You started the year with the best intentions. After a month of holiday indulging, you’d kick off your new fitness routine on January 3 (yes, you needed two days to recover from it all).
But here it is, the last week of January, and your brand-new workout kicks are still in the box. It’s not that you don’t want to work out; you need the right vibe to get yourself moving and grooving.
More importantly, you’d like to find a space where the people next to you, dripping in sweat, look like us. Gila Shlomi, better known as WeezyWTF, heard our calls and is here to whip us into shape in the flyest way possible.
You probably know her from her love and relationship podcast Decisions Decisions and the TV show Sex Sells. She’s also got mad love for music, especially for trap and house, but noticed it wasn’t played in the gym classes she was attending. So, the CEO and entrepreneur launched TRAPHAUS in New York City and brought a new beat to the fitness scene.
“Honestly, I’m so glad I’m talking to EBONY right now because we are my inspiration behind TRAPHAUS. I’ve always wanted a space that felt welcoming to us in the boutique fitness world,” she declared. “I’m creating marketing materials, commercials and partnerships that prioritize a demographic I’ve rarely seen represented in studios like this. I can wholeheartedly say this entire project is about making Black men, women and POCs feel that a space that traditionally wasn’t for them is now made for us.”
What happens inside the walls of TRAPHAUS? We know the music is pumping, an infectious combination of remixes and club energy. And the workout? An ingenious fusion of reformer Pilates-based with free weights sesh that strengthens and lengthens your muscles and improves your cardio system, so you can always keep step with the beat.
“I’ve always loved reformer workouts and heavy lifting because they transformed my body the most,” Weezy said. “I wanted to create a concept people hadn’t experienced before. With that vision, I partnered with our now fitness director, Jeff T. Blue, and we made this ‘idea’ a reality.”
Make no mistake, this workout can be a humbling experience. “I’ve seen football players on reformers literally struggling. Pilates is all about targeting small muscles, building core strength, and improving balance. It’s a game-changer for posture and can sharpen your form in other workouts.”
There’s a deeper reason for a wellness environment that embraces us. While Black children are usually active, that number decreases as we reach our twenties and beyond, especially for Black women. Black individuals are underrepresented in the fitness industry compared to their proportion in the general population, with a significant lack of representation in leadership roles. TRAPHAUS responds to both issues by offering a space created by and offered to our community.
“Like any new business, you have to identify what’s missing in the market and the right team that can help you fill it. For me, it was the lack of intentionally curated music in workouts,” Weezy explained. “Studios might have a lit sound system, but the music? Meh. So, I brought on producer DJ Shekdash to set the tone at TRAPHAUS every single day.”
When it came time to scale this business, Weezy knew she needed someone with the expertise to take it to the next level. “That’s when Brianda Agramonte came on board—she literally left a Fortune 500 company to run our operations.”
“One thing I’m especially excited about is our partnership with Jerk x Jollof, a global party series that fuses African and Caribbean culture and cuisine.” Imagine listening to Amapiano during a workout and eating Jollof after!
The talented TRAPHAUS team is taking our workouts to the next level, making sure we’re all strong, lean and healthy for whatever the world has in store.
“Let me be clear—what we offer at TRAPHAUS is not your typical Pilates. We’re Pilates-inspired and the megaformers…They take the challenge to a whole new level. Even my boyfriend, who works out daily, won’t get on the damn thing because it’s that intense,” Weezy exclaimed.
“Combine that with lifting, and you’ve got a full-body workout that not only tones and sculpts but also builds serious strength and endurance. This mix pushes larger muscle groups, boosts athletic performance, and delivers results that go way beyond what traditional Pilates can offer.”
As for TRAPHAUS’ future, Weezy said, “Honestly, I just want to build a community of loyalists—people who are obsessed, who become my new friends, and who feel like part of the TRAPHAUS family. I want to keep breaking molds, doing things for the first time, and giving back to the community.
She also wants TRAPHAUS to give back. “We’re partnering with businesses to raise money monthly for various charities. TRAPHAUS has only been open for a week, but we’re already laser-focused on innovation and making an impact. I have so much faith this studio will change lives.”
For more fitness guidance, see “Tips for the Gym Newbie.”
