Business & Tech

New Year's Resolutions You Can Keep: Practitioners Who Emphasize Mind-Body Connection

Local classes and programs you'll be able to stick with in 2012.

At some point, "New Year's Resolution" became synonymous with fitness and self-improvement. But many people make the mistake of jumping into workout routines or classes that are too challenging, unsustainable or just plain unsafe.

We've compiled a list of exercise classes and options in the Rivertowns for beginners, people who have been inactive for a long time or people who have recently been injured.

If you're thinking of getting back in motion, you may want to consult your doctor or physical therapist first to find out what type of exercise technique is best for you. Below you'll find a list of studios, classes and practitioners in the area.

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Good luck in 2012!

  • Pilates and dance exercise with with Elaine Jacobson.

Elaine Jacobson offers classes in Pilates, dance exercise and stretch & tone in Ardsley and Dobbs Ferry. Pilates classes are offered in Ardsley on Friday and Saturday mornings at 9:30 a.m. (Fri.) and 10:15 a.m. (Sat.) and on Mondays at 7 a.m. at the in Dobbs Ferry. The pilates mat class caters to students of all levels. Jacobson has 20 year's experience dancing, performing and teaching. Reach Elaine Jacobson at (914) 720-5037. Call for more information.

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For general information on the Pilates method, visit the Wikipedia entry here.

  • Indoor Walking Class at

Pilates & More offers a beginners indoor walking class from 10 to 11 a.m. on Saturdays in Dobbs Ferry. Taught by Heather Buyers, the class is described as fun and lively with upbeat music. Buyers said she is very sensitive to individuals' needs and classes can be tailored to each student's specific goals. So, if it's too cold to walk outside and too dull to workout on a treadmill, give this walking class a try. The Saturday class is the equivalent of about a 3-mile walk. Find out more here.

Karen Dring teaches a "Strength and Strengthen" class at Thursdays at 10:30 a.m. in Dobbs Ferry. A licensed physical therapist, Dring combines physical therapy stretching and traditional Pilates mat work. The class emphasizes the mind-body connection. Though it may seem to have a slower pace than some traditional Pilates classes, Gstalder-Dring emphasizes accuracy and proper execution of exercises—which make them much harder and ultimately more effective. Learn more about Karen Gstalder-Dring here.

  • Pilates with Valeria Barreto at

Valeria Barreto is the owner and founder of in Dobbs Ferry. She has been a certified Pilates instructor since 2001. According to her website, "Barreto originally trained as a professional Jazz dancer, and danced and taught in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro. It was at that time that she began to develop her own style of stretch-based exercises for fitness and health." She teaches private and group classes. Learn more about Bareto and her studio here

  • Restorative and Gentle Classes in Irvington

Yoga Works in Irvington's philosophy is that yoga can meet everyone's needs: beginners, people overcoming injuries, advanced athletes and and people looking for stress management. "Restorative Classes" are meant to be gentle and relaxing; they open your nervous system and improve circulation. "Gentle" classes are meant for beginning yoga students. Find YogaWorks' class schedule here

Classes at Rivertown Center for Yoga and Health are taught at in Dobbs Ferry. There are beginner, gentle and mixed-level classes.  There are even yoga classes for students with arthritis. The center also offers classes in meditation. Founder Brahmani Liebman is a Senior Kripalu Yoga Teacher & Mentor and part of the Kripalu Yoga Teacher Training team. She brings has more than 30 years experience in yoga, meditation and complementary modalities. Learn more about the Rivertown Center for Yoga and Health, their teachers, rates, classes and schedules here. 

The Resistance is a unique personal training center in which clients are matched one-on-one with certified trainers who help clients improve overall fitness, gain strength, improve performance and overcome injuries. They specialize in TRX training, or using special straps that help you work against your own body weight to improve overall balance and stability. Learn more about The Resistance on Patch.

At Ryu Renshi-Dan Karate, the mission statement is: "to provide professional and detailed martial arts training to all of our students. In doing so, we instill discipline, self-respect, confidence and coordination within every student that we are fortunate enough to interact with." There are classes for kids, teens, adults, people with special needs and private lessons are available. Learn more here. 

Do you know of other fitness options, exercise classes or practitioners in the Rivertowns that emphasize mind-body connections and sustainable achievement of their clients' fitness goals? Please post their names, websites and contact information in the comments section below.

Also, if you have a particular class or instructor you love, please share that information as well.


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