Brooklyn Gets New CKO Kickboxing in Williamsburg

BROOKLYN, Nov. 5, 2012 /PRNewswire/ -- CKO Kickboxing, one of the fastest growing health fitness franchises, will open a new cardio kickboxing gym at 60 Broadway, in the Williamsburg section of Brooklyn, in the Gretsch Building on Monday, November 5. The high quality cross training gym provides a family friendly setting to Williamsburg residents who are looking for an alternative to Pilates, yoga, martial arts and spinning classes.

"We're excited to offer cardio boxing classes in Williamsburg," said Christine Cascio, co-owner of CKO-Williamsburg, which has 55 heavy bags in its 6,000 square-foot gym and includes a weight training section. The facility offers classes 7 days a week.

For the opening, discounted membership rates will be offered.

"I came to CKO out of sorrow and illness. I had lost my husband of 15 years and I had a bout with cancer," said Cascio. "I came to CKO-Bay Ridge in January of 2011. My cousin brought me. She wanted to try it. Reluctantly, I went. She wanted me to get off the couch. I was 70 pounds overweight, from depression."

She liked CKO's unique approach to fitness kickboxing.

"I loved it. I wanted to continue. I never felt like this before. It was such a release of so many different things. It made me feel strong. I kept going 2-3 times a week. Then every day and then 2 times a day." 

"I realized I wanted to do this for a living. I wanted to inspire other people to get moving," she said.

She knew she wanted to work with co-owners Matthew Acquista (who worked as an instructor at CKO Carroll Gardens for one year) and Ben Bongiorno, who has been a Personal Trainer since 2007; together they opened the CKO-Bay Ridge location in June 2010.

Long-time friends Acquista and Bongiorno both have extensive backgrounds in fitness and were the youngest to open a CKO Kickboxing location when they did.

"They really inspired me. They saw something in me. They knew I had the drive. They worked so hard to build Bay Ridge up to staggering numbers. I couldn't have partnered with two better people. They're know-how of the CKO concept has helped so much in helping build what Williamsburg is going to become," she said.

CKO Kickboxing Williamsburg will post its kickboxing class schedule online.

"CKO Kickboxing is a true nationwide sports fitness franchise with gyms from coast to coast," said Joe Andreula, Founder of CKO Kickboxing, one of America's fastest growing franchises according to industry standard Entrepreneur Magazine, which included the kickboxing gym franchise in its Franchise 500 list of best franchises. The magazine also rated CKO Kickboxing as the 48th top new franchise in 2011.

"CKO Kickboxing is emerging as one of the leading fitness franchise opportunities in the country," he said. CKO Kickboxing also was named a 2012 Military Friendly Franchise^® by G.I. Jobs Magazine.

CKO Kickboxing continues to grow because new franchise owners receive ongoing training on how to run a business and the coaching on the latest trends in health and fitness.

"We treat our franchisee owners like they are family, because they are," Andreula said. "They aren't numbers or faceless profit centers. They are people who we want to help succeed. That's why so many people, including former military members, want to take advantage of our fitness franchise opportunity."

"Fitness kickboxing is a fast-growing health trend. People who have tried to lose weight with yoga, Pilates and spin classes are now getting in shape by joining kickboxing gyms, he said. Kickboxing is the perfect way to cross train," he said.

For more information about franchising, go to www.ckokickboxing.com/fitness-franchise.html

For information about CKO Kickboxing-Williamsburg, go to www.ckokickboxing.com/brooklyn-williamsburg.html

SOURCE CKO Kickboxing