August News Update
August 28, 2026
Ahh August. Tans are fading, summer fruit is on borrowed time, suitcases half unpacked and The Brick is slowly filling back up again. We have one last festival on our calendar (more on that below) before we all admit summer is over. One practical note before we get into the good stuff: from August 17 to 21, the showers at Waalsekaai will be out of order while we install new water heaters. On top of that, the women’s changing rooms at Waalsekaai will be unavailable on August 20 and 21, due to floor renovations. Plan accordingly!
Voodoo Village x The Brick
No better way to close out the summer than with a day that starts outdoor on the Pilates mat and ends on a dancefloor in the woods. On Saturday September 12th, we’re teaming up with Voodoo Village and we’ve put together a day worth clearing your calendar for.
THE SCHEDULE:
11:00 Meet at The Brick Waalsekaai
11:30 Outdoor mat Pilates at Zuidpark (all levels)
13:00 Bus ride to Stokers
13:15 Lunch at The Prep Kitchen (showers available)
15:00 Departure to Voodoo Village, Grimbergen
2:00 Bus back to Waalsekaai
Everything above is included in the price, along with a goody bag and your entry ticket to the festival.
Members: €100
Non-Members: €150
Be quick, only 50 spots available. Secure your ticket here Voodoo VillageSeptember 11-13Warandestraat 100, Grimbergen
Dragon’s Den On Tour
One of the underrated perks of being a CrossFitter (apart from, you know, becoming an absolute fitness beast) is that you can walk into almost any box in the world and feel at home. For a lot of our Dragons, dropping in at a local gym has become a staple part of any holiday. Not because a week off is going to derail their progress, but because it’s the best way to get local intel anywhere and because it’s just…fun?
If you’re thinking about dropping in somewhere on your next trip, here’s what you need to know: 1. Always reach out via email, call or slide in their DM’s to book your class. Don’t just show up there and expext to have free reign of the gym. Almost all boxes require you to pay a drop in fee and no, booking a free trial doesn’t count.
2. Be early. You might have to fill out a waiver, pay and …hey you’ve been traveling so you might need some extra time to mobilize and warm up anyway. Take a minute to introduce yourself to the coach, familiarize yourself with the gym and scope out their merch. Take it from an expert: nothing is worse than having a new face show up in the middle of a warm-up and trying to get them set up while keeping the rest of the class going.
3. Know your abilities. Whether you’re an elite athlete or just starting out, you’re a newbie to them. Know your own abilities and limitations. Now is not the time to attempt your first RX workout and if you’re nursing an injury, be sure to inform the coach ahead of time (you know, when you arrive early). 4. Leave on a good note. Be a good guest and clean up after yourself. Basic house rules vary from box to box. Ask if it’s okay to take off your shirt or drop barbells. Wait to put away your equipment until everyone is done and if you spilled some chalk, clean that up too. Oh and don’t forget to take a picture and leave them a Google review. It takes two minutes and means a lot to a small business.
Stop The Clock
The research field of Molecular Biologist Dr. Ellen Crabbe has a very personal origin story. After losing close relatives to cancer, she dedicated her career to understanding how disease, inflammation and aging work at a molecular level. In her first book, Stop the Clock, she describes twelve hallmarks of aging and how your lifestyle choices can lower your biological age.
On September 6th Dr. Crabbe is joining us at The Circus for a keynote on the science of longevity. Why are you aging faster than necessary? Which daily habits are working for you and which are working against you? And what does hormonal balance have to do with it all? Expect science-backed insights you can immediately put into use.
Book your spot in the app under ‘Social Club’.See you on September 6th, 13:30 at The Circus.
New At Stokers: Fridge By The Prep Kitchen
Look, we all know post-workout nutrition matters. We also all know that knowing something and actually acting accordingly are two very different things. With our new grab & go fridge at Stokers we are trying to provide a practical answer to that exact problem
From Monday to Thursday, the fridge is filled with ginger shots, juices and electrolytes, snacks, bowls, salads and wraps. Take what you want, scan the QR code and you’re on your way! Friday through Sunday, The Prep Kitchen at Stokers has a cook on hand for all-day brunch, from 10 to 16h.
Oh and not to worry: our barista is there every day from 8 to 15h, keeping you properly caffeinated all week long. The Prep Kitchen at Stokers by The BrickArtsen Zonder Grenzenstraat 31, Antwerpen
The Shape Shifter
Mikela and The Brick go way back. By now she has become part of the furniture, but her journey has taken some unexpected turns over the past few years. About time we sat down to catch up. When yours truly joined The Brick almost seven years ago, Mikela was already here. Teaching booty and Latin dance classes and doing personal training. She even embarked on a brief side quest as a CrossFit coach when Dragon’s Den first started. She was (and still is) always studying, always adding to her toolkit and that’s how her view on health started shifting: less about performance, more about the full picture.
After a job coach told her to work more with her hands, she discovered cupping (most people would have just booked a pottery class, but I digress) and that’s how her cupping business, Reset by Mikela, came to be. Her interest in longevity came partly from a personal place. There was a period where Mikela had everything in order: she exercised, ate well and had a happy family. But still she often felt exhausted and stressed. That gap between how she was living and how she was feeling made her curious. She started digging and what she found was that health is a lot more than food and movement. Sleep, stress, recovery, breathing, emotional wellbeing…it all plays a role. It’s this realization that brought her to Stokers, where she is one of our longevity coaches.
Slightly ironic, then, that her approach to longevity is about as low-tech as it gets. In a place with oxygen tanks, IV-drips and red light therapy, Mikela will probably open a consultation by asking about your sleep. Her own routine is built on an almost stubborn commitment to the basics: a weekly ice bath, meditation and breathing exercises, good food and knowing when to slow down. Her one tip for anyone looking to start: learn to breathe properly. A few minutes a day, no equipment needed and the impact on your nervous system is significant.
Outside Stokers you’ll find her somewhere quiet and preferably new (she rarely goes to the same place twice). Her current favorite adresses in Antwerp are Tiny Tinsel for lunch and Osaka, Caos or Cobra House when she wants to share dishes in good company. Book your longevity consultation with Mikela in the app!
Voodoo Village X The Brick Playlist
Looking for the perfect soundtrack to power through your next session? We’ve got you covered! Check out The Brick’s curated Spotify playlists, designed to match every workout, from high-intensity strength training to those zen Pilates sessions. Whether you’re after beats to get you pumped or tunes to help you unwind, these playlists are your new workout partner. Plug in, turn up the volume, and let the music move you! 
