above: Eric and Melissa Johnson in their chic new Westport performance club.
Photography by Andrea Carson
Samantha Yanks: What inspired you to open Recess Performance Club? What is the mission behind it?
Eric Johnson: Family. Our three boys were the biggest inspiration to open Recess. After going on an American tour with Charlie Puth, my dreams evolved, and I realized I didn’t want to miss out on any other moments with them. Then after our oldest started school and we met so many great families, I wanted to give back to the community the best way I knew how which is to improve fitness and wellness for people so that they can be better for their families.
The mission is simple: Help others live more life. To me, that means increasing longevity and health span.
SY: When you picked a location, why Westport?
EJ: We both grew up just next door, in Norwalk. A few miles from Recess’s location, my fitness journey began in the corner of my dad’s workshop with a Bowflex and Arnold Schwarzaneggar’s Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding.
Melissa Johnson: When we started dating in high school, we would frequently visit downtown to shop and hang out. Dreaming about our future together, we always knew we wanted to call Westport home. After living in New York City and LA and traveling the world, as far as New Zealand and Hong Kong for work, it was a full circle moment when we ended back here where it all began almost 20 years ago.
SY: If you could give us five adjectives to describe Recess Performance Club, what are they?
EJ: Energetic. Welcoming.Professional. Exclusive. Bold.
SY: As a husband and wife team describe your roles and how they compliment each other.
MJ: We’re both Geminis born a day apart and believe it or not, we’re actually high school sweethearts. We really compliment each other well and know how the other ticks. Recess is like our fourth child. We both wear many hats and are very collaborative in creating the experience. Eric implements and oversees everything on the fitness programming side of our operations. I’m the Creative Director, working closely on client relations and brand partnerships/events.
SY: What does a healthy fitness regimen look like to you? After years in the industry, what works?
EJ: Consistency. It’s a brick-by-brick process. The regimen should be pragmatic to set you up for success. I can write you the perfect plan on a piece of paper but if you can’t follow it, it’s worthless.
When life gets stressful, and it inevitably will, fitness seems to be the first thing that gets pushed to the side. Figure out what your big rocks are to keep you progressing and be sure to move them. Then you can worry about the minutiae.
Personally, the goal of every workout of mine is to perform that “one set” where you are pushed out of your comfort zone.
SY: Explain what being an active client at Recess looks like from privates sessions to group classes. What are the offerings?
MJ: When an individual becomes a member at Recess, we begin their client journey with a comprehensive assessment (questionnaires, injury history, body composition scans, movement analysis) where we truly determine what they want to achieve. Then, we make recommendations for our fitness programming including private sessions, semi-private sessions (where every individual performs their own custom workout in a small group setting) and classes
(a large group format). Members also gain access to recovery offerings.
SY: I am lucky enough to have worked with you for a few years and we often talk about consistency, commitment, lifestyle, showing up, awareness. What are the crucial words to you and what do they mean.
EJ: I’m coming up on two decades in the fitness game, and I’m honestly anti-fad and buzz word at this point. I believe awareness is a vital component in the process to becoming a better version of oneself. Whether it’s your movement capacities, heart rates or caloric intake, taking inventory is an eye-opening part of the process. From there, it’s learning how to put all these things that we’ve heard that we should be doing and actually applying them into your routine.
SY: You surround fitness with other wellness experiences like infrared sauna and cold plunge. Tell us what you offer at the club.
MJ: We decided to integrate recovery services, like infrared sauna with red light therapy, and cold water immersion therapy via the plunge, right into the club so that these modalities could amplify the work we’re doing on the gym floor. Hopping in the cold plunge before a session or the sauna post-workout is a seamless way to utilize these powerful tools into our clients’ routines.
SY: Programming is a focus for you. Tell us about some of the experts you are bringing in and why.
MJ: We are always looking for ways to add value for our members. That process starts with listening to their wants, personally vetting professional services, and making sure all providers are on the same page to create a cohesive and holistic experience. This includes an in-house physical therapist and our development of a residency program with recovery specialists like lymphatic masseuses, body workers, health and mindset coaches, nutritionists and therapists.
SY: Branding is core to the experience at Recess. Explain the vibe and inspiration.
EJ: We want Recess to be the third space in our members lives after work and home. When you walk in our doors, we want you to feel as though this is your space and you belong here. While the vibe is chill, the energy is contagious and the community is extremely supportive. And even though the space is luxurious, you’re going to work hard and have fun doing it.
SY: What are the core values of Recess?
EJ: I’m a Connecticut-boy through and through. When doing my internship at Quinnipiac University, there was a quote above the door that each athlete tapped on their way out. It read: I got better today. I try to ingrain that in every thing we do. So, our top core value is progress, not perfection.
SY: Iconography is important to you too. Share with us what a few stand for within the brand.
EJ: The paper plane is a nostalgic icon that symbolizes playfulness, creativity and transformation.
To us, it’s a metaphor for one’s fitness journey. You take something simple as a sheet a paper, follow instructions, execute the folds, and take flight. We’re here to make our clients fly to new heights at Recess.
SY: Looking ahead, what are you most excited about?
EJ: Helping more and more individuals improve their health. We’re learning health is more than just physical, it’s also mental and emotional. We’re excited to bring all of that under one roof to create an experience that enhances health and performance.
SY: You have three boys what does the future of fitness look like with them?
EJ: The biggest gift we can give our three boys is to organically ingrain fitness into their lives. From their earliest days, we’ve allowed them to see us struggle, fail and succeed while pushing our bodies during our workouts. Strength has become a currency in our home and our hope is that the confidence that comes with it is carried into all of their future endeavors.
FIT FOR LIFE:
Johnson works with clients on functional resistance training integrating free weights, kettlebells and medicine balls to help them achieve their goals.
ALL ABUZZ
Four A-List Clients Reveal How Eric Johnson’s Transformative Work Took Them To The Next Level
“Eric Johnson not only changed my body, he changed my life. As Eric was preparing me for the fight training that I did as Agent Smith in Matrix 4, he taught me how to exercise with commitment and awareness. The gains that we achieved together focused on attainable goals and smart lifestyle choices that I am still applying today, 4 years since we first worked together. Quite simply, there was my physical and mental health before meeting Eric and my physical and mental health after meeting Eric. He tailored my life in the gym to compliment my life outside of the gym, probably in part because he is so passionate about both his work and his incredible family. I cannot recommend him enough as a trainer and as a person.”
– JONATHAN GROFF
“Eric has been so helpful for me in training my body through so many different phases. Whether it’s postpartum and taking things slow or switching into a higher gearing to help me prepare for a Broadway schedule dancing and moving my body eight shows a week. His training has always met me where I’m at and gotten me exactly where I need to be and more.”
– LEA MICHELE
“Eric makes what are actually tough, effective workouts seem relatively easy. He has a vast knowledge of the body and tailors the work you do for the way you move and live, gently expanding your range of motion and strength. He is also kind and xtremely fun to be with, which is another great way to distract from how much effort you really are being asked to expend.”
– JIM PARSONS
“Eric Johnson has been a transformative presence in my life for over 10 years. His ability to keep workouts fresh and exciting made every session something I look forward to. Throughout my journey, post pregnancy and myreturn to fitness afterward, Eric was there every step of the way, helping me adapt and thrive. His positive energy and unwavering encouragement created a space where I felt empowered to challenge myself. With his warm sense of humor, he turned tough workouts into positive experiences. I didn’t just have a trainer; I found a true partner who genuinely cares about my well- being and success.”
– SCARLETT JOHANSSON