Winter in Maine can be hard, nudging even the most active toward the couch. NXGen flips the script, offering the space and support to make January the month you build a practice—not a burst. A practice you can return to on dark mornings and busy nights. Start light. Keep it doable. Let winter be the season you build a rhythm that lasts.
NXGen is set up for this kind of start. They call it “affordable luxury.” In real life, that means spaces that work, equipment that’s ready, little-big things like towel service and a smoothie bar, and people who value “friendliness and cleanliness.” It feels like a health club without the price tag—and, more importantly, a fitness experience that removes winter’s friction so showing up becomes the easy choice.
We sat down with GM Andrew Sneider and Fitness Director Emily Compson to talk winter starts, recovery, and community.
There are two locations to get started—Scarborough, which has been going strong since 2017, and Portland, which just turned one. And here’s how to begin:
Aim for two or three visits a week. Think Monday and Wednesday, then earn your weekend with a Friday or Saturday session. Pick simple, repeatable blocks. Mix a basic strength session with a beginner-friendly class. If energy is low, shorten the plan and still show up. Think progress first, scale later. If you can bring a friend, do it.
Accountability builds consistency. And remember, the goal is momentum that compounds.
Winter game-changers help you stay with it
When roads are slick and daylight is short, NXGen leans into equipment and classes that bring the outdoors inside. Runners can keep miles alive on slat-belt treadmills that feel smooth and quiet underfoot. Cyclists have studio rides or solo time. In Portland, the Fusion room is exactly what it sounds like: half the room has cycling bikes and the other half is a wide-open area with storage racks for kettlebells. Some classes are all ride. Some are all strength. Others move you between both to keep you warm and engaged.
The result is simple: you don’t have to brave the elements to build capacity. You can keep running legs, spin power, and strength work intact until the trails and roads call again.
Recovery as “wintering”
Winter is a natural time to restore—and recovery is a critical part of training. NXGen’s schedule makes that easy with rolling and mobility sessions, slow-flow yoga, and yin yoga on weekends. Members pack these classes for a reason: they reduce stiffness, calm the nervous system, and help you arrive fresher for the next lift or ride.
Many members use the sauna as a favorite warm-up or wind-down spot on cold days. Red light therapy—a noninvasive session that bathes the skin in specific wavelengths of light—is also popular. Users often notice better sleep, more energy, less soreness, and faster recovery.
Whatever rest looks like for you, make it a priority. Listen to your body, take care of it, and remember: recovery is not time off. It’s the work that lets the work work.
Belonging beats hibernating
Community is the difference on a dark Tuesday in January. NXGen fosters it. People share racks and benches. Coaches know names. Regulars welcome newcomers. Some class groups carry the connection outside the gym with breakfast meetups or Friday happy hours. “Gym family” isn’t just a term—it’s real.
The connection spills into the wider community, too, with events like Pink October that support the Maine Cancer Foundation.
Tips to get started
- Grab a friend or a seasoned member. Accountability doubles your odds of showing up.
- Start small. Two or three days per week is a smart opening cadence.
- Shop classes. Try cycling, Fusion, mobility, or yoga to learn what you like. Classes are included with membership.
- Book a free consult with a trainer if you want more guidance and a plan.
- Warm up well in winter. Ease joints into work, then cool down, and use the sauna for a comfortable exit.
- Track what matters. Note strength, energy, and sleep quality. Don’t chase the scale alone.
- Set micro goals. Hit your three sessions this week. Walk 10 extra minutes. Stack wins.
- Remember the mantra. You can do hard things.
Make winter your reset
Winter will do what winter does. You get to decide how you move through it. The opportunity to get fit is yours. As they like to say at NXGen, “You can do hard things.” And, “If it doesn’t challenge you, it doesn’t change you.” Tour the Portland or Scarborough club, try a class, and pick a simple start. With a consistent start and the right support, recovery built in, and a community that shows up, this can be your strongest season yet.
"We can do hard things." + "If it doesn't challenge you, it doesn't change you."