Joe Torre of Babylon is straightforward when asked what prompted him to open a CrossFit studio in Riverhead.
“There were no CrossFit affiliates out here,” he said.
That changed around Memorial Day, when Mr. Torre’s business, Metoac CrossFit, opened at the former site of Twin Forks Bicycles in Osborn Plaza in Polish Town. A grand opening event is tentatively planned for later this summer.
“CrossFit is a great way to get your general fitness elevated,” said Mr. Torre, a U.S. Marine and amateur rock and ice climber who spent seven years working as a scaffold and hoist mechanic.
Founded as a fitness company in 2000, CrossFit is a strength and conditioning program that uses a variety of techniques, including gymnastics, weight lifting and aerobics, to help people get fit and increase their strength.
“Routine is the enemy with us,” Mr. Torre said. “Every day is a different workout. You want to constantly trick the body.”
Metoac CrossFit offers men’s and women’s classes, but Mr. Torre said the business won’t be too regimented.
“You can come in any hour, on the hour, and just jump in on a workout,” he said. “Everything can be scaled. I’m not looking for you to come in here like a drone. I’m looking for you to come in here and learn how to work out.”
In addition, Mr. Torre’s wife, Kelly, who has taught mat Pilates for three years, plans to begin offering Pilates classes at Metoac (an homage to local Indian tradition) soon.
“We don’t have anything scheduled yet but it will be for people of all levels,” Ms. Torre said.
In the meantime, Mr. Torre looks forward to introducing more North Fork residents to the CrossFit program.
“The farther west you go, the more popular CrossFit is,” Mr. Torre said. “The city had it and then it worked its way to Nassau and now Western Suffolk is kind of sprouting up. That’s just how CrossFit is. It’s like a virus. In fact, people say, ‘To do CrossFit, you have to drink the Kool-Aid.’ So I’m bringing the Kool-Aid to Riverhead.”
