Contours Express gym in West Hempstead specializes in fitness for (older) women

    When she first decided to open her own business, Mary Sandoz needed a location that had it all: she found it in West Hempstead.
    The former Catholic school principal chose a small storefront at 505 Hempstead Turnpike, directly across from a shopping plaza. There she opened her own branch of Contours Express, a fitness franchise gym for women. It seemed the perfect spot: small, clean and convenient with parking in the rear, a welcoming vibe and proximity to a friendly community.
    Sandoz spent most of her life working with children and young adults, first at Catholic schools and then at the Long Island Business Institute, a propriety college in Flushing, Queens. Her priority now is helping women, especially older women.
    Following her retirement several years ago, 60-year-old Sandoz, a lifelong avid gym-goer, began to notice that women in her age group find working out beneficial on a number of levels. She started researching exercise techniques and styles that are best suited for women around the baby boomer age.
    When Sandoz found that all it takes for older women to get in shape and improve their health is some cardio-aerobic exercise and weight training, she decided to open a gym that would help them do that. “My gym is a place where they can exercise and feel better about themselves,” Sandoz said. “Some need to exercise for health reasons, some want to lose weight and some want to increase flexibility and improve their quality of life.”
    It turns out, Sandoz learned upon further researching, that that’s all it takes for most women, regardless of age or fitness level. “Thirty minutes, three times a week: that’s all you need to get a good result,” Sandoz said. And while her clients range in age and physical aptitude, it seems the Contours Express program attracts mostly those who are trying to get back into a workout routine or who have a limited amount of time within which to get a good workout.