Spacious studios. Passionate coaches. An inspiring community. Open since January 2022, Life Time The Shops at Riverside is a first-of-its-design athletic club for Life Time. Located in Hackensack, N.J., it’s one of the 16 (and growing!) Life Time destinations in the New York City metro area.
“This is the first club of its kind, where Life Time created a multiple-boutique model with five studios available for reformer Pilates, yoga, GTX, Ultra Fit, and more — all included in membership,” says Ashley Sikora, area director for Life Time. “The club lives conveniently inside a high-end mall and near many popular businesses and restaurants.”
Membership to this club also includes access to nearby Life Time Bergen County in Montvale, N.J., which offers a full workout floor, indoor pool, outdoor Beach Club, pickleball, basketball, LifeCafe, LifeSpa, Kids Academy, and more.
Let’s check out the spaces, amenities, and community that make Life Time The Shops at Riverside so special.
The Studio Spaces
The club features 120-plus classes per week across dedicated studio spaces for barre classes, a climate-controlled yoga studio, a reformer Pilates studio, and two dedicated spaces for signature group training classes (which includes the formats of Alpha, GTX, and Ultra Fit).
“Our barre and yoga space features perimeter-mounted bars for LIFE BARRE classes and an open floor plan for yoga and mat Pilates,” says Corey Brueckner, boutique general manager at Life Time The Shops at Riverside. “This studio offers both heated and nonheated classes throughout the day. Lighting can change depending on the class to create the perfect zen-like environment,”
“Our reformer Pilates studio has 11 Peak Pilates reformers and offers 55 group Pilates classes per week,” Brueckner says. “We also offer one-on-one private Pilates lessons.”
“Another unique benefit of being a member at Life Time The Shops at Riverside is that our reformer-based Pilates classes are all included in membership,” Brueckner adds. ”Pilates Studio 1 hosts our classical Pilates offerings, while Pilates Studio 2 hosts our contemporary Pilates offerings, including chair-only classes, Pilates Chair Fusion (which incorporates some strength and TRX moves), and Chair Fusion Flow (which includes the Pilates chair paired with some yoga flows).”
“Our signature group training studio is one of the elements that makes our club stand out,” explains Brueckner. “We host both GTX and Ultra Fit classes here with 17 treadmills and one elliptical, one Stages indoor bike, as well as a variety of strength equipment.”
GTX is a 50/50 mix of cardio and strength and is suitable for all fitness levels, while Ultra Fit is for more advanced athletes and blends strength and stability work with sprint interval training.
Alpha, another signature group training offering, also has its own studio. Alpha is centered around Olympic weightlifting and metabolic conditioning.
“Our dedicated Alpha studio is a truly standout studio space decked with the signature Alpha orange glow,” says Brueckner. “We have 12 dedicated platforms and 18 pieces of cardio equipment including ski ergs, air dyne bikes, skill mills, and rowers. Members love the intimate feel of our strength and conditioning classes and appreciate the limited distractions being away from other members.”
The Locker Rooms
Life Time The Shops at Riverside offers men’s and women’s executive locker rooms where you can get ready for the next part of your day. “In the locker rooms you’ll find luxurious rainfall shower heads to help you refresh and recharge after your workout,” says Brueckner.
Members can also make use of complimentary daily lockers, towel services, and premium toiletries.
The Community
“The community here is welcoming, strong, and supportive,” says Sikora. “The team members know everyone, and members enjoy getting to know each other — and they are extremely welcoming toward newcomers. The team members and coaches live in and know the area well. Most of them have been in the industry for many years. We have coaches who are passionate about building a positive community for all.”
Brueckner adds, “Our members really feel the added benefit of more intimate class sizes and personalized coaching in both our signature group training and Pilates formats.”
The Shops at Riverside team members also have fun planning seasonal and crossover events to invite members to socialize and try something new. “We did a Valentine’s Day event,” says Sikora. “We do yoga events. We’ll put on a social with refreshments after class or host a giveaway with swag. Everyone loves it; we’re always trying to encourage members to get to know each other and have fun.”
The coaches and performers at this club work hard to make each class an unforgettable experience.
“Part of my preparation for classes is to have the best playlist on deck to motivate our members to get through their workout,” says StaiSean Lyew, signature group training coach at Life Time The Shops at Riverside. “If I can distract you from focusing on how many reps you have left to do or how much longer you may have to run and instead make this an enjoyable part of your day, that means I’m doing my part to guide you through your fitness journey. It’s like that saying, ‘If you do something you love, you’ll never work a day in your life.’ That’s the mentality I want members to have with their fitness journey.”
Meet the Team
Corey Brueckner, Boutique General Manager
How did you get started with Life Time?
I started my journey with Life Time in 2015 as a member with the hopes of competing in bodybuilding. After a few seasons competing, someone suggested I try yoga, and I fell in love with the balance it brought to my strength training as well as my life.
I enrolled in LifePower Yoga Teacher Training in 2017. I grew to love Life Time even more and helped open our Bridgewater club as the yoga boutique leader. As Life Time’s programming continued to grow, I became even more passionate about leading a full studio team and moved into that role at our The Shops at Riverside club.
What do you love about Life Time The Shops at Riverside?
I love our yoga studio. Settled in the rear of the club behind a quiet and beautiful entryway, it’s the perfect place to escape the stress of life and spend some time focusing on yourself.
What’s your connection to Life Time’s Healthy Way of Life mission?
I’m a professional bodybuilder — my entire life, both personally and professionally, is centered around movement and healthy nutrition. Life Time provided me with the structure and support I needed to begin my journey, and my passion lies in the ability to bring that to life for others.
StaiSean Lyew, Signature Group Training Coach
How did you get started with Life Time?
I’ve been with Life Time for one year and am one of the founding instructors at The Shops at Riverside. From the moment I met the Life Time team, I knew it was the place I wanted to further my career in fitness. The love and support I get from leadership are beyond anything I’ve come across in this industry over the past four years.
In addition to coaching, I’ve also been a DJ for over 20 years and often DJ for classes at the club.
What do you love about Life Time The Shops at Riverside?
I love the positive and encouraging energy that the members there have for themselves and other members. I see members holding each other accountable and checking in when they don’t see someone who is normally in class.
What’s your connection to Life Time’s Healthy Way of Life mission?
I live by Life Time’s mission of education, but make it relatable and enjoyable. It’s important to me that I give the best experiences to our members and for me that means amazing music, education, motivation, and most importantly, positive energy.
