ENTREPRENEUR’S CORNER

Sean Cronin & Elena Sokina, NYLO Fitness

By Bailey Beckett

The discreet, four-level building in TriBeCa might not scream fitness, but it’s not supposed to. Instead, NYLO is New York’s new lifestyle-design studio to embrace “Bio-Psycho-Social,” a formula founders Sean Cronin and Elena Sokina designed to embrace all aspects of their client’s lives. As a result, NYLO is a holistic, tranquil, and body-affirming experience no other can match, not even physical training, diet and even the environment.

“Our society is not set up to encourage health,” says Cronin. “At NYLO, we look at every aspect of your life. Your mind, your body, and how you interact with the world. We facilitate natural systems of movement, nutrition, and mindful relationships with ourselves and others to build strength and resilience.”

New York Lifestyles talked to Cronin about NYLO, which opens this fall.

What is the concept, and what will it encompass?
We believe that natural systems are inherently regenerative and positive-sum. As Jiddhu Krishnamurti once said, It is no measure of health to be well adjusted to a profoundly sick society. Our society is not set up to encourage health. NYLO is the operator’s manual for the human body that we were born into. We inherited these bodies and have done our best to navigate the world with them, but it’s mostly guesswork and trial error as we go. What should I eat? How should I move and walk and bend over? Are any of these things damaging to me long-term without me realizing it? (spoiler, yes. They are.)

What will you do better than anyone else?
Look at the whole picture. Fitness is not limited to just squats and protein; it’s not realistic to our clientele. They are not training to be professional athletes. They are already professionals. We are offering a way to maximize health spans. This is about living as long and as healthfully as possible. It is being free to move, free from pain, and free to love your look. These are as much psychological and sociological as they are physical. We collaborate to define your fitness and design your environment to achieve it.

What considerations did you make in creating an experience/setting like this for ultra-lux/affluent clients? What were your priorities?
It’s cleanliness, environment, and service. The trainers (Elena and I) are world-class, but we’ve had careers before fitness. Elena was a corporate lawyer in Moscow before becoming a competitive snowboarder. She found fitness in the Alps before coming to conquer America. I majored in English literature and found fitness while teaching English and coaching in Asia for three years. It was a chance to absorb a new culture and read obsessively. When clients come to train with us, we speak and understand the same language. The training is always fun. To make lasting changes, we design the process in a way you’ll love. The hardest part is showing up; we’ll take care of you from there

Why TriBeCa? What drew you to this area?
I love the vibe. The feeling. The people. The architecture. And the culture. It’s an inconspicuous neighborhood that doesn’t scream wealth even though it’s incredibly affluent. People in TriBeCa are very successful, but they go about their business without you knowing it. And they put their efforts, minds, and wallets into what they believe in. So as a result, TriBeCa has an incredible sense of community, which we’re excited to be part of..

Why do you think this is needed right now?
After two years of uncertainty, the world is in a precarious place: a divisive president, social upheaval, pandemic, and a battered economy. People have been scared, quarantined, and made significant changes to their lives. They’re tired, but they’ve built resilience through this. They are more confident in their beliefs and values and unafraid to show them. So, we wear our hearts on the sleeves of 100 percent recycled apparel

The last two years have shown we don’t have much control over the outside world. We offer a way to look inward and approach self-care without a sense of nagging guilt but a sense of purpose. We work to define fitness on an individual basis according to one’s values. What kind of world do they want to live in, and what do they want to do in it?

NYLO is not a glorified company. Our revenue will never support causes or politicians who don’t believe in sustainability, inclusivity, and equality. We approach our clients in their full context physically, mentally, and socially. Our values result from our sense of the world, our reality. We welcome everyone to check out the view.

For more information on NYLO Fitness, phone (917) 423-2969 or visit nylofitness.com