When Jean Carter Lucadet – known as Coach Carter to his many friends, students, and clients – first came to the U.S. from Haiti in 2001 at age 16, he was invited by a friend to a local gym in Stratford, Connecticut. From the moment he stepped into the gym he knew he was home. As Carter tells it, “The moment I got in the gym, something clicked. I just loved the environment. At that time, I could barely speak English, but I told them I’m going to own a gym one day.”
Now, 22 years later, his goal has been realized with the opening of Wild Blast Fitness in Peekskill.
Wild Blast Fitness is a 3,264 square foot clean and inviting space with all the equipment and machines to satisfy just about anyone looking to get in shape and improve their overall health.
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“We have everything a big gym would have and more,” says Carter. “We have cardio machines, multiple jungle gyms, a motion cage, weights, small group classes, steam rooms and saunas, as well as showers. We also provide stretch therapy and one-on-one personal training.”
What differentiates Wild Blast from many of the other gyms in the area is the training and expertise of Carter and his team of personal trainers. And that starts with stretch therapy. “We not only help athletes but also people with mobility and flexibility issues as well as issues with their posture, especially our older clients,” notes Carter, who has a degree in Exercise Science from Mercy College.
Carter doesn’t limit his coaching to gym clients. He also is a certified youth soccer coach who focuses on human kinetics.
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Although Wild Blast Fitness is a newcomer to our area, having opened in mid-September, Carter already has plans to integrate himself and his gym into the life of Peekskill. “I want the community to get to know us and see what we are doing here,” he says. “We’re not just about being a successful business, but also want to serve the Peekskill community for the long-term.” Carter’s ambitions also stretch beyond Peekskill. “We hope to open a second Wild Blast Fitness location in lower Westchester in the coming year,” he says. “And beyond that you may see Wild Blast Fitness locations in Connecticut as well.”
Wild Blast Fitness is open seven days a week: Monday-Friday 5 a.m.-9 p.m., Saturday 5:30 a.m. -5 p.m., Sunday 6 a.m. -4 p.m. Contact Carter and mention River Journal North (RJN) to receive a complimentary stretch session.
- wildblastfitness.com
- 914-402-4434
- 2 John Walsh Blvd, Peekskill, NY 10566
