Meet Kevin Steuerer, a former shooting guard at Princeton and father of two who went from playmaker to play-time. A relatively new father when he first set foot on the Turf, Tone House has helped Kevin cultivate a healthy lifestyle so he can be the best dad and husband for his family.
Here’s why Kevin keep coming back to the Turf…
FITNESS/ATHLETIC BACKGROUND: Played Varsity Basketball at Princeton University, starting 28 games over four years. Also played basketball for four years in high school and ran cross country for a year.
WHAT WAS YOUR FITNESS ROUTINE (PRIOR TO TONE HOUSE)? Played basketball in men’s leagues and pickup games, weight-lifting, running
HOW OFTEN DO YOU TRAIN AT TONE HOUSE? 3 times per week
HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN COMING TO TONE HOUSE? Just over 2 years. April 24th, 2015 was the first class I took.
WHAT OTHER WORKOUTS DO YOU DO WEEKLY? Soulcycle and SLT
HOW DID YOU FIRST HEAR ABOUT TONE HOUSE? I was invited to do my first class with some of my coworkers. We had been trying different group workout classes in NYC together since many of the guys on my coworkers played sports in college as well or had other athletic backgrounds. It was always a fun way for us to build camaraderie when we weren’t at our desks or in the office. A few guys in the group had taken Tone House before and had described it as being above and beyond the intensity of any other class. Between checking out the Tone House website beforehand, and the emails I got the day before from my coworkers about making sure we carb-loaded and drank lots of water, I knew I was in for a special experience.
REASON FOR COMING TO CLASS INITIALLY/ FITNESS GOALS? After that first class at Tone House I was hooked. And it certainly wasn’t because of how well I did, in fact, it was the opposite. It was a huge eye opener for me that my workout routine had evolved to a place where I wasn’t really pushing myself, that I was going through the motions in the gym, and probably wasting time when I exercised. I wasn’t having as much fun working out either. Certainly not as much as I did in college playing on the basketball team. When you’re on a team there are clear goals and objectives for the hard work that you put in especially because you don’t want to let your teammates down. And I loved playing the sport.
FAVORITE TONE HOUSE CLASS? Conditioning Day. Friday is where the teamwork and camaraderie of the Tone House athletes really come out. To get through the difficult routines on those days, you need every bit of support from the coaches and other members of the class. And the best part is that it’s a Friday, it’s a great start to the weekend, after all the hard work.
FAVORITE TONE HOUSE “TOY” (EQUIPMENT) TO USE IN CLASS: Sleds. The more you take class and the stronger you get and the heavier those sleds get!
WHAT HAVE BEEN THE BENEFITS OF COMING TO TONE HOUSE FOR YOU? When I started taking Tone House, I had recently became a dad, and although I “worked out” I didn’t feel nearly as healthy as I should have. As all parents out there know, once kids enter the equation you want to be strong for them, both physically and mentally. Which is difficult with the many stresses of work and life we all deal with. With a busy schedule and long hours, the hours I do have free I want to spend with my wife and kids, which made it difficult to find a lot of time to exercise. That is why Tone House was such a home run. By the time 6 am comes around, I feel like I have accomplished so much already. I have noticed that I have more energy throughout the day, lower stress levels, and increased mental clarity for work and life in general. I also believe that the positive experience from taking class creates a virtuous circle in many other parts of my life, like helping me to sleep better and have a better diet. When I know I am taking class the next day I make sure to eat clean and healthy and go to bed at a reasonable hour. It isn’t much fun showing up to a 5 am class with bad food sitting in your stomach and not enough sleep! And all these positive decisions build on themselves where good choices beget further good choices. This means when it comes around to finishing work for the day or having time on the weekends, I’m excited and have more energy to be the best husband and dad I can be.
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE THING ABOUT TONE HOUSE THAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT FROM OTHER GYMS/WORKOUTS? I love how the class is never the same. I’ve been doing the workout for over two years, and can honestly say I’ve never done one from start to finish without having to take a break (and I’d love to meet the person who can say they have!). The routine is so dynamic and it can be tailored to any fitness level meaning you are challenged each time, feel like you are making progress, but rarely get the feeling that your workouts are plateauing. I also like how much of the workout is based on using your body weight and on functional strength, and it’s definitely the best warmup out there. As I get older and have kids, the last thing I want in my life is a bad injury, and I feel like the chances of getting hurt doing a Tone House workout are very low compared to other workouts I have tried because of those above reasons.
TELL US ABOUT YOUR VERY FIRST TONE HOUSE WORKOUT: The first class I took was a Conditioning Day in the evening at the 17th street studio. Walking into the dimly lit room with superhero music playing, I immediately had butterflies in my stomach. I remember finishing the warm-up and thinking to myself that I wasn’t going to make it through the full hour. My first round of gallops I probably looked like an injured giraffe. I cramped up several times, was light headed. But I made it through the class. And of course a big part of that was the coaches and the regulars in the class that wouldn’t let me stop; complete strangers went out of their way to make sure I kept going because they knew I had more in me. I was sore for days after. But all I could keep thinking about was when I could go back again!
WHAT KEEPS YOU COMING BACK FOR MORE? The class keeps getting harder and harder, so the challenge remains the same. I’m still as excited and motivated to take class just as much as the first few months I started going.
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE SONG TO BEAST OUT TO? When Shaun plays Panda during circle drill to end class and we do countless up-downs
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE TONE HOUSE MEMORY? Going to Tone House on my birthday (Halloween eve), where I got to take class with my wife Kelley and good friends and had the fun of seeing some people try to do the workout in very restrictive and unbreathable costumes!
IF YOU HAD TO CHOOSE: 17TH STREET OR 31ST STREET? Tough question. It will always be tough to recreate the feel of 17th street with all the great memories I have from there, but the amenities and new toys we have at 31st street are very nice too!
WHAT’S YOUR FAVORITE ALONZO SAYING? “This is going to be fun”
IF YOU COULD HIT THE TURF WITH ANYONE WHO WOULD IT BE? The 5 am crew. Over two years have gone by since I started taking class with them, with some new faces since, but a lot of the faces still the same. I feel like everyone there is of the same mindset, whether it is busy work lives or family schedules or other aspirations, they all show up before the crack of dawn to work hard and get their day started on the right foot.
FAVORITE MOTIVATIONAL QUOTE? “In any moment of decision, the best thing you can do is the right thing, the next best thing is the wrong thing, and the worst thing you can do is nothing.” Teddy Roosevelt
ALSO–I want to thank all the coaches and staff at Tone House because what makes it such a special place isn’t just the workout, it’s the community and atmosphere created by the positive energy and selfless attitude from everyone who works there. You all truly leave your ego at the door.
Interested in contributing your story to our next Meet The Team profile?
Please email us at marketing@tonehouse.com with MEET THE TEAM in the subject line to nominate yourself or a teammate.