fitness

We Can Work it Out…How Fitness Fosters Friendship

April 23, 2014 by The Inside Press

Kristen Levy (front, 3rd from left) among her friends from the Byram Hills High School tennis team.

by Heather Skolnick

It’s been said that people make a town a community, and nowhere is this more evident than in the burgeoning town of Armonk. With new health and fitness businesses cropping up left and right, it’s easy to see that Armonk has become a community of people who are health conscious. And what better way to meet similar people with shared interests than being in a town that makes health and fitness readily available. So, as Olivia Newton-John would say, “Let’s Get Physical!”–while making new friends!

Armonk has a large gym facility under new ownership in town, a studio devoted to yoga, another to the barre method, a tennis club and an indoor sports facility–and that’s just naming a few. Meanwhile, greater North Castle offers a multitude of hiking and biking trails, as well as fishing options for the outdoor enthusiast. It’s easy to see that there are a lot of health and fitness choices for a relatively small hamlet of about 4,300 residents!

Whether a large gym or smaller specialty studio, workout facilities make it easy to meet people. New Armonk resident Randi Felton recalls that she met one of her closest friends at the gym. Randi says, “She noticed that I was pregnant and told me she was too. We talked each day about our pregnancies while doing Yoga and Pilates–and now our children have regular play dates together!” She recently joined Equinox in Armonk and has found that not only is she working on her fitness, but she’s connecting with other women in the community. Randi says, “In just a few weeks, I’ve become friendly with other women taking the same class. We not only live in the same town, but we also share common interests in staying healthy.”

The Town of North Castle Rec Center offers many fitness/athletic classes and is a popular option among residents. Armonk mom Megan Elkowitz enrolled her son in a soccer class through the Rec Center this past fall. While watching from the sideline, Megan developed a new friendship with another mom whom she now sees regularly. She says “The weekly soccer games gave me the opportunity to develop friendships with other parents who had really been only acquaintances before.” In fact, one of the moms coordinated a subsequent class for all the kids that had become friendly–now that’s friendship! Those that loved toddler soccer often progress into AYSO soccer, allowing friendships to flourish for children and parents.

Fitness and friendship start early for 2 ½ year old pals Benjamin Elkowitz (center), Samuel Milim (left) and Ryan Aizenstain (right); here in an Equinox Multi-Sports class with instructor Matt Spallina.

Another popular fitness activity among local men is nighttime basketball games. Both relaxed pickup games and more structured, competitive leagues exist in Armonk. While most men know someone on the team when they join, many also find that they develop new friendships. In fact, Armonk resident and local orthopedist Dr. Stuart Elkowitz counts many of his teammates as good friends.

Some people have made truly forever friends while pursuing physical fitness. Cindy Shmerler Levy, a lifelong tennis player, has found incredible bonding through a shared love of the game, a passion for competition and pursuit of fitness. She says, “I have been playing tennis for more than 45 years. Some of my best friends in the world have, at some point, served as either partner or an opponent.

Three women who played on the college team with me at the University of Pennsylvania in the late seventies and early eighties now live in Westchester and you should see how competitive our so-called ‘social’ games can get. My Thursday morning game at Club Fit in Briarcliff has been around for more than a decade and we have all seen each other through births, deaths, surgeries (mostly knees!), high school graduations, illnesses and weddings.”

She continued, “My kids, Kristen and Max Levy, both grew up playing tennis in Armonk. They have made incredible, life-long friends even though their competitive careers ended at the high school level. Max, a senior at Byram Hills, played at the Armonk Tennis Academy for five years and counts his court-mates as some of his best friends; they laugh as hard as they compete and have learned life lessons that extend well beyond the white lines that define the courts.”

So not only is fitness good for  the body, it turns out that it’s good for your social life too! With Spring’s welcome warm weather, there’s no time like the present to get out there, get some exercise and make some  new friends!

Heather Skolnick, her husband Neal and their three children have been Westchester residents for seven years. Their favorite family fitness activity is taking advantage of the area trails with their dog Freddie.

Fit at Last

August 15, 2013 by The Inside Press

By Anna Bennett

Amber Jo of Prescriptions for Fitness trained Greeley grad (Class of 2010) Anna Bennett this summer.

I’m going to be embarrassingly candid here. Prior to this summer, the last time I got myself to the gym was first semester of my sophomore year of college–aka, a year and a half ago–when a friend forced me. I stayed for about 25 minutes, got a smoothie, and left. And the last time I got a “real” work out…never?

Aesthetically, I’ve always been somewhat satisfied with my body image. My weight has fluctuated some through the years, but I have never been considered, though I really hate the term, “fat.” At 5’3” and my weight hovering around 110 pounds, I am not really a candidate for a weight loss camp–still, that’s the kind of push I needed. It was only this past spring that I found my body changing in ways that troubled me. With the combination of Amherst’s (at UMass) candied bacon donuts and my (truly) sedentary lifestyle, I felt bloated on the outside and morbid on the inside. My mom, one of the few who understand how unhealthy my habits actually were, offered to set me up with a trainer at Prescriptions for Fitness in Chappaqua and I agreed to try.

Soon after, I met my trainer, Amber Jo, a friendly young woman (with a rockin’ bod) just three years my senior. After filling out some forms and testing my abilities, Amber customized a routine for me. She designed a “circuit,” which is a series of different exercises performed one after the other, and then repeated a number of times, which challenged my strength and endurance alike. And by “challenged,” I mean I was sweating bullets and flopping all over the place rather than working out. Fortunately, at Prescriptions for Fitness, I was given a private space, where I didn’t have to worry about looking funny or struggling in front of others. There, I was able to learn different kinds of exercises (and flop around all I wanted) in an intimate, judge-free zone.

Between sessions, Amber texted me copies of what we did together. This way, I could exercise on my own and keep what I had learned fresh in my mind. Although I couldn’t push myself quite as far as Amber would, I went from doing nothing to doing something, which was a huge accomplishment for me. Many of the exercises we did involved floor work and weights, so I could work out easily on my own at home too.

Week by week, I still struggled, but felt a gradual improvement. The initial workouts that made me feel absolutely miserable became tolerable, and then, even (gasp!) enjoyable. Feeling myself perform in ways that I was once incapable (as in doing a real pushup!) and Amber proudly acknowledging the ways in which I had improved was a great boost to my self esteem. At the conclusion of my 12 sessions (thanks Mom!), I can say that I now “know how” to work out and am motivated to continue on. For me, having Amber as my trainer was crucial to my personal growth, and probably crucial to my future health.

Editor’s Note: You’re welcome, Anna.

Rx For Fitness

May 18, 2013 by The Inside Press

“With video games and IPhones,” notes Scott Reilly, owner of Prescriptions for Fitness, “any kid can easily live in their own world.” Factor in the anguish of being picked last for a group activity–which can often be the experience for the typical special needs kid–and you might witness an alarming level of inactivity. A lower key interaction helps kids with a lack of strength or the low energy that can come from being on a medication regimen. Goals are set and met to help build confidence. For kids with sensory issues, having fun is every bit as important as getting exercise. “It’s not just about coming in and doing push ups. It’s engaging them in an enjoyable workout,” Reilly says.

Individual needs are taken into account. “We gear our workout on eye-hand development, gross motor and fine motor skills,” he says. Prescriptions works with whatever the issues are, and Reilly doesn’t hesitate to point out what he gets in return. “It empowers you,” he says, “You see a smile on a kid’s face; it’s so rewarding because you’re making a difference.”

– Rich Monetti

Jodi’s Story

April 24, 2013 by The Inside Press

How Her Talent and Passion for Gymnastics Turned into a Lifelong Career

By Vicki de Vries

“Do what you love, and you will never work a day in your life!” Most people nod in agreement and then walk away.

Not Jodi Levine, who started Jodi’s Gym 32 years ago and has proven that love and work can be a perfect 10, an old gymnastic term for the highest possible score. How did she do it, and how does she manage to continue running a successful business?

Jodi took what she loved and excelled in–gymnastics–and turned that passion into a new business idea—Jodi’s Gym, a gymnastics company catering to young children in New York City. The concept proved to be so successful that she eventually opened a Jodi’s Gym center in Mount Kisco. Over the years, Jodi and her staff, many of whom have been working with Jodi for over 15 years, have developed numerous offerings that range from “Teeny Tumblers” (ages 9 months to walking) to Girls Advanced Gymnastics (1st to 8th grade), attracting thousands upon thousands of children.

What accounts for the tremendous success Jodi’s Gym has enjoyed during the past 32 years? Is it the great business concept or the fact that all of the instructors are USA Gymnastics certified? Or maybe it’s the rich variety of offerings in a kid-friendly, pleasant, safe environment? Certainly, all of those factors have played, and continue to play, a key role in the Jodi’s Gym phenomenon.

But what has really made the difference is Jodi Levine herself.

Jodi’s Dance…to Gymnastics

One of Jodi’s earliest memories is about her wanting to be a ballet teacher. At around five years of age, she started taking dance lessons and acrobatic tumbling. “I really enjoyed being upside down,“ Jodi said. (Could that be when she began acquiring her remarkably perceptive slant on things?)

At age 12, Jodi began her first gymnastics class and by age 13, began competitive gymnastics. Entering her senior year of high school, she received a scholarship to attend the Walnut Hill School for Performing Arts in Boston. That honor required that she leave her hometown of Spring Valley in Rockland County, NY, for the year in order to pursue gymnastics training along with other scholarship recipients from around the country.

Jodi had such a successful senior year at the Walnut Hill School that after competing at the national level, she was awarded an athletic scholarship to Indiana State University’s nationally ranked women’s gymnastics team. She graduated with a BA in psychology and a certification coaching of gymnastics/physical education minor.

At that point, Jodi believed her gymnastics days were over: “After ISU, I truly did believe that I had completed my ‘gymnastics piece.’”

Next on her list was attending New York University to complete a master’s degree in psychology/organizational behavior. With graduation approaching, Jodi decided to take a break prior to pursuing a doctorate in child psychology. At the same time, she experienced what she described as a “gut moment pulling me back into the world of kids’ health, fitness and movement education.”

During her break from graduate studies, Jodi returned to coaching competitive gymnastics, something she had always loved. Here is where her story really takes off… “I really wanted to reach out to all kids, not just the ones who were inclined to be competitive gymnasts,” Jodi said. “I saw there was a great need for all kids to reap the psychological, as well as the physical, benefits of the sport that had given me so much. This was back in 1980, when ‘mommy and me’ gymnastics really did not exist. I saw a niche that was missing.” That niche was “gymnastics for the pure enjoyment, fun, education and benefit, where kids could work toward their personal best without having to compete for a score or how they compared to other kids.”

“In the sport of gymnastics, every fiber of a young person’s mind and body is fully engaged. I felt that so many children were missing out on the benefits gymnastics gave me, and I felt I just had to give it back to as many who would like to have the chance.”

The idea became a cause celebre for Jodi: “I felt as if this was what I was meant to do. There really was no stopping me. The energy was endless, the passion was so strong. Although the work was hard and those early days were very long, it never really felt like ‘work.’” Her athletic father was her main cheerleader early on: “If you love it, go for it!” In fact, “Dad always encouraged my sister and me to get back up, dust off the dirt and try again,” said Jodi. “He always wanted me to believe there was nothing I could not do because of my gender.”

Valuable words that would come in handy because in those early days, Jodi had no banker, no credit, no equipment, no staff, and no experience running a business. Surely the odds were against her, but Jodi was armed with a dream, boundless energy, and a strong passion for gymnastics and helping children.

Once Jodi’s Gym opened in New York City, it became an immediate success–the game in town for young children and their mothers. However, the business soon outgrew its space, and Jodi realized she would need to hire and train her first employee, who turned out to be a former student of hers. Her second employee was her mother, Carole, who came to “help out” with some administrative duties on a temporary basis. (To this day, Carole continues to assist her daughter’s business in New York City.)

Today, at any given time, Jodi’s Gym NYC and Mount Kisco between them will have from 25 to 40 employees—full and part time.

A Matter of Balance

Operating a business requires finding the right balance and constantly fine-tuning. Over the years, Jodi has developed a successful philosophy of business that is based on personal experience, common-sense, and a deep love for children and gymnastics.

Keeping a business on course includes “staying true to core values and goals while constantly innovating” and “keeping pricing fair while compensating staff well,” not to mention “maintaining the highest quality programs, high teacher/student ratios, and an extremely competent, well-trained, long-term, experienced staff.”

If that list sounds like too much somersaulting, Jodi would disagree because it’s what she has been doing for over 30 years. Her key advice to any business owner: “Listen to your customers, treat them as you want to be treated, be caring and sincere and accessible, and constantly innovate, always keeping in mind what is in the kids’ best interest.”

But, perhaps most importantly, Jodi is genuinely “in sync” with the kids themselves; she and her staff support and root them on because they’ve seen the positive results over and again, “knowing that children in our programs are feeling more confident and are developing a love for fitness and movement,” she stated.

Ultimately, “if this early positive exposure to movement keeps kids wanting to move and engage in active pursuits as they grow, we will have added to a healthier world. To me, that is success.”

Straddling Two Worlds

In the middle of her career, Jodi’s own two children became her students, and she and her husband, Hal, became, in effect, customers. Wearing the customer chapeau, she was able to see things from a mother’s perspective and learned to listen to the mothers who brought their children to her gymnastic classes.

In fact, Jodi felt better prepared to tackle perhaps the biggest challenge of all–being a parent: “Seeing so many different children and parenting styles over the years really helped prepare me to some extent for becoming a mom myself. I had so many role models.”

In a refreshingly candid way, Jodi added, “They helped me to be a better mom and got me to thinking, ‘What does a mom want? What does she deserve?’ That’s when I really started listening to what parents want for their children.”

Now that those mothers are grandparents, Jodi loves the fact that their children are bringing their kids to learn gymnastics: “When our ‘legacies,’ or second-generation kids, come through the door and the mom tells me of her great memories as a child at the gym and that she is now bringing her own child, I have been brought to tears on many occasions.”

Being sensitive to the needs and interests of families with children with all types of special needs, allergies, likes and dislikes further accounts for the variety of programs at Jodi’s Gym.

That sensitivity came close to home, shaping the parenting style of Jodi and her husband, Hal, who made physical activity and music a big part of their children’s lives. It also served as the inspiration for some innovative classes at Jodi’s Gym. For example, Jodi introduced gym and music classes after noticing how much her then two-year-old son, Will, enjoyed music. Later, when her daughter, Marly turned two, she enjoyed the musician Bobby Doowah so much that Jodi began featuring him in Jodi’s Gym birthday parties.

Now that Will and Marly are young adults and Jodi and her husband, Hal, are empty nesters, Jodi is thrilled that both children love working with kids. Will is a medical student, plays guitar and enjoys a lot of sports, including running, hiking, and skiing, while Marly, who is a junior in college, sings a capella, enjoys working out, yoga and dance. “And she recently became a Zumba instructor!” said Jodi.

Given all the successes, does Jodi have any regrets about her business? To her credit, Jodi freely admits a few: delegating more earlier on, asking for more help, taking less to heart, and being able to see more of the big picture. Would she do it all over again? A resounding definitely: “I have learned so much about people, relationships and myself. The bottom line is I feel I am really making a difference, and that makes it all worthwhile!”

Jodi’s Gym has plans to add more fitness and wellness-based classes to its offerings as well as expanding the “Jodi’s To Go” side of the business, which brings the Jodi’s Gym brand to schools, daycares, camps, and other locations in New York City and Westchester.

Nearest and perhaps dearest to Jodi’s heart is her plan to start programs for underserved populations in New York City and Westchester: “I would love to fill the gap for kids who come from homes where an active, healthy lifestyle is not so easy.”

That expresses not merely Jodi Levine’s business acumen, but more importantly, her warm and caring heart. Jodi is truly an “all-around” winner. Gymnastic aficionados will know that means “a strong competitor on all events.”

Vicki de Vries is a freelance writer/editor and educator living in Westchester “country.”