STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. -- With Staten Island's drug epidemic continuing to take a tragic toll, there is an oasis of inspiration at a CrossFit gym on Hylan Boulevard in New Dorp.

Addiction experts agree that a renewed focus on physical health, along with other avenues of support and counseling, is an important element when it comes to successful long-term recovery.

There's one fitness advocate who's offering his time -- without cost -- to help addicts to do just that.

"I'm not an expert on addiction or drugs," said Michael Biserta, a coach at UNBEATEN CrossFit. "As long as I have one person showing up, I'm going to keep showing up. It's one hour a week out of my time, and with all the problems that people have on this Island that's not much to ask."

CrossFit is a fitness program developed by Greg Glassman that combines weight lifting and cardiovascular conditioning in a constantly varied and challenging workout that is inclusive and scalable to any level.

The free, weekly program came about after Biserta visited a friend in Boston who is active with Phoenix Multisport, a sober, active community with several chapters nationwide.

After returning home, and seeing how the heroin and drug epidemic has gripped the Island -- he lost several friends to addiction -- Biserta started thinking of a way to create a similar program.

So Biserta reached out to Chris Pansini, a recovering addict.

The idea was born: A CrossFit class each week that recovering addicts could attend free of charge.

"He said he wanted to help out and said that CrossFit was what he had to offer," said Pansini. When he got the phone call, Pansini immediately thought it was a great idea.

The participants range in age from early 20s to mid 40s, and include both men and women. Biserta says he doesn't talk about addiction in class, but prior to starting a class on one Saturday night in February, he gave a talk about having integrity and grit and how that translates to pushing yourself through a workout.

"Mentally is where CrossFit hits home for a lot of people, myself included- it's not just about getting in shape, its about understanding how lucky you are and having some perspective and breaking through barriers you didn't think you could break through earlier," he said.

When asked how he felt before walking into CrossFit for the first time, Pansini laughs and says that he knew it was going to be extreme, but that no matter how hard it was he knew he could do it. "That's one thing I've learned through my recovery, that the only person that can put a limitation on what I can do is myself," he said.

Pansini tells fellow addicts in recovery that they need to fill their days with positive actions. He says that after his first CrossFit recovery class, while he left feeling tired and was sore the following day, he felt accomplished, which is a feeling that he says addicts need in order to progress in recovery. "Working out with my friends alongside me, it was a huge energy booster, them cheering me on, the teamwork, the camaraderie, it felt like any other fellowship I would do," he said.

"It's sober fun --- knowing that my life isn't over, knowing that my life is just beginning," said Pansini.

If you are an addict in recovery and would like to attend a free class at UNBEATEN CrossFit, you can contact Coach Mike Biserta at Mbiserta131@gmail.com or go to www.unbeatencrossfit.com

Note: Amanda Steen is a member at UNBEATEN CrossFit.