Today we’d like to introduce you to Will Harris
Hi Will, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
I grew up in the Crown Heights area of Brooklyn New York. As a kid, we always slap-boxed for fun but it was also considered a rites of passage. Growing up in the 90’s at that time was tough so learning how to defend yourself was a must. My journey as a personal trainer started at New York Sports Clubs before settling into a Fitness Management role with Crunch Fitness. I spent years there developing my craft as a professional while managing some of the greatest people I’ve ever met. Being at Crunch really molded me into the man I am today. They were extremely big on continuing education and evolving yourself as a professional. I take that same attitude when teaching my members and clients the sweet science of boxing.
After the passing of my mother in 2020, I really needed a hard reset. I come from a big family of 7 and it was my responsibility to handle all of her arrangements. I was the last person to see her on the morning she passed away. If you’ve ever felt the grief of losing a parent then you know exactly how hard I was hit. She ultimately passed from cirrhosis of the liver due to her alcohol abuse over the years. Her passing made me reevaluate all aspects of my life. Watching her body deteriorate while in the hospital still replays inside my head often. It’s hard to see your hero in such a defeated state. From October to December, I cried every single time I left her bedside. She passed away at 4am the morning of Christmas Eve. It was like a hole left in my heart that could never be filled again. Moving to Georgia was the perfect opportunity to refocus my thoughts and clear my headspace. It was honestly the best decision I ever made.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The transition to Georgia definitely was rough for the first 2 years. I have a 19 year old son and 7 year old daughter that still live in New York. In the beginning, I knew that my decision to move would be very taxing on our relationships and I didn’t want them to feel the brunt of it. For the first year, I flew back to New York EVERY WEEKEND! After I got them acclimated to me not living in the same city, I slowly pulled it back to every other weekend. Then eventually every month.
I knew this would financially put a strain on me but it didn’t matter. I had to let them know that even though Dad wasn’t 15 minutes away anymore, I was still willing to do whatever it takes to be in their lives. I wasn’t motivated to travel each month. But my consistency is what kept me focused during those times.
I honestly can’t stand being at airports anymore! I used to envy people when I was younger who traveled for a living. But now that I’ve flown more times in 3 years than the average person will in a lifetime — flying SUCKS! Cramped spaces, in and out of hotels, Airbnb’s, moving storage units and the list goes on. Sometimes I missed flights because my daughter didn’t want me to leave her so soon. I would sacrifice myself and just sleep at the airport until the next flight left. The things we do for our kids….
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Double Up Boxing and Fitness is a results driven facility. Usually when joining a health club, you’re given a barcode and the membership advisor says “ok, good luck.” Welcome to the club. There’s no structure or guidance beyond that point for those who have no idea where to start.
My facility provides every single member with the framework needed to reach their individual goals. Everyone is given customized workout programs, nutrition plans and supplementational guidance to help facilitate their personal transformation. Regardless of the decision to purchase personal training or not. We want everyone to be fully equipped with the tools needed to become successful from the beginning. That’s what Double Up Boxing and Fitness is all about!
I created this gym to marry the speed & conditioning of a boxer, with the strength and power needed to build a well balanced physique. Aesthetics are great but the main objective to any fitness program should be to move better and feel better. What you do in the gym should mimic the types of activity you do outside of it. This is what sets us apart from our competitors. We actually care about you achieving success and we want to TEACH you how to effectively train on your own. My job as a coach is to make you self-reliant and self-sufficient. All of my members and clients should be a direct reflection of me. The mark of a great trainer doesn’t lie in what THEY can do, it’s based on how well your clients can perform when you’re not around. So if you see anyone who goes to Double Up Boxing and Fitness, trust and believe — that individual is confident enough to stand toe to toe with anyone!
We offer 3 membership tiers. One base model that includes unlimited classes plus open gym access. The last 2 two tiers include the same plus semi-private personal training. We also offer youth and teen boxing classes from ages 7 to 18 years old. Classes are held as early as 530am until 730/8pm, depending on the day. We’re open 7 days a week but Sunday is by appointment only. You can drop in for a day pass, take a class of come in for a complimentary fitness evaluation. We’d love to have you!
We’d love to hear about any fond memories you have from when you were growing up?
My mom and I had a weekend routine that I loved as a kid. Like all video game junkies, my first love was the Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis. Every Saturday we would walk to our neighborhood video store’s in Park Slope. For those who know Brooklyn, that journey was a hike from Crown Heights. But my mom liked to walk and we would talk about everything along the way. I really didn’t mind because I knew there was a game and some food at the end anyway.
Once we got to Flatbush Avenue, we would visit VideoMania first then Royal Video. I’d go through the video game aisle meticulously, looking for my new quest to conquer. She always let me rent 2 games so I had a backup. Just in case the first game was whack!
After that, we would walk back up Flatbush Avenue and hit our favorite Chinese restaurant. I honestly can’t remember the name but the food was hella good. We’d sit there talking and she’d ask about the games I chose. Even though she knew nothing about them, she pretended to be interested anyway. I really miss her a lot just thinking about this. She was my heart.
Pricing:
- Youth Boxing Membership $49/Month
- Teen Boxing Membership $99/Month
- Unlimited Class Membership $149/Month
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.DoubleUpBoxingFitness.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Doubleupboxingfitness
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Doubleupboxingfitness
Image Credits
Luke Scheinoha – Augment Marketing
