New Staten Island gym prepares you for your ‘golden years’

STATEN ISLAND, N.Y. — RetireFIT, a brand new gym that offers a unique concept in physical fitness and performance, has opened on Richmond Road in Dongan Hills.

The class-based fitness center, housed in the space formerly occupied by Santander Bank, officially opened in March with a pledge to empower clients to become strong enough and mobile enough so that they can “be the best that they can be.”

Workouts are suitable for all fitness levels in a training facility that provides a variety of training methods equipped with multiple fitness machines.

Owner and founder Joseph Saraceno, a physical therapist, noted that RetireFIT is for individuals who are starting to become more aware of their aging physical limitations, which is why most of his clients are age 40 and over.

However, younger clients have also joined the facility, where members empower and encourage one another to achieve their individual goals, according to Saraceno.

“When we start to approach age 50, we start to feel the effects of age and start to think about 10 or 20 years down the road,” he said. “RetireFIT is for everyone. And it’s never too early and never too late to prepare.”

Saraceno explained it’s all about function.

“You lose muscle in your 40s. So you need to start looking 10 years ahead. The RetireFIT app that’s available on the app store, gives you a score that correlates to your function,” he said. “My high school friends and I developed the app. The test allows you to find out what you can do within your limitations.”

AMENITIES AT RETIRE FIT

RetireFIT longevity training center offers fitness programs designed for all levels — with modifications and encouragement to progress. Classes focus on improving strength, mobility and endurance.

The center offers a free trial class to help potential participants understand what to expect.

“Through my years as a physical therapist, I was always bothered when I saw so many patients in their 60s and 70s who struggled with decreased function and increased pain due to the loss of strength and mobility,” Saraceno added. “I realized that these people worked most of their lives to save their money for retirement. Then, when they arrived at the age where they were supposed to enjoy their retirement, their bodies were failing them.”

And he recalled frequently warning friends about “investing” in their physical future.

“I even called it their physical 401(k). Those conversations were the inspiration for the RetireFIT app that we developed. After two years of developing the app, it hit the app store in February,” he said. “The app is basically a physical retirement account that forecasts your physical future and provides the user with valuable information, such as their Best Life Score, which measures your present level of strength and mobility and correlates to a level of function,” he continued.

The app also shows users where their areas of weakness are so that they can improve and truly change their future.

And Saraceno recounts that the training center on Richmond Road was born simultaneously.

“This was my way of using my experience to help the people in my community, directly. My goal is to provide people who want to be physically prepared for their golden years the necessary guidance to assure them that they will be able to live their best life for as long as they want. More importantly, I want to give them the opportunity to take control of their health and make certain that they will not be a burden to their families at the end of their lives.

“Unfortunately, too many people just sit back and let the aging process take control of them leading to pain, disease and poor function,” he noted.

“Too often people go to a doctor, a physical therapist or some other specialist for their health issues and don’t participate in their recovery. These passive patients only can get so far. I would like to help these people become active patients by giving them a role in their recovery and overall health. I know, as a physical therapist, I always struggled with trying to give my patients an option to continue their journey back to health after I discharged them from therapy. retireFIT is a perfect fit for this.”

The training center is a class based gym that provides members with classes to improve all the necessary tools for longevity.

The classes include exercises to improve or maintain mobility, stability, balance, strength and endurance. There are even special classes each day for senior members over the age of 70 who might struggle with our typical class.

All classes are supervised by friendly and extremely qualified trainers. Besides having access to these classes, members all have the ability to use cardio equipment during hours of operation.

“We have membership packages that give members access to eight classes per month or unlimited classes per month. We also have a reduced rate membership package for seniors over 70,” notes Saraceno.