Business Profile: ML Strength, White Plains
By Jon Craig
When you stroll into the former Key Bank Building at 188 East Post Road, you’ll be pummeled by loud music, bright lights, smiling faces and plenty of cheers and pep talks. Everyone inside is there on a mission: they want to get fit and have fun at the same time. They treat every minute of their hour-long workout sessions like they count. And what they learn during the week is put to the test on Saturdays when ML Strength classes break up into teams and compete for prizes.
“People really want to be part of a team,” said Dana Cavalea, owner and founder of ML Strength, which opened in White Plains in the fall of 2011.
Cavalea should know. He’s the former strength and conditioning director for the New York Yankees. “This model is consistent with the way pro athletes train,” he said. “It’s all positive. It’s about fun.”
Cavalea explained that most people who try out his ML Strength classes are eager to come back for more. But if someone signs up for a class and doesn’t show up, “we’ll call them to see what’s up. It’s about accountability.”
The workout space replicates a professional sports environment. Participants rotate from one workout station to another while being challenged by performance coaches. The routines are changed up regularly and they simulate movements of players in football, lacrosse, soccer and hockey. Certified physical therapists are available for those making a comeback from an injury.
During a recent session, Chris Kiebit, the head performance coach, was leading a class of 15 people ranging in age from 25 to 55. “Hold, hold, hold,” Kiebit shouted during one routine. The sweat was flowing, but no one was slacking or giving up. Everyone seemed satisfied despite the grueling tasks and circuits Kiebit threw their way. A sign above their heads read “Train Like a Pro,” and all of them acted like they were doing their part.
Popular among professional and student athletes, the state-of-the-art performance training center is now catering to adults 40 and over who want to be in the best shape of their lives. Two programs that have recently gained momentum among this age group are Adult Pro Training and Adult Training Camps.
The Adult Pro Training program enables individuals to focus on their own customized workout plans and specific goals, yet train with a small group and a professional coach. “We’ve found that people enjoy the social interaction and help motivate one another,” Cavalea said.
Participants initially undergo a comprehensive evaluation, which covers posture, movement efficiency and physical performance, and then typically train two to three times per week for an hour or more, sometimes with the same group or other times with different people, depending upon schedules. Regular assessments are conducted to evaluate progress.
The Adult Training Camps are hour-long fitness classes that incorporate team-based activities reflective of ML Strength’s theme, “train like a pro.” With a maximum of 15 participants, the classes combine strength, power, endurance, agility, weight loss and stability training using bands, balls and kettlebells plus body weight exercise. All fitness levels are welcome. Classes meet three times a day beginning as early as 5:30 a.m. and the last class meets at 8 p.m.
ML Strength recently began weekly team challenges for adults every Saturday at 9:30 a.m. The Red Team and the Black Team square off in the “football mirror drill,” “the bear crawl,” “tug of war,” “the inch worm relay” and more during a one-hour session covering the principles of core, dynamic movement, combat, agility, endurance and sport. Prizes are awarded.
It’s not unusual to see baby boomers taking fitness to new levels. Warren Sherman was able to avoid shoulder surgery after rehab followed by training and conditioning at ML Strength. “And my legs have never been stronger and my stamina is better.” Sharon Callahan, from Tarrytown, who has been working out at ML Strength for over a year, says she loves the enthusiasm and creativity of the coaches who push her to the next level. “Even if you don’t want to work out, they push you,” she said.
Unlike conventional gyms, there are no rows of bikes or mirror-lined walls. Instead, a turf floor and workout stations with cutting-edge equipment create an atmosphere similar to a pro team’s training facility. In addition to Cavalea, there is a staff of professionals to help people reach their goals while incorporating lifestyle enhancements, nutritional advice and systems of accountability to stay on course. Massage and physical therapy are also available. For more details, call 914-437-8484 or visit www.mlstrength.com.
Adam has worked in the local news industry for the past two decades in Westchester County and the broader Hudson Valley. Read more from Adam’s author bio here.
