The Inside Press

Magazines serving the communities of Northern Westchester

fitness

At the Heart of Community

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One thing I’ve heard consistently about Pleasantville lately is how fiercely proud residents are of their town and of Mount Pleasant at large. As I produced this edition over the summer, and learned about Break the Hold, via Sabra Staudenmaier’s cover story for us, it was not hard to see why.

I feel like I’m getting to know a community that yes, celebrates all its gifts and good fortune, but also enthusiastically embraces solutions to challenging problems via its open hearts and extended hands. To me, such sincere involvement feels central to understanding the heart of a caring community. This story pulled my heartstrings right away. We also have a proud history covering mental health issues, and specifically the topics of depression and suicide. The Inside Press was the recipient a few years back of a Media Award from the Mental Health Association of Westchester. We hope to continue to shine a spotlight on mental health in future issues as well.

In additional heart sharing coverage, I am also thrilled to publish Ronni Diamondstein’s story about Pleasantville’s Gordon Parks Foundation; if you’re like me, you might be one of many who has walked by and felt curious about the foundation’s window on Wheeler Avenue. Its mission is to preserve the powerful images of artist and photojournalist Gordon Parks whose work has done so much to help bring attention to racism. It accomplishes that and so much more.

If you need more reasons to love Mount Pleasant, there is no shortage in this edition. We asked a long time savvy area resident and Inside Press contributor Jennifer Sabin Poux to compile ten, and she does a fantastic job of that too.

Two summer interns, Charlotte Harter and Madeline Rosenberg, have also helped turn our attention to community, with stories about how the Pleasantville Chamber of Commerce helps support local commerce, coverage of the town’s dedicated conservation efforts plus a look back at Pleasantville Community Day and the town’s firefighter parade.

We know fitness figures ‘big’ around here too, so please don’t miss the piece about area marathon runners either, which includes a Pleasantville resident!

Finally, we also keep hearing the music. In our debut edition, we offered a preview of the Pleasantville Music Festival (another mega successful day!), and in this issue, we give a nod to the area’s vibrant ‘music scene,’ as writer Miriam Longobardi spotlights a couple Rocker bands led by area moms!   

Enjoy the edition, and we hope to see you again in 2020. Our plans for now are for at least four a year, so stay tuned!  Follow Inside Press Magazines on Facebook or insidepress on Instagram, and soon enough, another surprise pub covering your town will be hiding in your mailbox!   

Learning to Love My Dad Bod

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So apparently having a Dad Bod is now a “thing.” You can certainly Google the term or drop it in a conversation. Most likely someone will chuckle and refer to a loved one who can be described as such. A Dad Bod, essentially, is a physique of middle-age that can been described as masculine, reasonably muscular and slightly overweight. What is intriguing and, counter-intuitive, are the positive connotations almost universally associated with this common and easy to achieve body type. Putting aside years of denial, I’m prepared to admit to having a Dad Bod but also to realizing that the concept is some kind of odd societal rationalization that is in reality just vaguely insulting to men and women.

Personally, I’ve had my weight fluctuate over the years for many reasons. I can say, first hand, that being too thin or too heavy can be really unpleasant. Of course, I’d like to be as fit-looking as possible but eventually one realizes that certain physical ideals may never be fully achieved. For me, probably the best personal state of my body is to be a few pounds heavier than I’d actually like to be. Aesthetically, believe me, this is not a thrilling state of existence but with maturity (Ha!) I’ve realized that the way I look is secondary to being as healthy a person as I can reasonably manage. What’s particularly galling about the Dad Bod movement is that while I’m strenuously trying to accept myself, it somehow makes this effort more difficult by making me feel slightly patronized by an entire culture.

I’d love to be writing this as an exotically rare middle-aged Dad with wash-board abs, 20:20 vision and a fast metabolism but I most definitely have to check none-of-the-above on those. From that super-fit perspective, I imagine it would be so easy to be enthusiastically supportive about the Dad Bod thing precisely because I wouldn’t be stuck in one. However, living in this body, as I must, I refuse to smile politely if someone wants to essentially say that the very same body I am regularly struggling to learn to accept is now, (drumroll please) objectively attractive. I just don’t buy it. There is some kind of passive-aggressive condescension connected with the embracing of Dad Bods.

As for the female members of our culture, I can only imagine how they must feel about the acceptance and celebration of Dad Bods. It’s something of a cliché but I’ve heard women confirm the difficulty in dealing with their own aging process in comparison to men. You know, men become more distinguished, the lines on their face only add character, etc. This is a societal reality. Look at movie stars. Clooney & Pitt will be leading men for decades to come because they’re perceived as only getting better looking as they age. Leading ladies of the movies hit the age of 40 and abruptly must decide between character parts, plastic surgery or professional oblivion.

Why is there no female version of the Dad Bod? The closest thing I can think of is Mom Jeans and that association is quite the opposite of the now sexy Dad Bod. Why are we, culturally, not prepared to embrace women with a female version of the Dad Bod as universally attractive? Obviously, in 2018, there’s still a lot of work to be done on gender roles in society. If Dad Bods are, presumably, built upon men who have worked hard professionally and, perhaps, parented as well, then why aren’t women afforded the same leeway in how their bodies evolve? Especially considering how child-birth can affect one’s physical being. It just doesn’t seem fair.

I suppose what really irks me with the whole Dad Bod phenomenon is the reality of analyzing someone’s physical appearance and imparting a judgement upon that particular bodily state. There is an impermanence of one’s physicality that is just a fact of human existence. I question why we assume that being kind about chubby Dads is any more appropriate than telling a woman she looks sexy or criticizing someone for being too fat or thin.

Don’t get me wrong. I know attaching the Dad Bod moniker to a middle-aged gentleman is essentially a way of saying we love you just the way you are. That’s a great lesson. We should all learn to love acceptingly as best we can. However, as a reluctant member of the Dad Bod club, I implore you to think about what you are actually saying when you label your slightly corpulent loved one as such. Might I suggest a karaoke dedication of Billy Joel’s “Just The Way You Are” instead? Just not Dad Bod. Please.

Stella Schwartz’s Rigorous Training for Division 1 at UMass

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Stella Schwartz

As Greeley athletes work on their summer fitness routines, graduating senior Stella Schwartz is prepping to play Division 1 soccer in the Atlantic 10 Conference at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst. The UMass Women’s Soccer pre-season starts July 31st. That’s when the team moves onto campus and starts to train and practice together. To prepare for pre-season, the coach sends all players a Summer Fitness Packet. The packet includes Strength Training which is lifting weights, Agility Training which is doing small running drills to work on speed and change of direction, Aerobic Training, which is running longer distances like 2 miles or 3 miles, usually within a certain timeframe and a Mobility Circuit, which is a stretching program. The Fitness Packet also includes a calendar that starts in May and goes through pre-season. Each day has a different drill.

Besides working on the UMass Fitness Packet every day, Schwartz trains with a technical coach (who she’s been working with for 4 years) who works with her on all aspects of the technical side of soccer, such as first touch, heading, shooting and body position. “Even though I just received the fitness packet in May, I had already started more serious training on my own last summer, to prepare for college soccer.  Starting a training program a few weeks before pre-season camp will not prepare a player to be at their best,” notes Schwartz.

“The biggest difference in playing Division 1 soccer and club soccer is the speed of play and the physicality of the players,” explains Schwartz. “It’s a huge adjustment and can be overwhelming as a freshman.” So another way Schwartz is preparing for Division 1 level soccer this summer is to play with college players on the New York Surf U23 team. They’re a member in the United Women’s Soccer (UWS) summer league. The league is a place where current college players (and graduated college players) can stay on the ball and compete while on summer break. It’s also a place for players to be seen by college coaches if they want to transfer schools or to play at the national level. The team is made up of college players, International players and National players. “It’s a great environment for me to be in because it pushes me to work on areas I need to improve.” Schwartz’s goal is to go into pre-season camp fit, strong and prepared. And it sounds like she’ll be doing just that!

For 45 Years, Club Fit Keeps Up With The Times

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On a recent weekday afternoon, lime and cantaloupe infused waters awaited members at the entrance of Club Fit in Briarcliff, and the fruit’s colorful cheer was echoed by the motivational sayings lining the walls. “Do something your future self will thank you for,” urged one.

But while Club Fit Briarcliff certainly offers many opportunities for the individual, what sets it apart from many gyms and fitness facilities is a focus on serving the entire family. Now celebrating its 45th year, the club, and its sister location in Jefferson Valley, offers a family-friendly experience with a special focus on giving back to the community, while offering a wide range of standard and modern fitness offerings.

From areas for children that are divided by age to special times for basketball for ages 40 and up, Club Fit supplies things to do for all ages. And with a focus on offering fun, age-appropriate childcare, parents can take advantage of all the club has to offer.

“One thing we’ve really expanded in the last 15 years is our childcare,” Ellen Koelsch, an owner of the club with her brother, Bill Beck, said recently. “We have enough space to dedicate to kids under five and kids five to 12. As a working mom myself, I know you can’t just leave the 6-year-old home alone.” The space for older kids has a small basketball court, air hockey, plus video games, with a catch–they’re played standing. “They’re getting used to a fitness environment early,” Koelsch said.

Childcare manager and party coordinator Melissa Lawrence, a longtime Club Fit employee, agreed. “I’ve been here 22 years and it’s great to see these kids grow up and see them return as adults–it’s pretty cool.”

After school, some kids come to Club Fit by bus. They can unwind, then take a swim or tennis lesson and “you can get out of work, do 20 minutes of cardio and grab your kid,” Koelsch said.

At Club Fit, the fitness center is flooded with natural light; and off to the side is something a little unusual–a space reserved for women only.

The club also has nine tennis courts, physical therapy on-site, and a huge pool area with spaces for lap swimming, lessons, swim team practice and a large hot tub. Parents with little ones can utilize the zero-entry area. There’s a spin area with more than 60 seats and racquetball as well.

There are also many spaces for group exercise classes–and Club Fit keeps up with the trends, offering the types of classes often found in small boutique gyms. Currently, members can take CFX classes, which are “our version of a functional fitness class, using your own body weight,” Koelsch said. “We’re kind of blending going to a studio for small-group attention with a full-service experience with childcare. We know family is important and time is valuable, so we make that kind of class available to the community. Exercise is important–people know that, they know it has to be a part of their lives, but what’s hard is to keep it interesting.” Besides CFX, the club offers TRX classes as well as more standard classes such as Zumba, which tend to be larger. The goal is to offer smaller studio-like classes within the club. “So your ‘neighborhood’ can stay the same, but you’re always on the cutting edge of fitness,” Koelsch said.

Club representative Wendy Courtney is another of many long-term employees. “When I started with the club, Ellen was little,” Courtney said. “The club was born and raised for the community and that’s how we developed – everything here was born for this community.” The club is constantly sending surveys to members and uses the responses to direct growth and change and improvement, Courtney and Koelsch said.

“It’s great to hear the good news but we learn from the bad news. Our members are our eyes and our ears,” Courtney said. “Our membership knows we want to hear from them.”

Personal trainer Beth Kear said at Club Fit, “the owners are very involved and supportive of the staff. Anywhere you go, you’ll see it – everything, from the minute you walk in the door has that family feel–friendly, welcoming, non-intimidating. Member integration is a big priority.”

That’s why newcomers to the club are given not just a session with a trainer, but are walked through every aspect of using a club–from how to use a membership card to how to use the machines. “You should feel comfortable from when you walk in the door,” Koelsch said.

Because some people who need to start exercising are very unaccustomed to the health club environment, Club Fit has a special program called Help RX. It’s a short-term, discounted program with “a lot more hand-holding,” Koelsch said. That way, prospective members who have been told by their doctors that they need to start exercising can try the club out.

Club Fit also offers a senior discount and half off membership fees to active duty police, firefighters, EMTs and military. And if there are area power failures–well, Beck said, they’ll open their doors to those who need hot showers, as they have before.

“We’ve been in our community a very long time,” Koelsch said. “And we love giving back.”

Think Fit For Kids 2018 Raises Funds for Pediatric Brain Cancer Research

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Jumpy castles, hoop games, Zumba for kids, face painting–the annual Think Fit For Kids (TFFK) Family and Fitness event, generously hosted at Club Fit in Briarcliff, is a community fundraiser that has been going strong for eight years.

As we went to press with this issue, the 2018 TFFK team of volunteers, is ensuring that the event on Sunday, March 4, 2018 meets its goal of raising $250,000 to support state of the art pediatric brain cancer research. Getting ready for TFFK involves the support of corporate sponsors, with more than 75 local merchants all donating the food, DJ music, entertainment and photography.

Since 2011 when Chappaqua’s Kim Gilman and Amy Weinstein approached Club Fit’s owner, Ellen Koelsch to sponsor the TFFK event, $1.5 million has been raised for A Kids’ Brain Tumor Cure Foundation, which currently funds two extremely promising projects at Massachusetts General Hospital and Memorial Sloan Kettering. Most excitingly, a Phase 1 clinical trial to test the safety and efficacy of combining immunotherapy agents in children with brain tumors has now expanded into a large-scale clinical trial at 58 centers in 13 countries. This study brings new hope to children across the globe who have run out of treatment options and may provide a completely new avenue for battling deadly brain tumors in children.

Cancerous brain tumors have now surpassed leukemia as the leading cause of cancer death in children. There are 28,000 children battling brain tumors in the U.S., including some in our community, and an additional 4,300 will be diagnosed this year.

Through Horace Greeley High School’s club, SHARE (Students Have A Responsibility Everywhere), enthusiastic student volunteers help before, during and after the TFFK event.  In addition to manning a booth at Community Day to publicize the event, SHARE hosts a Ben & Jerry’s fundraiser in Mt. Kisco. “It’s great to see many Greeley students come to get ice cream and help out this cause and raise community awareness around the dire need for funding pediatric brain cancer research. Plus, we always have fun scooping ice cream!” says Alice Heyeh, a SHARE Community Partners Executive, HGHS ’18.

It’s not too late to donate to the cause. Visit www.thinkfitforkids.org for additional information.