Saw Mill Club

Discover The Staying Power of the Saw Mill Club

December 1, 2017 by Janine Crowley Haynes

Plus 10 Tips on Getting & Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

(L-R): Yoga Director Michelle Briks, Fitness Director Billy Goda, Media & Creative Director Barbara Accetta, Regional Director of Membership & Sales Terry Lanza, and Director of Group Exercise Kathleen Goldring (*photo by Janine Haynes*)

Since 1973, Saw Mill Club (SMC) of Mt. Kisco has been a cornerstone for fitness and health in the Westchester community. The club started out as a small indoor tennis facility and has been expanding ever since. The family friendly club currently has more than 7,000 members who live within a 10-mile radius. SMC opened a separate facility, Saw Mill Club East (SMCE), located at 333 North Bedford Road in Mt. Kisco.

“Saw Mill Club is your friendly neighborhood everything club, meaning we offer everything fitness including boutique studios for barre, yoga, group cycling, and award-winning tennis and aquatics departments,” says Media & Creative Director Barbara Accetta. In addition, SMC offers numerous in-house services like massage therapy, brows and facials by Ileana Fanita, chiropractic care by Dr. Eric Drucker at Saw Mill East, Dr. Louis Campbell, and Spa Chiara, a full-service medical spa founded by Dr. Sharon DeChiara, a board certified plastic surgeon. “There’s also a focus on family at Saw Mill Club, and our Children’s Center provides daycare, summer camp, and preschool,” says Accetta. “My toddler loves it, and I love that I can squeeze in a barre class and some pampering between work knowing that she’s well taken care of and happy,” Accetta adds.

Joining a Health Club vs. a Gym

Joining a club is different from just joining a gym. SMC is a micro-community that reaches beyond the fitness aspect. We all know the physical benefits to getting fit–lower blood pressure, lower risk for Type 2 diabetes, lower body fat, increased muscle mass, etc. However, being active is an important component to our mental health as well and can reduce the risk for depression and help lower anxiety and stress levels. In addition, studies show that interacting socially can increase lifespans and add to quality of life–especially in seniors. SMC acknowledges this social component and extends its reach into the community via social outings and activities for seniors, fundraising events for breast cancer, tennis programs for special needs groups–just to name a few.

“This is who we are,” says Terry Lanza, Regional Director of Membership & Sales. Lanza brings along 22 years of experience in fitness. She’s passionate about the Saw Mill Club and what it has to offer its members. “People join our club for many different fitness goals, but, recently, I’ve been meeting with a lot baby boomers who are caring for their aging parents, and they realize the importance of taking care of themselves as a whole going forward,” says Lanza. “Saw Mill Club is unique in that it’s a family-owned facility. The owner, Rick Beusman, has continually kept up with the times and, recently, acquired approximately $500,000 of state-of-the-art equipment,” says Lanza. Kinesis from TechnoGym allows for over 250 exercises and movements that improve strength, flexibility, and balance. SMC exclusively offers ARTIS, TechnoGym’s cardio equipment like treadmills, ellipticals, steppers, and cross-trainers.

In every area of fitness, SMC’s highly-trained staff is accessible. The club provides various approaches to getting fit and staying healthy. With their Smart Start program, new members are given a choice of two free private sessions. For example, you can work with a personal trainer or brush up on your swim stroke or tennis swing.

Research shows that changing things up in your workout and using different muscle groups gets better results. With the wide range of options, you can always change up your workout from being a mundane routine. Some members may be drawn to classes in the Soft Studio including yoga, pilates, barre, and fusion classes. Others may prefer the Aerobic Studio like Zumba or their Fire it Up cardio and strength workout. While others may be attracted to swimming, group cycle, or the Kinesis or TRX suspension training equipment.

10 Tips for Getting & Staying Healthy Through the Holidays

Fun-filled holiday gatherings bring temptation. Eating healthy and staying on a fitness plan during the holiday season is, no doubt, a challenge. The busy holiday season can bring along stress as well, and we can find ourselves less motivated to stick to an active, healthy regimen.

Below are just a few tips from the fitness staff.

1. Get a Jumpstart

Fitness Director Billy Goda shares some tips from his book, The Personal Trainer’s Roadmap to Success. “Set your fitness goals before the holidays. Typically, we see a spike in membership after the holidays with New Year’s resolutions, but starting a fitness plan before the holidays will give you an advantage,” says Goda.

2. Ink It

Another tip in Goda’s book: Ink It. “You have to put it in ink. So, at the beginning of the week, you need to pull out your calendar, choose three days, and write it in….It’s all about consistency,” says Goda.

3. Changing It Up

Once you’re consistent with your schedule, your workout routine should never be the same. Working different muscle groups and changing up your workout is the key to overall success. “You’ve got to wake up those muscles,” says Goda.

4. Creating Realistic Goals & Forming Healthy Habits

“Shoot for three days a week to work out. If you do more, great. If you can only make it two days, that’s okay,” says Goda. “I don’t care what kind of gains you make in the first couple of weeks….What I care about is what happens further down the line—three, six, nine months from now. By then, you’ve formed the proper habits….You’re going to feel better, sleep better, and have more energy.”

5. Staying Centered & Grounded

The mind-body connection is what yoga is all about. Yoga improves your posture, helps remove tension from the body, improves your mood, sharpens your mind, and boosts your immune system.

“The most important approach for the holidays is to stay centered and grounded. This is what we practice in yoga–poses, stability, balance, focus, and breathing,” says Yoga Director Michelle Briks.

6. Set an Intention

“Even before you get out of bed, set an intention for the day,” says Briks. Maybe your intention is staying focused on a project or learning to take a step back and breathe when you’re feeling stressed. “Focus on something you want to achieve for the day, and remind yourself and connect back to that intention during the day.”

7. Staying Hydrated

“Staying hydrated is important. Many people forget to stay hydrated in the fall and winter months,” says Briks, who is also a nutritionist. Also, starting your day with a half of a lemon squeezed into a 6 oz. cup of hot water balances the ph levels in the body, reduces cravings, eliminates toxins, and aides digestion. “Drinking room temperature water instead of cold water keeps the metabolism strong and running smoothly throughout the day,” says Briks.

8. The Ayurvedic Approach to Eating

Adding spices to warm, whole foods that come from the ground like squash, root vegetables, and leafy greens vegetables not only helps to satisfy our appetite, but has added health benefits. According to the Ayurvedic approach to eating, each meal should contain six flavors–sweet, sour, salty, bitter, astringent, and pungent. For example, cinnamon can help regulate blood sugar levels, cardamom helps eliminate waste through the kidneys, turmeric is a natural anti-inflammatory, and ginger aides digestion.

9. Group Exercise Creates a Social Circle & Support System

“Seeing a person as a whole is very important,” says Director of Group Exercise Kathleen Goldring. “We are all unique,” she adds. Group workouts do more than just get you in great shape. The social component of group classes is a terrific way to meet new friends who share your fitness goals.

SMC offers a wide-range of group exercise programs for all ages including seniors. Party Cycle is a non-intimidating cycling class disguised as fun, yet there are also more intense cycling classes for seasoned spinners. Power Shred uses a combination of functional movement and light weights for full body results, and oftentimes the class is led by a live DJ. Saw Mill Club even offers Express Classes, 30 minutes in length, for those who may be in a rush but crave a group workout. There are over 200 group exercise classes weekly between SMC and SMCE–all of which are offered for various skill levels and interests including boot camp, strength training, cardio and core, and Zumba.

10. The Nonjudgmental Approach

We all have our challenges and are at different phases in life. We come with our own fitness goals in mind. Some may have body image issues. Some may have injuries they’re working through, or some may be dealing chronic illnesses. “The key is not to feel intimidated. We try to create a nonjudgmental, all-inclusive atmosphere to help members feel motivated and empowered,” says Goldring.

For a tour of Saw Mill Club, please contact Terry Lanza at tlanza@sawmillclub.com or call 914-241-0797.

‘Bridal Boot Camp’ at the Saw Mill Club Kicks off June 21

June 8, 2017 by Inside Press

The Saw Mill Club, at its two locations, will offer Perks Galore to Brides to Be

Mount Kisco, NY–Saw Mill Club, Westchester’s premier luxury health and fitness club with two locations in Mount Kisco, announces the debut of its first annual Bridal Boot Camp. The six-week program aims to help local brides look and feel their best on their big day through one-on-one personal training, unlimited group fitness, and a handful of beauty treatments, among other perks. Bridal Boot Camp kicks off on Wednesday, June 21, 2017 and is open to non-members of Saw Mill Club.

Bridal Boot Camp offers personal training that is tailored to each bride’s desired fitness results, including a focus on the areas of the body that her wedding gown will highlight. Each bride will also receive unlimited access to Group Fitness classes at both club locations, as well as the option to participate in Small Group Personal Training once weekly. Additionally, the program includes grooming services performed by Saw Mill Club’s in-house esthetician and brow sculpting expert, as well as treatment by a Certified Massage Therapist and beauty specials at Spa Chiara, the medical spa located in Saw Mill Club East. Last but not least, there’s even a club guest pass for the Groom.

“Our team has successfully provided personal training to many brides throughout the years and the outcome has always been rewarding, both for our trainers and the brides,” said Billy Goda, Fitness Director, Saw Mill Club. “We’re excited to officially offer a robust program that specifically meets the needs of a bride who’s wanting to look and feel her best on one of the most memorable days of her life.”

To reserve your spot in Bridal Boot Camp or for program specifics and pricing, please visit www.sawmillclub.com/bridalbootcamp. For additional questions, please email bridalbootcamp@sawmillclub.com Saw Mill Club is located at 77 Kensico Drive, Mount Kisco, N.Y., 10549.

For Empty Nesters, Getting Back into Shape is a Worthy Challenge

December 1, 2016 by Andrew Vitelli

When Grace Bennett, this magazine’s publisher, saw the last of her children leave for college, she found herself with a bit more time to commit to getting into shape. But the added time at the gym, along with weekly walks with a friend, weren’t leading to the results she envisioned.

“My regular workout wasn’t helping me keep the pounds at bay,” Bennett recalls. “I just wasn’t pushing myself very much, and I definitely wasn’t watching what I ate very well.”

Bennett’s problem is one many empty nesters, and others looking to jump into a training program, encounter after only months of working out, says Saw Mill Club Fitness Director Billy Goda.

smc_grace-169-edit — Personal trainer Sarah Eichorn showing Grace proper form

“People think that they just need to learn the best ten moves, do them two-to-three times a week, and they’re good,” Goda explains. “They’re looking for an easy solution. There’s not an easy solution or quick fix.” “Routine,” concludes Goda, “is the opposite of fitness.”

Looking to step up the intensity of her workouts, Bennett decided to hire a personal trainer. She had trained a few years ago, but for the sake of convenience and consistency, she wanted the personal trainer to also be inside the Saw Mill Club, where she had recently become a member. “I gave up on the idea again that I could do this by myself,” she says. Still, she now admits that she wasn’t exactly looking forward to being pushed to her limits. “I fully expected [the trainer] to be something of a taskmaster. I thought, ‘This is going to be really awful.’”

In her first meeting with her new trainer, Saw Mill Club’s Sarah Eichorn, Bennett realized her fears were unfounded. Eichorn pushed her to gradually up her intensity without going beyond what Bennett could comfortably handle.

“With her we circuited between getting her heart rate up, going to an upper body [workout], then a lower body,” Eichorn, a Mt. Kisco resident, explains. “As she learned these movements individually, we started putting them together.”

Soon, Eichorn saw great improvement. “I noticed a big change in her cardio, with the respiratory, with her heart rate,” Eichorn says. The two also developed a nice rapport and personal connection. “I feel very comfortable with Sarah; she is both low key and knowledgeable about fitness and health.”

Goda says Saw Mill Club gets many men and women in their 50s, like Bennett, who decide it’s time to get back into, or just into, shape.

“One thing that we stress is that what you’re going to do in your 50s,” Goda says, “that’s going to determine how you feel in your late 50s, your 60s, your 70s, and beyond.”

But while joining a gym is a good first step, there are many potential pitfalls that can derail one’s fitness program. Often, Goda says, people in their 50s join a gym and do the same simple workout every time, leading to some early but unsustainable progress.

“In the third month, when things aren’t going well, they disappear for a year,” Goda says. “What we try to do at the Saw Mill Club is we try to make sure people don’t just disappear.”

Goda gets the club’s clients to focus on the five major components of fitness: muscular strength, muscular endurance, flexibility, cardio health, and body composition. Trainers may have their clients start by improving their range of motion, then add weight to the movement, and then throw in a twisting motion.

Communication, Goda stressed, is essential so clients know what they are doing and why they are doing it. This will not only help them see quick results, but will better the chances that they continue to push forward six months to a year in the future.

Goda also points out that no one is too old to start training, and said that working out can alleviate problems like back pain.

“My oldest client is 92 years old,” Goda says. “I put him in all these different movement patterns, and he is pain free.”

When Bennett began her training, her focus was on the number she saw when she stepped on the scale. Eichorn convinced her that this approach was misguided, as losing weight and getting fit are not one and the same.

“People are telling me that I look better,” says Bennett. “I feel better in general from day to day. I feel like I have a little more energy. I’m coupling it with much better eating too.”
For info on membership and training packages, visit www.sawmillclub.com.

PHOTOS BY: Philip Holt/Mad Shots Photography

Andrew Vitelli is a Westchester native and the editor of Inside Armonk.

Graceful Gratitude

October 21, 2016 by Inside Press

By Grace Bennett

I recently started a “Mindfulness Boot Camp” with Jodi Baretz, whose etcetera column in this edition is an excellent reflection on gratitude. I’m not sure I can add more value on the subject than Jodi, but interesting to note: Jodi explained to our group that feeling grateful may not come naturally at all.

In fact, she said that us humans harbor a “negativity bias,” meaning we’re more likely to focus on the one negative aspect of say, a vacation, than on the many positive aspects of the experience. Similarly, in relationships, one negative experience can cast a shadow on an overall positive pairing, or one annoying personality trait might be your obsessive focus on an otherwise wonderful person.

As my mom might have put it, people like to kvetch…a lot. Seems we have to practice being more mindful about feeling grateful! So I’m going to share just a few things I’m feeling grateful for today:

To fresh starts, professionally speaking. Like the redesign of this magazine. Chappaqua’s Lisa Samkoff came on board to give our Inside pubs a more contemporary look. We hope you agree that it has been a successful effort. Grateful for other key support from Caroline Rosengarden and Andrew Vitelli, and for all our contributors and of course, sponsors, to each edition.
The exciting new theatre productions underway at the Horace Greeley Theater Company. Rehearsals are underway for ‘Into the Woods,” directed by Jonathan Gellert. Tickets are on sale for the Nov. 17-19 performances. For more information, visit
Cast members of “Into the Woods”

http://www.greeleytheater.tix.com
To the power of the written word. I’m thrilled that seven courageous girls took time out this summer to express to the community at large their smart and passionate thoughts about the election while pondering their neighbor’s incredible journey. I’m grateful to Dr. Keri Walsh, who brought her writing program at the Greeley House this past summer to my attention.
My ‘get fit’ journey at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco. I announced on Facebook recently that I’d gained too much weight over the last year. I’m grateful for the opportunity to train twice a week with a wonderfully engaging personal trainer, Sarah Eichorn. She’s making a huge difference in how I feel both physically and mentally in these empty nest years. The changes in how I look and feel are showing in little increments, and I’m embracing Sarah’s belief that a positive journey is as important to my well-being and long term success as any weight loss I experience. I’ll be writing more about this special experience in the next edition, too!

So, tell me. What are you grateful for? Maybe it too could be a story in a future edition of Inside Chappaqua. Write to editor@insidechappaqua.com.

My Get Fit Journey

October 21, 2016 by The Inside Press

In time for our ‘Gratitude’ edition, I’d like to mention a journey I’m on at the Saw Mill Club in Mount Kisco. I announced on Facebook recently that I’d gained a lot of weight over the last year. I’m grateful that I have the opportunity to work out twice a week with a wonderfully engaging and pro personal trainer, Sarah Eichorn. She’s making a huge difference in how I feel both physically and mentally in my still kind of new empty nest years.

The changes in how I look and feel are coming in little increments, and I’m embracing Sarah’s belief that a positive journey is as important to my well-being and long term success as any weight loss I experience. I’ll be writing more about this special journey in the next edition, too!

So, tell me. What are you grateful for? Maybe your experience could also be a story in a future edition of Inside Armonk! Please drop me a note any time: editor@insidearmonk.com