About Us

The owners of Livingston Gym, Jackie & Pasquale Ranalli

Meet the Owners

We are Jackie and Pasquale Ranalli, the owners of Livingston Gym!  As parents of four young kids, we understand the importance of both free-play and instructed physical activities.  Jackie is a Registered Dietitian and current President of the New Jersey Dietetic Association with a life-long love of playing and coaching sports (particularly soccer!).  Pasquale is a former Software Engineer who has trained throughout life in various martial arts from karate to boxing to the present day in Brazilian jiu-jitsu.  We are both certified Recreational Coaches through USA Gymnastics.

We are local residents and are invested in building a better community for the families and children of the entire area.  Fun fact: we met many moons ago while teaching kickboxing classes!

Our Philosophy

Our carefully crafted programs offer a unique combination of elements derived from gymnastics, martial arts, team sports and general fitness activities.  Additionally, we balance instruction with the incorporation of free-play.  By bringing all of these concepts together, our programs aid kids by building and enhancing their own creativity, self-esteem, and physical fitness. 


Play is different from simply being entertained. There are a ton of places and ways to simply entertain your children. But here we do so much more... We get on their level and we make them part of the process of playing and learning, and we typically find that the more we slow down and listen, the more the children engage and have fun.  Of course we enjoy those moments where we can be over-the-top and entertaining, but the true reward of a boutique gym is that the children are engaged in a form of play that is both instructive as well as expressive and creative. Our space is as much theirs as it is ours, and we truly believe that the children that spend time in our environment will not only have fun and learn but feel heard and fulfilled too. 


By being brought into action, children learn their own limits as well as those of others; and it's through learning to overcome and/or respect those limits that they truly develop deeper elements of character such as resilience and empathy.  This results in the ability to build better relationships with themselves, adults and other children that will help them on a daily basis as they grow and navigate life.  Teachable moments can be found almost everywhere, whether it is during times of joy or challenge, and that's what we seek to do.  


Contact us today via phone or email to learn more!