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SARATOGA
BUSINESS
Friday, March 30, 2012
TODAY
Union Fitness Takes Healthy Approach to Full-body Fitness by Daniel Schechtman Saratoga TODAY SARATOGA SPRINGS - Union Fitness is working to create a community where all feel welcome, where health becomes the goal of fitness and where there’s a little something different for all who walk through their door. “We’re trying to put the health back into fitness and to make it more accessible to the average participant,” said Barney Villa, coowner of Union Fitness. Union Fitness, a new fitness center that opened its doors at 1 South Federal Street in Saratoga Springs at the end of February, is striving to cultivate a diverse and organic community for people interested in tak-
ing a full-body and mind approach to health and fitness. On one hand there’s Villa, a Russian kettlebell certified instructor who stresses quality of exercise over quantity,
practicing and developing skill sets over working out until the participant is drop-dead tired or fatigued. And then there’s Margaret Thompson, co-owner of Union Fitness and a certified Jivamukti Yoga and Yoga Alliance instructor. “‘Jiva’ means individual soul, and ‘mukti’ means liberation,” explained Thompson. “So Jivamukti Yoga is about the individual soul living in a liberated state. It’s the idea that we are enlightened creatures as we are right now, here and today.” Unlike some of the more common types of Yoga available, Thompson
photos by MarkBolles.com
Owners Margaret Thompson and Barney Villa bring their unique views on fitness together at Union Fitness. will infuse spiritual teachings in each of her classes. It’s not a religion, she stressed - more like a collection of wisdom passed down from Yogi to Yogi for thousands of years - up to and including lyrics from modern day bands or songs. “Yoga was initially started as a scientific practice to balance the hormone system and to prepare the mind for meditation,” said Thompson. “So in my class, you get that philosophical background.” Students of Thompson will also work to increase their flexibility and strength, similar to other styles of Yoga. But what does Yoga have in common with Villa’s Russian kettlebell training? “What happens in Yoga is you get a lot of flexibility around the joints, but what doesn’t happen is you don’t get the stabilizing action that the kettlebell brings,” said Thompson. Kettlebell training targets the entire body, using a series of fundamental motions and movements to strengthen and tone the participant using full-body contractions. “It’s also been connected to rapid weight loss,” said Villa, who is one of the only certified Russian kettlebell instructors in upstate New York. “There are fundamental movements that we teach with the Russian sys-
tem. So we focus on exceptional technique and making sure you nail these movements every time - not only for the perfection of the skill, but also for safety as well.” Union Fitness also hosts instructor David Wolfe, who runs his boot camp classes at the center. Every Sunday is Community Day at Union Fitness, where the public is invited to come and try out some of the programs available. “We want to offer health and wellness that’s accessible to the masses - so Community Day is training for whatever you can afford, from $0 to $50,” said Thompson. Proceeds from Community Day are donated to a rotating charity organization - currently Child Fund International - with the beneficiary changing every three months. To learn more about Union Fitness, or to view available classes and their schedule, visit them online at www.SaratogaUnionFitness.com. You may reach them by phone at (518) 588-7728. “Drop in and come see us,” encouraged Villa, “and you can sign up right there, right then.” Visit Union Fitness at 1 South Federal Street in Saratoga Springs and look for their entrance off of West Circular Street.