Will Power, Thornwood

If you’ve been postponing that subscription to the gym, you’re not alone. Of the many New Year’s resolutions that people make around this time of year, such as promising themselves to exercise more, to go on a diet or to simply live a healthier lifestyle, many fail to materialize.

That’s where David Schwartz of Will Power can help. The Pleasantville native who recently opened a personalized, one-on-one training facility in Thornwood doesn’t promise exotic techniques or “miracle fixes” to get his clients into shape. What he does promise is to work with clients to develop a personalized training approach based on each client’s individual needs and goals.

The 1,500-square-foot training facility is especially suited to individuals who are looking to make a change in their lives and reach their goals without being judged by external factors, explained Schwartz.

“My main focus is to make my clients stronger, feel better about themselves and just get them to where they want to be,” he said.

Schwartz, who is not only a certified personal trainer but also a nutrition consultant, corrective exercise specialist and is on his way to getting a Ph.D. in physical therapy, recognizes that the fitness industry has changed in recent years.

Many gyms, he said, are geared toward providing their clients with a quick fix and often unrealistic expectations. He takes a different approach.

At Will Power, Schwartz focuses on offering his clients strength training and overall fitness strategies, what he describes as an “old-school healthy fitness approach.” His oldest client is 73 and his youngest is a 15-year-old high school athlete, and he actively works with both women and men. The greatest commonality is his clients want “to make a lifestyle change.”

Prior to starting Will Power, Schwartz worked as a personal trainer at a local gym for the past decade. He admits to always having a love of bodybuilding and exercise in general, and currently competes in powerlifting and bodybuilding competitions around the tristate area.

Schwartz said Will Power is not like your typical gym with all of its distractions. Instead, it offers a quiet, personalized, free-of-distraction environment where clients can get his full attention.

“There is no typical — that’s the beauty of the place,” said Schwartz, meaning that not “every session is the same for everyone,” he added. Schwartz listens to what his clients are looking to accomplish, customizes their sessions for them and then uses his experience and knowledge to specialize.

A typical one-hour session includes a warm-up on the treadmill or prowler sled, which Schwartz said is an excellent, all-around piece of equipment that can be used to develop strength, improve conditioning, increase muscle hypertrophy and enhance fat loss.

His gym houses other pieces of high-grade equipment, including a glute ham developer, a reverse hyper extension machine, squat racks, a deadlift platform, dumbbells and other equipment ideal for working the entire body.

Every routine is geared specifically to a person’s strength and capability, he added. While cardio is an important part of any workout, Schwartz said the resistance that is experienced with weight lifting is far superior.

Schwartz also promotes healthy eating and a good night’s sleep as part of an overall healthy lifestyle.

You’ll find two other personal trainers at Will Power. They include Alex Falcon and Carly Sobecki, who also hold personal training certifications. Sobecki is also an RN.

Prospective clients can avail of a one-hour free consultation from Schwartz, including a fitness assessment.

Schwartz does not offer membership packages. However, rates are based on the number of sessions that clients avail of per week, beginning at $90 for a one-hour, once-a-week session, $85 for one-hour sessions if training twice a week, $80 for one-hour sessions if training three times per week, in addition to half-hour sessions at different prices. The majority of his clients go to his gym at least twice or three times a week, he said.

Thrilled to finally have his own training facility, Schwartz said, “I knew that opening a business while pursuing my degree in physical therapy would be a challenge. However, I don’t regret it in the least and truly enjoy every bit of the process.”

Will Power is located at 637 Commerce Street. It is open Monday through Friday 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. and on Saturday and Sunday from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. To find out more, visit https://www.will-power.net/ or call Schwartz at 914-495-3441 to schedule a complimentary training session.