Gym Class: What Upscale Gyms Have to Offer
By Jennifer Basso (WAG)

Vibe: This is a fitness-as-lifestyle kind of place. Celebrities and up-scale Westchesterites come here not only to work out, but also to spend all of their waking hours. You can play tennis, swim, take a yoga class, get a manicure, shop for jewelry, eat lunch and take your kid to nursery school and dance class—all without leaving the club. Blow dry your hair at one of the locker room’s mirrored vanities, put on some lipstick, and stay for a charity gala. Stay long enough and you could even celebrate your birthday here. There are dozens of private parties held at the Saw Mill Club every year.

Locker Rooms: Kane admits that the Saw Mill is in an “amenity war” with its competitors, which explains the embarrassment of frills here. The floor tiles are heated, the showers are cavernous (each has its own little anteroom for toweling off), and the hair dryers are better than the one you have at home. There’s a sauna, a gizmo for speed-drying your swimsuit, and a TV to watch while you change. All the basic toiletries are provided, and there are niched vanities where you can sit to apply your makeup or style your hair. Needless to say, the towels are plentiful and full-sized. During the summer, there’s an additional locker room that’s open by the outdoor pool.

Classes: There are 128 classes per week in a dizzying variety of disciplines. There’s Spinning, kickboxing, aerobic dance, boxing, Zumba (Latin-influenced cardio dance), Pilates, and yoga in a dedicated studio. There are dozens more, but you get the idea.

Hottest, Newest Equipment: In the cardio room, the Expresso bikes have interactive video displays that let you participate in races or take a scenic ride with or without a pace bike. Online tools let you track your progress and do all sorts of other nifty things. All of the other cardio machines (ellipticals, treadmills, bikes, etc.) have their own screen with satellite television and radio channels. The weight room features TechnoGym equipment with free-motion cables for functional exercises and a circuit of machines that work with a programmable USB key set with your seat positions and exercise routine. A new Kinesis room features wall-mounted cables in different configurations for strength exercises. The newly expanded fitness center now has a dedicated space for small group training classes, like the intense boxing class taught by the legendarily demanding Tommy LaMotta.

Facilities/Services: Indoor/outdoor pools, indoor/outdoor café, 13 tennis courts, racquet and squash courts, two pro shops, Spinning room, yoga studio, Kinesis room,  nursery and children’s center (additional cost), on-site preschool, nail salon, spa/massage rooms, nutrition counseling, acupuncture, personal training, swim instruction, tennis instruction, ballroom dance lessons, children’s dance classes.

Star Sightings: Chevy Chase, Stanley Tucci, Rob Thomas of Matchbox 20 and his wife, Marisol; Chaz Palmentieri, Robert Kennedy Jr.; designer Joseph Abboud; and A-list business leaders and socialites.