Female Fight Club moves to new location, expands women-only fitness experience

You’re in there to have fun, but you’re also in there to get strong and continue to get stronger.”

Rosesara Greenspun

Women partial to stretching, jumping, cycling, toning and salsa dancing will be excited to learn Female Fight Club, the popular Riverdale women-only gym led by Johanna Edmondson, has moved to a brighter and more spacious location just a few storefronts down on Riverdale Avenue. 

The entire move was completed in a single day, with dedicated Fight Club members helping to transport gym equipment down the street to minimize disruption to the class schedule. 

Edmondson emphasized the importance of a swift relocation to help maintain the routines vital to many members.

The new space features updated equipment, a basement spin room, a backyard and a bright pink wall — a choice made by a longtime member and cancer survivor, which gives the gym a striking radiance even from down the street.

The gym’s new corner location also enhances its visibility, with passersby often pausing at the sight of members participating in classes that are both rigorous and spirited. 

The move, according to Edmondson, was “a leap of faith” driven mainly by the gym’s growing popularity and the need to accommodate an increasing number of members without having to turn anyone away.

Despite being only four years old, Female Fight Club has quickly built a devoted membership base. Edmondson said that the gym originated during the “darkest days of the pandemic” and rapidly gained traction as people became more aware of the importance of mental health and community.

General manager Sarah Cardenas spoke to the all-female nature of the gym as a space where members treat each other like sisters. Unlike conventional gyms, where women often have to face issues like sweaty machines, hostility, unwanted stares and even videotaping, Female Fight Club provides an environment in which women do not need to be concerned with how they are perceived and can focus exclusively on their progress and supporting each other. 

Men are only permitted on Sundays for the weekly Salsa classes. This freedom has been equally attractive to members ranging from 15 to 85, who come from as nearby as down the street and as far as Manhattan. 

Rosesara Greenspun, a lifelong Riverdale resident who attends the gym five or six times a week, praised the community aspect of the gym as its most distinguishing feature. She noted the deeper sense of intimacy and true camaraderie in a smaller fitness club, where instructors learn new members’ names on the spot and greet them each time they return.

Greenspun commended the instructors for their personalized approach in ensuring each member is exercising safely while progressing.

“You’re in there to have fun,” she said, “but you’re also in there to get strong, and continue to get stronger.”

Greenspun said she is now lifting the double the weight she started with. 

The Pilates classes tend to draw the largest crowds, though Edmondson said the Zumba class is especially meaningful to her, as it’s where members seem to experience the most joy and catharsis.

“Watching them dance makes me sentimental,” Edmondson said, “like seeing my mom dance — women of all ages, including those in their 60s and 70s.”

Cardenas attributed the success of the gym to its commitment to growth on two planes; creating a clean, bright and high-quality space for exercise and personal development, as well as cultivating a self-contained community that contributes to a larger supportive network.

The club also supports its members’ well-being through initiatives like free mammogram screenings, cooking classes and sponsoring a breast cancer walk in the autumn. 

Angelique Beverly, a frequent member, highlighted the gym’s leadership as a driving force for its sustained prosperity, saying of Edmondson: “She’s just a very giving person.”

Looking ahead, Edmondson said the gym hopes to expand, without sacrificing its mission, through partnerships with like-minded organizations, adding more classes and potentially opening a second location at some point in the future.