Shock Your Body Into Shape with Trainer Z

Ever tried bomb hops? Trench walks? Ski jumps, mountain climbers, squat thrusts—?

Imbuing exercise routines with war imagery generally means the workout's going to be hard. And a hard workout, says Dobbs Ferry personal trainer and fitness coach, ZeZor Deforce is an effective workout.

Though it's hard to believe now, Deforce (Trainer Z) said he was picked on as a kid. Then he took up weight-lifting—and in addition to deltoids, he said, "I built confidence. I felt happier and better about myself."

After a year-and-a half hiatus, Deforce is back in his former space on Cedar Street in Dobbs Ferry teaching group fitness classes and offering personal training sessions.

"My classes are different because I motivate and coach participants while they're taking the class," Deforce said. "I treat each person like it's a personal training session even though they're part of a group."

Classes are also unique because everything's based on time rather than number of repetitions.

"You get something different out of these workouts," he said. "It's a shock to the system."

Deforce came up with the idea for his original "Strength-N-Motion" classes when the owner of a local gym asked him to lead a group class.

"People got really into it—they got hooked," he said. Many of his clients came with him when he started his own fitness center in Dobbs Ferry.

"The classes are open to people of all different ages and fitness levels because it's all about how hard you can push yourself within a certain amount of time," he said. "And there's no fancy choreography."

Besides the signature Strength-N-Motion class, Deforce also leads "Awesome Abs & Legs" and "Boot Camp Blitz."

From the names of his classes, it may be a surprise that the majority of Deforce's clients are women. "Many men feel like the should just know how to exercise," he said. "But often when one of my clients brings her husband or boyfriend she comes back and says, 'He was wiped out.' Women often have more endurance."

Deforce said he embraces all the different fitness opportunities available in the Rivertowns—it's one of the reasons the Hastings resident loves living and working here.

"I don't see yoga, pilates, spinning as competition," he said. "I see all the options as variety."

A counselor for at-risk youth and women with histories of abuse, Deforce said he's seen the positive influence fitness and exercise can have on people.

"I'm just so happy to be in the Rivertowns again leading classes for people who appreciate it," he said.

Check out Mind-N-Body fitness at 45 Cedar Street in Dobbs Ferry.

Sign up for a class here.