New Inclusive Gym to Hit Rockland

In the New City shopping center there stands a large Goodyear warehouse. For the past 20 or so years, that warehouse has sat vacant. Coming in the late fall of 2025 this building will be receiving a breath of fresh air, transformed alongside many of the renovations taking place in New City as the county’s first inclusive and adaptive fitness space. Jake Allyne, a fitness professional with fifteen years of experience and the CEO of Breakthrough Fit Co., spoke with the RCT regarding this exciting change to the New City area. 

Allyne stumbled upon the world of adaptive fitness after spending eight years working in the fitness industry on the Upper East Side. Allyne swiftly fell in love with the people he met working in the sphere of adaptive fitness, but through this work realized that many fitness spaces were not as accommodating or welcoming to individuals with special needs. This motivated him to continue his education and flip the script on who is welcome in the gym world. 

Then a funny little pandemic hit. As was the case with many ventures the  RCT has reported on, the pandemic presented as a halt to business entirely but ended up being the jumping off point for an even more successful idea.

Allyne put his skills in accommodation to the test and transitioned his classes onto Zoom. Allyne’s neighbor, Stephen Goodman, saw Jake lugging fitness equipment to his garage and the two struck up a conversation. Goodman had found deep satisfaction and joy in his past volunteering for the New York Special Olympics, and with a background in finance the two were a match made in Covid. Goodman now does double duty as Allyne’s “partner in crime” and as the CFO at Breakthrough Fit Co. 

After opening a Breakthrough Fit Co. in Westchester about four years ago, Allyne was thrilled when requests for another location came from his home county of Rockland.

The team at Breakthrough Fit Co. understands that every person moves and communicates in their own unique way and that this uniqueness should never be a barrier to health and fitness. Jakes stated that their main goal is always “…empowering people to be 1% better every day.”

At Breakthrough Fit Co., empowering people comes from creating a space that welcomes everyone and their special abilities. This looks like adaptive equipment for individuals who use wheelchairs or assistive hand grips for people with cerebral palsy, utilizing tools like visual schedules or implementing Augmentive and Alternative Communication devices, or AACs through a program called TouchChat. “We call it a voice for people that can’t communicate,” shared Allyne. Allyne is working to have trainers film videos of themselves performing various exercises for visual learners, as well as those who want to share what exercises they want to do but do not have the vocal capacity to do so. “Our goal [is to] break the norm of what the perceived day to day is for these individuals and provide a space where people can see everyone is capable in their own right,” said Allyne.

Allyne stated that through his time in the fitness industry he has witnessed a stubborn misconception that individuals with different abilities need experiences “watered down”. He says this could not be further from the truth. Scrolling through the Breakthrough Fit Co. Instagram, visitors find people of all shapes, sizes and needs undertaking training that is sure to make many sore just from watching. “I tell people its a gym like you would see anywhere else but it’s the mentality and the energy behind what we’re doing…it’s going to change the way people perceive this community of amazing individuals that I think is misunderstood and underserved,” shared Allyne.

Those interested in seeking training through Breakthrough Fit Co. can get in contact through their website at breakthroughfitco.com or by reaching out through Instagram @breakthroughfitco. After initial contact, a phone consultation is set up to get to know one another, then deciding if it would be best to move forward with a complimentary assessment or trying out one of the small-group Ignite classes. Breakthrough takes clients on a primarily appointment only basis occasionally holding small group classes. These small adaptive classes allow trainers to best facilitate and accommodate clients.

Breakthrough Fit Co. is approved through many self direction agencies in New York. Individuals with different needs sometimes receive a budget through the government. Unfortunately, Allyne stated, it can be difficult to find places that accept this government budget. Breakthrough Fit Co. bills the self direction agencies directly, lifting the weight of extra paperwork off of families’ backs. 

“What we really want to do is just continue to plant communities, train trainers, and create an ecosystem for inclusion…” said Allyne. Allyne and Goodman envision a space where step by step and lift by lift all members of the community can reach their fitness goals together.