What's the secret at this Fort Lee gym? Workouts are part of something bigger

What’s the secret at this Fort Lee gym? Workouts are part of something bigger

Posted by author January 25, 2025 Fitness

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6-minute read

To most beginners, being in a big-box gym can feel like being marooned in the ocean.

With endless rows of elliptical climbers, stationary bicycles and other workout gear as far as the eye can see, such a gigantic facility lacks familiar faces and no instruction manual to help the uninitiated.

The founders of Noble Fitness used to work in those types of places — until they dreamed of something different.

Christopher Appiah, Bryan Blackwell and Malik Peterson have created a boutique studio where less truly is more. At their gym on Lemoine Avenue in Fort Lee, about 2 miles north of the George Washington Bridge, new clients will find fewer crowds in an intimate setting. What makes it better than its larger competitors, they say, is a culture built around camaraderie.

“It sounds simple,” says Peterson, 34, of Denville, “but when you’re here, you’re part of something far bigger than a training session with your trainer. That’s the environment we wanted.”

Noble Fitness, which will mark its second anniversary in January, specializes in personal training. Clients are matched with experienced fitness coaches who empower them to make manageable adjustments that lead to lasting changes, the founders said.

A portion of the 4,500-square-foot gym is a self-led “burn room,” featuring 22 pieces of cardio equipment for clients to use when they are not working out with their trainers.

Peterson met Blackwell on a Fort Lee playground when they were teenagers. The fitness enthusiasts and longtime friends went separate ways after high school, but they never lost contact.

They recall talking about going into business together for the first time at Peterson’s wedding in Cancún, Mexico, in June 2018. It was not a serious conversation, they admit, but the germ of the idea was sown.

Meanwhile, Blackwell developed a rapport with Appiah, a native of Suffern, New York, by coaching his wife at a fitness center on Grand Avenue in Englewood.

The partnership that became Noble Fitness formed during the pandemic when the entrepreneurs made a life-altering decision to plunge their savings into developing the gym out of vacant office space. Its name is an homage to Blackwell’s grandfather, the late Noble Blackwell, a broadcast executive for CBS affiliates, including flagship WCBS-TV in Midtown Manhattan, and the host of “Night Train,” a syndicated variety show filmed in Nashville, Tennessee, in the mid-1960s.

Blackwell says the friendship between he and his partners is akin to the “base layer of a cake” — it is the foundation that they need for the business to prosper.

“Being friends has taught us to let each other be strong at the things we’re strong at,” says Blackwell, 35, of Little Ferry. “We complement each other. I think that’s the key to our success.”

While Blackwell and Peterson excel as trainers, Appiah was primarily brought aboard for his business acumen. He is a sales guru, and at Noble Fitness, he is the director of membership services.

“You’ll always have someone in your corner,” Appiah, 35, of Hawthorne, says about the Fort Lee gym. “You’re always going to have someone teaching you, pushing you and holding you accountable to the goals that you set.”

‘Never lose sight’

Blackwell was a new kid in town, having just moved from East Orange, when, in the summer before freshman year of high school, he was searching for a friend. With a basketball cradled under his arm, he walked to Coytesville Park, at the corner of Sixth and Wall streets, and someone — a boy who appeared to be his age — yelled from a distance.

“Hey, are you in high school?!” Blackwell recalls the teenager shouting.

That boy, Blackwell later discovered, was Peterson.

From that day forward, Blackwell says, he and his new friend were inseparable. He says Peterson took it upon himself to be his unofficial tour guide of the borough, known for its stunning vistas of the city skyline, and that he introduced him to the high school football coach.

They played for the Bridgemen of Fort Lee High School, where over four years, they were never more than shoulder-width apart. Blackwell was a defensive tackle, and Peterson defensive end.

But less than two months into freshman year, Blackwell said, his mother died. It was their mutual ambition to have him play football because doctors told him that he would never be able to do so. He had epilepsy.

The day Blackwell stepped his cleated foot onto the gridiron, he belied that diagnosis. He says he handled the setback of his mother’s passing by finding an escape on the field.

“I remember feeling empty and hopeless, not really knowing what to do,” Blackwell says. “I threw myself into sports, and the sadness that I felt kind of left for a moment. All the sorrow went away — that always stuck with me. I wanted other people to experience that feeling.”

Blackwell, the chief executive officer of Noble Fitness, and Peterson, its chief operating officer, say they shared a vision for a business that celebrates milestones and encourages such personal growth inside and outside of the weight room.

Peterson, who once worked for 24 Hour Fitness, New York Sports Clubs and Orangetheory Fitness, says clients at large gyms can often feel lost.

“You’re a very small piece of a very big puzzle,” Peterson says. “If you choose to trust us with your fitness, and have us guide you on your journey, you’re part of a community every time you walk in.”

At Noble Fitness, the founders say, the focus of the staff is directed on making clients feel special. Its interior is jet black, like the backcloth of a stage, so that those working out shine against the walls. Everyone is greeted when they enter the gym, and commercial-grade fragrance dispensers release an aroma, with hints of sandalwood, reminiscent of the smell that one may detect in a luxury hotel.

The founders say they aspire to expand Noble Fitness into a national contender in the industry and that what it offers is unique, compared to rival brands.

“No matter how big we get,” Peterson says, “we’ll always see ourselves as three people who had an idea and brought it to fruition. Our goal is to never lose sight of where we came from.”

For more information about Noble Fitness, visit its website at noblefit.studio.

Blackwell’s Fitness Tips

Don’t obsess over the scale — Obsess over the things that change the scale

The scale is just a tool to measure progress, but most people focus too much on the number; instead of the habits that actually move it.

Obsess over eating more protein to fuel your body, obsess over drinking enough water to stay hydrated and energized, obsess over adding more cardio and strength training to your routine. When your focus is 100% on the actions that create change, it’s simple logic—the scale will follow. Stop stressing about the number on the scale and start putting energy into what actually moves it.

You can’t have both alcohol & bad food!

Here’s the truth, your body doesn’t process alcohol the same way it processes food. When you drink alcohol and eat heavy food at the same time, your body burns the alcohol first and stores the food as fat. Fitness is about balance, so when you go out, pick one. Enjoy the drinks or enjoy the food, but not both. Most people undo all their progress on the weekends, but this simple habit can keep you in control. You can still enjoy life and win at fitness by making smarter choices.

Growth is messy, but it’s amazing

Think about when an artist starts a painting—it often looks messy at first, with random colors and no clear picture. Becoming the best version of yourself is the same. It won’t be perfect in the beginning, you will be figuring out your workouts, your diet and how to make it all fit into your life. It’s not always pretty, but the process is what transforms you. Over time those messy efforts turn into something incredible—a stronger, healthier and more confident version of yourself. Embrace the mess, because it’s part of your masterpiece.

When you look food, you feel good — and when you feel good, you play good

How you look and feel is deeply connected. Taking a little extra time to put yourself together can make all the difference in your energy and confidence. Invest in new workout gear or a fresh pair of sneakers. it’s not just about style it’s about showing up for yourself. When you feel good about how you look, you’ll carry that energy into every workout every day and every goal. Look good, feel good, play good, it’s a winning cycle.

Objects in motion stay in motion

One of the biggest mistakes people make in their fitness journey is letting one mistake throw them off. You skip a workout, eat something off-plan and feel like it’s all over, but that’s not how fitness works. The most important thing is to get back on track immediately. Focus on building consistency day by day, just like organizations help people quit bad habits by tracking streaks, your fitness journey works the same way. The goal is to stack as many good days as you can and if you stumble, keep moving forward. Momentum is your greatest ally.