secure platforms to protect privacy. The studio, in fact, has even equipped top clients with custom equipment free of cost for their home gyms during the crisis.
As New York slowly— and cautiously—begins to reopen, Hunsberger says, “We are very excited to welcome our clients back to the barre.” Beyond investing in digital classes, an on-demand platform and a custom app, Elements has been hard at work ensuring the safety of its studios in New York City and East Hampton, including a new ballet barre partition in accordance with #socialdistancing and a UV light system to assist in sanitizing weights and mats. “This new normal,” she adds, “has allowed us to redefine the standards that we continue to hold true to and that define us as a brand.” 68 Newtown Lane, Ste. 6, East Hampton, elementsfitnessstudio.com
It’s bathing suit season and that means it’s time to up our buns- and-abs-of-steel regimen. For strong glutes and core, Hunsberger recommends low-impact yet highly effective “back dancing.” She trains us on her go-to move. On a mat, lying flat on your back with your knees bent at a 90-degree angle and both feet on the floor, slowly squeeze from the glutes and press the hips toward the sky in a bridge pose. (It’s important to keep the shoulder blades on the ground and the abs tight.) Repeat this movement at a slow pace, then at a faster pace—similar to dancing to the beat of the music. Continue for three to four minutes. Follow the exercise with a crossbody low-back stretch.
Photography by: Chris Fanning
