NEW YORK -- A new fitness phenomenon is taking Manhattan by storm thanks to an unlikely exercise guru: an ex-con.
Coss Marte was sentenced to four to seven years in prison for various drug offenses back in 2009, but instead of wallowing in self-pity, Marte got to work, dropping 70 pounds in six months by working out in his 9 x 6 cell.
He also started training other inmates with his body weight-only techniques.
When he got out, Marte had a mission: bring prison-style bootcamp to the masses.
The former felon now has a studio called ConBody, an online video streaming service, and six instructors who are all ex-cons themselves.
The studio, which has a mess hall, faux cells and a prison bus, offers classes with names like Lock Down Wednesday, done behind bars.
After you do your time, you take a mugshot and are released back into society.
Though ConBody may seem like inmate exploitation, Marte says his mission is really to bridge the gap between young professionals and ex-cons who are turning their lives around.
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