Anyone who’s been even remotely in touch with the fitness world for the past few years has heard people raving about kettlebells. From professional athletes to those brand new to [...]

The year was 2007. On a sweltering and humid June 17th in Park Slope, my longtime client and friend Carol Oliver and I met with the then-landlord of 402 5th Street, Luiz Alava, and my first [...]

“How do I set up a home gym?” “What equipment do I need for a home gym?” As a digital personal training studio, we get these questions everyday.  Before COVID-19, you may [...]

July’s nutrition highlight is bok choy. Last week, I got a bunch of bok choy at a local farm and have been enjoying it so much, I decided to make it this month’s nutritional [...]

Meet Pongo Power personal trainer Tramayne Richardson! Not only is Tramayne a NASM Certified Personal Trainer, she also has a B.S. in Family and Consumer Sciences with a concentration in [...]

Summertime is officially upon us, and my oh my, what a wonderful time it is to be outside! I don’t know about you, but I’ve been itching to get outside every day to enjoy the sun and [...]

This week we are welcoming guest writer Dana Shulman to the blog! Dana is a friend of Pongo Power, as well as an actor and avid runner. She has started a movement called #Fauc25k, which aims to [...]

June is Men’s Health Month. As many organizations turn their attention to the health and wellness of men and boys, we’re using this opportunity to discuss an often sensitive and [...]

Berry season is upon us! June’s nutrition highlight is blackberries. Berries in general have many great health benefits. Studies have shown that berries can improve mental sharpness, [...]

Resources for Dismantling White Supremacy by Izzy Devlin Last year, I wrote a 3 part series about white supremacy in America in reaction to the death of George Floyd and the subsequent uprising [...]

What Makes Pongo Power Trainers Unique? With so many movement, fitness, exercise – whatever you want to call it – options out there it can be hard to decipher what makes one program [...]

Spring is here and there are lots of options for seasonal produce! This month’s nutritional highlight is Asparagus. I chose asparagus because the harvest season in New York is relatively [...]

Personal training is just that: personal. At Pongo Power, we give you a workout program that is, above all, safe and effective. To accomplish this, communication is vital: communicating with our [...]

Ahhhh – springtime: the days are longer, the sun is beaming brighter, city streets are coming alive again. You’re probably finding yourself more alert, excited, and craving lighter, [...]

Can you really get a good workout without any weights? Nowadays it can feel as though weight– barbells, kettle bells, dumbbells, “lifting heavy”- is what matters most in a [...]

COVID-19 has barreled through our lives like a tornado and turned our world upside down. A year after the pandemic swept the United States, comprehensive guidance now exists on how elite athletes [...]

The first signs of spring are peeking through. With more daylight and the promise of warm weather, I am really craving fresh and bright tasting food. One of my favorite ways to add some [...]

I sat down with Judy Jerome, Vice President of Pongo Power, and Ms. Dulyne Desmangles, Assistant Principal of Wadleigh Secondary School of the Performing & Visual Arts, to talk about how they [...]

Taking on new challenges is hard. Growth can feel overwhelming. Creating new patterns and routines might feel false at first. These are just a few reasons why so many give up on health and [...]

A whopping 80% of the population experiences lower back pain at some point in their lives. The most common lumbar spine condition, the herniated disc, affects on average 5,000 to 20,000 people [...]

How does one make an impact? Even a seemingly small step can have an impact. Community-centered giving can yield big results. A small act of kindness breeds another, and another.   Pongo [...]

We are delighted to announce our “Food Is Fuel” SALE! Have we got a special package and a blog series for you! In this series, we’ll explore toxic diet culture. Let’s talk [...]

Cooking with Kristen, our new, five-week community cooking series, starts the week of February 25th. If you’ve enjoyed our Nutrition Highlights and would love to learn more about [...]

When you hear the term “metabolic conditioning”, you may think of HIIT (high-intensity interval training), cardio or…you may think of nothing at all. Today, we are going to dive [...]

What makes personal training so important? Why would anyone need a personal trainer? Will hiring a personal trainer really make a difference in my life? These are questions you may have asked [...]

Whether you are a seasoned athlete or have never set foot in a gym in your life; here at Pongo Power, you get a Free Fitness Assessment prior to any training. Why is that? Because everybody and [...]

Pongo Power personal trainers have diverse specializations. Although each of our trainers is certified by the National Academy of Sports Medicine, our team chooses to pursue continuing education [...]

We are so excited to be launching a brand-new experience called Cooking with Kristen! Cooking with Kristen is an online course that will build community through the shared experience of [...]

We welcome the opportunity to work with our community on a deeper level. 2021 is just a few days — or, dare we write — hours away?  We are eternally grateful for the various ways our team is [...]

Before we get into our December Nutrition Highlight, we have some exciting news: we are launching a brand-new experience called Cooking with Kristen! Cooking with Kristen is an online course that [...]

TW: Depression and suicide talk. Self-care can seem impossible during COVID-19, as we face one crisis after another. That being said, when we prepare ourselves both mentally and physically for [...]

If you have back pain, you are not alone. About 80% of the population experiences lower back pain at some point in their lives. A significant number of low back injuries are linked to the L4-L5 [...]

Sustainable and Thoughtful Ways to Gift Give This Holiday Season Gift giving during a pandemic might be kind of weird and maybe not even possible. Either way, our planet needs our help to create [...]

Pongo Power’s November Nutrition Highlight is Pecans. Check Out Some Delicious (and Vegan) Thanksgiving Recipes! The holidays will be different this year: fewer people, less travel. But you [...]

Find The Cause Of Your Low Back Pain The COVID-19 pandemic has forced many of us to work from home. Because so much of what we do is virtual nowadays, many people had already made the switch. But [...]

Today we will cover what the function of the pelvic floor is; three common myths about the pelvic floor; and exercises you can perform to strengthen your deep core, today!  What is Your Pelvic [...]

Trainer Spotlight: Kristen Latteri Today we are highlighting Pongo Power Personal Trainer, Kristen Latteri. Kristen is a National Academy of Sports Medicine, Certified Personal Trainer; a [...]

Pongo Power’s October Nutrition Highlight is Black Bean Soup. Halloween is a time for eating loads of candy and it is the start of our holiday eating festivities! While candy is delicious, [...]

Shoulder dysfunctions are prevalent in today’s society. The shoulder is one of the most mobile joints in the human body. Because of its complexity that allows for this mobility, the [...]

How do I set up my own home gym on a budget? What equipment do I need at home? How do I work out, without going to the gym? Now that we are in the midst of COVID-19, what once seemed like a [...]

September Nutrition Highlight: Lentils I always have some variety of a lentil in my pantry. Lentils are an excellent source of plant protein (12 grams of protein in ½ cup of cooked lentils), [...]

This time last year I wrote a blog about training with a buddy to help you get back into your fitness/ exercise routine. Well… we all know a lot has changed since then. I thought that, this [...]

Wine, Whisky & … Workouts? The art of finding balance between work and play… Labor Day weekend has come and gone. It is time to create balance in our lives this fall. At Pongo Power, we are [...]

We are delighted to be hosting a panel discussion at noon on Friday, September 18th. The panel will be hosted by Chelsea Beasley, who tells her running story below, and will be all about running! [...]

Let’s Talk Running! Meet us on September 18th for a great (and free) discussion about How to Approach Running & Creating Lifestyle Balance in Global The Pandemic of 2020. To sign up for [...]

This year, our Annual Fundraiser will be to benefit The Okra Project, a New York-based organization that works on a global level to end food insecurity for black trans people. Our event will be [...]

July 1st, 2020 officially marks 13 years since Pongo Power first opened its doors. Plus! July 25th, 2020 is the day that I married my best friend, Richard Burst-Lazarus. I am so very grateful to [...]

Nutrition Highlight: Chickpeas In this day and age, I’m sure you are familiar with the chickpea (also known in many places as the garbanzo bean). However, many people only know of chickpeas [...]

Prenatal Series: How to Prepare Your Body for Labor and Delivery, Part 2 — Mobility and Endurance Welcome back! In my last post, How to Prepare Your Body for Labor and Delivery, Part 1 — Prepare [...]

You’ve been told you should be staying active and exercising during your pregnancy, but what exactly should you be focusing on to prepare your body for labor and delivery?  How do we train for [...]

We are excited to announce that we are hosting our annual fundraiser on Friday, September 18th and will be raising money for The Okra Project. You can join us FOR FREE, simply RSPV here. What is [...]

Dismantling White Supremacy Series Part 2: Resources by Izzy Devlin In Part 1 of this series, I started the conversation of white supremacy and addressed the purpose of protesting to honor George [...]

Dismantling White Supremacy Part 1: Unpacking by Izzy Devlin In light of the murder of George Floyd and the subsequent enormous uprising; I, as a white woman, want to share some resources for [...]

Our Healthy Quarantine Pantry Essentials + Quarantine Friendly Recipes What to stockpile your pantries, fridges, and freezers with during COVID-19.   For most of us, it’s our new reality: [...]

Exercise, Immunity, and the COVID-19 Pandemic Four crucial ways to fight germs (and boost your immune response) during the coronavirus outbreak.   The immune system is a biological structure [...]

Every pregnancy is different. It’s important to acknowledge that we all have our own experiences with our prenatal and postnatal (aka postpartum) bodies. That being said, these are five [...]

Body After Baby: Postnatal Care Where do I start?  In the first two days following birth, my body was exhausted. It hurt to roll over. Sleep deprivation was in full force. My body felt foreign. I [...]

Hey there! Ally Taylor here. I’d like to introduce myself before I get to the purpose of this post. I am a NASM certified personal trainer as well as a registered yoga teacher from Laughing [...]

APRIL Nutrition Highlight: Nutrition in The Age of Uncertainty It feels like the world has been flipped upside down. Many of us are grasping for some semblance of normalcy and control in our [...]

Carol Oliver, 72 years old! As a longtime client of Pongo Power, I would like to offer my positive experience having Trained Workouts while at home.   Before Pongo Online Personal Training, I was [...]

“Health is a human condition with physical, social, and psychological dimensions, each characterized on a continuum with positive and negative poles. Positive health is associated with a capacity [...]

Life as we know it is looking pretty different these days, with everyone self-isolating at home or at least social distancing. Restaurants, bars, gyms, and all non-essential businesses have been [...]

Greetings! Elizabeth Pongo here, sending you all of my love and powerful Pongo vibes as we enter this pivotal time. I am writing to share my vulnerabilities with you; and the breakthroughs in my [...]

Name: Anton Scott Age: 28 Certifications: National Academy of Sports Medicine, Certified Personal Trainer  PRONatal, Prenatal and Postnatal Performance Training Specialist What inspired you to [...]

February Nutrition Highlight: Chia Seeds Chia seeds are a tiny bluish-gray seed in the mint family. They are a great source of omega-3 (healthy) fats and fiber. In two tablespoons of the seeds, [...]

Perhaps you have heard of the deadlift? It may seem like an exercise reserved for professional athletes, powerlifters, or avid gym goers. However, the deadlift is an underutilized and an [...]

Self love is a hard skill to learn. In a world in which we are constantly seeing others at their best online, it is incredibly hard not to get stuck in the comparison game. I would say it has [...]

Winter Salad This recipe is a great way to use up leftovers from the holidays and utilizeseasonal vegetables. If you are sharing, simply multiply the recipe by thenumber of people enjoying it! [...]

It is my intention with this blog, to bring clarity to a pervasive issue in the health and fitness industry, and from there to create the space necessary to uplift a truly enlightened paradigm of [...]

Name: Zachary Zweifel Age: 29 Certifications & Degrees: Certified Personal Trainer, the National Academy of Sports Science (NASM) Bachelor of Arts in Psychology, American Military University [...]

Last week we shared a blog about Post-Total Knee Replacement Personal Training (you can check it out here). This week, we are sharing with you the reasons why Prehab is strongly recommended [...]

Ahhhh, the new year! A time of renewal, rejuvenation; a fresh start. It can also be a time where people feel pressured to make these big, crazy changes in their lives or set extremely difficult [...]

As this past Thanksgiving neared, many clients asked how to handle, and hopefully prevent, the pain and tension associated with the demands of holiday prep. This simple guide is packed with quick [...]

Where does Personal Training come in after a Total Knee Replacement? Knee arthroplasty (Total Knee Replacement) is a surgical technique used by orthopedists to replace the weight-bearing surfaces [...]

Have you ever had low back pain, neck pain, shoulder pain, head aches, or even knee pain? By taking a few moments each day to master these foundational forms and techniques, you will put yourself [...]

Name: Kezia Bernard-Nau Age: 30 Certification: National Academy of Sports Medicine, Certified Personal Trainer   What inspired you to become a personal trainer? I’ve always been athletic and [...]

As a fitness professional of 17 years, I’ve always felt deeply honored to hear feedback from clients about my own health and fitness. When clients talk about their journey of wellness in a way [...]

Mental health is just as important as physical health. In fact, the two tend to work symbiotically! Healthiness in one tends to promote healthiness in the other. Most of us know how to break a [...]

Well, folks, it’s almost that time of year: holiday travel time! Some of you might be like me and travel a lot year round, or you might travel only during the summer or holidays. Either [...]

A macronutrient is a type of food that is required in large amounts in the diet. There are three types of macronutrients that make up our foods: carbohydrates, proteins, and fats. Most foods [...]

I’ve been living with anxiety and panic attacks since I was in 5th grade. What this meant for me, was that I needed to find a system or series of systems, to help me identify anxiety indicators; [...]

Health is unique to each of us. October 10th, 2019 is World Mental Health Day and Pongo Power is launching our own mental health revolution. We call it, “Embrace the Belly!” Where [...]

Gaining weight and losing weight is hard. It doesn’t matter if you’re middle aged, young, old, male, nor how you identify your gender. It doesn’t matter if you’re an American, French, [...]

There is so much to do during any season in New York City, if we allow ourselves to go outside and PLAY! Fall is rapidly creeping up on us but that doesn’t mean it’s time to sit [...]

Anyone who’s been even remotely in touch with the fitness world for the past few years, has probably experienced people raving about kettlebells. You also may have noticed that kettlebells are [...]

It’s That Time of Year Again: Back to School/Work!  Now that summer is winding down, many of us are excited to get back to our regular routines: kids, school, jobs and…working out! [...]

Sometimes the best place to take a vacation is right in your own city! There is something really special about getting to experience your own city as a “tourist”. I am lucky enough to live in [...]

What are the benefits of eating locally and seasonally, or at least incorporating more local foods onto your family’s table? ,Locally grown food is more flavorful! When grown locally, fruits and [...]