Peek inside the gym with a ‘secret’ crochet studio in the back

In fact, the crocheted animals mostly hang out in their own “secret room” in the back, as comedienne and Strength Academy client Kate Micucci put it in her now-viral Instagram reel about the gym. The room is Cruz’s personal studio, Crochet Arts, where she crochets and displays the dozens of handmade, cutely dressed critters she creates.

“We had a massage therapist there, but she’s gone mobile,” Cruz says. “So I said, ‘Well, I can put my pieces here.’”

Cruz has been a personal trainer for 10 years, but only introduced Crochet Arts into her business in the last few months. She learned to crochet from her aunt when she was little, but has picked it up again in the last few years.

Using the room as a crochet studio came out of necessity, as Cruz simply didn’t have a place for all her creations. She can make them quickly and doesn’t sell them. It’s just something she does for herself, which is a surprising side of Cruz to her customers.

“I’m a strict type of coach, so they don’t expect me to have a softer side,” Cruz says.

But Cruz believes that softness and toughness are two sides of the same coin.

“(Both) require discipline,” Cruz says. “I think the two actually go hand in hand. Both the strength (part) and the artistic part help reduce stress. They improve your mood, reduce anxiety. They both improve your focus, and both actually promote relaxation — one after and one during.”

Cruz is right: hobbies have a positive effect on mental health, and exercise is known to reduce stress. Exercise and any physical, repetitive movement like crocheting (and even showering) also causes your brain to Reduce activity in the prefrontal cortex¹which is the part of the brain associated with judgment, critical thinking, and decision making. This can lead to a sense of well-being and even creativity, hence shower thoughts.

“Both the strength (part) and the artistic part help reduce stress. They improve your mood, reduce anxiety. Both improve your focus, and both actually promote relaxation, one after and one during.” —Jocelyn Cruz, owner of Strength Academy

While it was surprising at first, the crochet studio has piqued the interest of its customers—and the internet. Micucci’s video has been viewed more than four million times and is generating a lot of love in the comments, with some people wondering why every gym doesn’t have a hidden craft room.

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“I’ve had people say, ‘Hey, can I just come in and then hook up?’” Cruz says. “We haven’t really gotten that done yet, but we want to. I’ve had people say, ‘Can I just see the room?’ And it changes their whole attitude.”

Customers have also asked if Cruz would like to teach classes, which she is now trying to get started. And while it can be tough to turn a hobby into a side hustle, Cruz is excited to bring the one-two punch of strength training followed by a crochet cooldown to her community.

“I didn’t know people really needed it,” Cruz says. “Sometimes the physical and the mental go hand in hand.”