Sloatsburg — From the outside, the fitness center could be mistaken for a high-end auto or machine shop. The space looks and feels different from your typical gym — it’s wide open with high ceilings that bounce light off glossy white walls. A green turf carpet covers the floor for running, and there is a lot running. And where a typical gym is clotted with equipment, this gym has a smaller weight section, mostly free weights to focus on a full range of motion. There are power sleds for pushing, big hanging bags for kicking, medicine balls to bounce and toss, ropes to swing and climb and for resistance training.

Welcome to Rockland Peak Performance, a gym occupying an expansive warehouse space at the entrance to Sloatsburg that is definitely not your typical local gym. It’s a contemporary fitness factory where instructors turn resolutions into reality.

“We like to fix what’s broke on people, as well as keep them thin,” said Nunzio Signore, owner of Rockland Peak Performance and fitness guru for nearly 10 years who has logged over 10,000 hours training people. Signore’s gym caters to the inner athlete inside us all that wants out.

“Training athletes was our main intention,” said Signore. “But we found that most people also want to be trained like one. Whether an athlete or a client who’s overweight, people want to get fast, strong, lean.”

Signore has worked at health clubs such as Lift in NYC, Equinox and New York Sports Club but decided to take a gamble on himself. Nearly two years ago, Signore went all in on his own gym after hearing repeatedly from clients that he needed to open a place. “I wanted to build a gym where I control the programming,” he said, explaining that he saw gaps in the typical fitness program. His program focuses on a person’s individual flexibility, strength and conditioning, and is very hands on. The program evolves as a person’s conditioning improves. “With my system, no matter who you were trained by it’s like you were trained by me.”

Before his fitness career, Signore was a longtime, well-known musician working in New York City. He played and toured with the Velvet Roots and there’s a particular home recording of Signore and Jake Stigers jamming an acoustic bluesy tune that shows Signore’s love for music. Now living in Suffern, Signore still spends time in the city. But Sloatsburg is where Signore located his gym because of the space he found and because he felt it was the right place at the right time.

“Some people told me I was crazy opening a gym in Sloatsburg,” he said, touching on the work and risk involved in establishing a high end fitness center in western Rockland. “But I just felt that if I built it, they would come.”

And people have responded. RPP is becoming the place where serious training takes place. Signore exudes perpetual energy and RPP reflects that charge. Athletes from all across Rockland County train at RPP, with programs developed for pre-season training for Suffern High School hockey and basketball players as well as Suffern Middle School soccer players. RPP has developed programs for all levels of athletes, from beginners to the collegiate level. But the RPP ethos is open to anyone interested in changing or recharging.

A RPP workout is nothing like walking into your local gym and casually lifting weights. In fact, RPP doesn’t even take walk-ins. Classes are on regular schedule and tailored to specific programs such as Boot Camp or Personal Training. Boot Camp classes are designed to “kick butt “and includes stretching and dynamic movement, field work such as sprints and movement drills, and an 8-10 station circuit that focuses on a full body workout with emphasis on fat burning.

RPP offers Kickboxing classes, Conditioning Barre, the Morning Burn, and Strength and Conditioning. Sessions can range from one-on-one personal training to private groups and general classes where everyone works out together. The connection between all activities is that a certified RPP instructor is on hand leading, or rather, drilling the training session, which is tailored to work different muscle groups and enhance flexibility and conditioning. RPP staff are resolved to change you, one workout at a time.

Signore described an event that highlights the practice he teaches at RPP. In late July, a car ran out of merge room coming off Sterling Mine Road onto Route 17 at Auntie El’s Farm Market and smashed into a utility pole, snapping the pole and knocking out power to the area. RPP’s morning workout session was going strong directly across the street from Auntie El’s. Although the gym went dark and began to heat up without AC, everyone continued to train, not wanting to break the burn.

“I guess my people are hard core,” said Signore, adding that his idea for RPP was to engage people and alter life habits. “You leave here and you feel fixed.”