In the last issue of Saddlebag Notes, I wrote about the SaddleBrooke HOA-2 Fitness Center and how it helps build a community of health, wellness and connection, focusing on administrative and Front Desk team members. Based on the many positive responses and comments received, I wanted to continue that story by introducing some of the dedicated instructors who make the Fitness Center such a special part of our community.
Behind every class is an instructor with a different story, philosophy and reason for doing what they do. Some have spent decades in the fitness and wellness field. Others discovered their passion for movement through personal experience. But they all share one goal: helping SaddleBrooke residents feel happier, healthier, stronger and more connected.
Sara Golias: “Just Do It!”
For Sara Golias, fitness is something she simply wasn’t willing to give up. Before physically moving to SaddleBrooke in April of last year, Sara had already secured teaching positions at both HOA-2 and HOA-1. Zumba has been her passion for the past 20 years, and she wasn’t going to stop if she could help it.
“Jeannette Pyle and her team were most accommodating to the newcomer,” Sara says. “Teaching the class has been such a rewarding experience as it has allowed me to interact with the nicest bunch of folks. I do mean it.”
Sara says she has taught Zumba over the years because of her love for the program, and that’s still the case. But she has also come to appreciate the many benefits that go beyond the workout itself, including improved mental health, stress reduction, coordination, balance and flexibility.
Several of her class participants have shared similar experiences, which Sara says is “about as rewarding as it can get.”
For Sara, building a healthy community is about much more than simply showing up for exercise. It’s about enjoying the experience and connecting with others while doing something good for yourself. And there’s no question about her fitness philosophy - “Just Do It.” Or, as Sara likes to call Zumba, “exercise in disguise.”
“So, let’s keep smiling as we take another class of ‘exercise in disguise’—I mean Zumba!”
Ross Major: “The Skill of Strength.”
Ross Major has been part of the SaddleBrooke HOA-2 Fitness Center team for about two years. He is a Certified Personal Trainer (CPT), Russian Kettlebell Challenge (RKC) Instructor, Certified in Applied Functional Science (CAFS) professional and Certified Original Strength Coach.
To Ross, building a healthy community means creating a place where everyone feels welcome, supported and encouraged.
“It’s about helping people grow stronger together, build confidence and enjoy being part of something bigger,” he explains. “When people look forward to seeing each other, healthy habits become a natural part of life.”
Ross also believes that the gym is only one piece of living a healthy life.
“Strength training helps us prepare for life, but our overall well-being comes from many things: wearing your seatbelt, taking care of your teeth, getting enough sleep, eating well, managing stress and staying connected with others.”
His goal isn’t simply to help people get stronger in the gym. It’s to help them stay strong for everything life asks of them. Ross has seen some remarkable results among his members. He has watched people in their 80s and 90s touch the ground and stand back up for the first time in decades. He has had members tell him they can finally walk to the mailbox without being afraid of falling.
“I’ve also watched members set personal records they never thought possible,” he says. “While those accomplishments are exciting, it’s often the small victories that have the biggest impact.”
Every little improvement is earned through hard work, and seeing that confidence grow is something Ross says he will never get tired of.
“What keeps me motivated is seeing how even small improvements can change someone’s everyday life,” he says. “Whether it’s moving with less pain, gaining confidence or accomplishing something they never thought possible, those moments remind me why I love what I do.”
His goal is simple: help people become stronger for life. His philosophy in a nutshell? “Consistency for Results, Variety for Plateaus, Randomness for Fun.”
And if his fitness philosophy were a movie, the title might be “The Skill of Strength.”
Marcia Pirie: “Ageless Motion!”
Marcia Pirie brings a wealth of experience to the Fitness Center. Her certifications include American Council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer, Wellness Coach, Taekwondo First and Second Degree Black Belt and Parkinson’s Specialist. She previously served as a Fitness and Wellness Director at the YMCA in Charlotte, North Carolina and has been an instructor at DesertView for nine years.
For Marcia, building a healthy community is much more than following an exercise routine.
“It needs to include overall wellness,” she says, “which includes having fun and enjoying your time spent working out and creating new friendships.”
Those friendships are an important part of her classes. Marcia emphasizes that caring about each other in positive, uplifting ways contributes to social wellness, which in turn affects our mental and physical well-being. Her classes may be smaller than some others at DesertView, but that allows her to develop close bonds with her participants.
“We laugh, we share, and we care,” she says.
Before each class, Marcia asks herself a simple question: “Lord, who can I help today?”
One story in particular demonstrates why that question matters.
A woman in Marcia’s Seated Strength/Tai Chi class told the group about visiting her daughter in Minnesota. Her daughter’s home had stairs leading to the bedrooms, but the woman was so weak and unsteady that every time she visited, she literally had to crawl up the stairs on her hands and knees. Then came this year’s visit. She was able to walk up and down the stairs by herself.
“Everyone was so amazed and excited for her,” Marcia recalls. “Wish you could have seen the smile on her face telling us her story.”
For Marcia, that is what fitness is really about: helping people do the things they want and need to do in everyday life. If her fitness philosophy were a movie, she would call it “Ageless Motion!”
Irina Zlatogorova: “No Pain… Perfect!”
Irina Zlatogorova is a Registered Yoga Teacher Level I (RYT-200) and holds an SCW Pilates Matwork Certification. Through her extensive yoga practice and teaching, Irina says she feels deeply connected to her community, her peers and her attendees. She is grateful for the opportunity to share her knowledge about the health benefits of stretching, building muscle, increasing flexibility, and bringing more balance between the body and mind.
“Although the physical fitness aspect is very important, I believe mental and emotional well-being is just as critical when we’re dealing with the stresses of everyday life,” she explains.
This is especially evident in her Yin Yoga classes, where there is more time to relax and stay in restorative poses. Irina uses that time to explain why they are doing certain poses and what benefits they can bring to both the body and mind.
Sometimes, she says, it’s as simple as creating awareness and allowing ourselves to relax. Other times, the practice goes a little deeper, working with the deeper tissues while reflecting on life experiences and how they connect to the practice. It can become an opportunity to let go of painful memories, become more aware of what we’re holding onto, and practice being fully present in the moment.
Irina has also seen the physical benefits of consistent practice. Some attendees who initially couldn’t touch their toes or do backbends have gradually become more flexible and mobile. With Pilates, she has seen participants who initially couldn’t complete a full roll-up gradually build the core strength needed to do it. And sometimes, the biggest compliment is simply knowing that someone looks forward to class.
Irina’s motivation comes from a deep sense of purpose.
“I’m a deeply spiritual person, and I believe I’m here in SaddleBrooke for a reason, or perhaps several reasons,” she says. One of those reasons is sharing her knowledge and experience in mental and physical health through her work as a Yoga and Pilates instructor.
Another is education through writing. Irina is an active member of the Writers’ Group and teaches as a SaddleBrooke Lifelong Learning instructor.
“I really enjoy sharing what I know, learning from others and hopefully inspiring people along the way. My approach to fitness is all about being mindful and paying attention to both body and mind. Many people come to my classes with previous injuries or after surgeries, so I always encourage them to listen to their bodies and back off if they feel pain or any sharp sensations. So, if my fitness philosophy were a movie, my title would be: “No Pain… Perfect!”
Michele Miller: “Less Is More!”
Michele Miller has been teaching fitness for the past nine years at the SaddleBrooke Two Fitness Center. Her fitness journey, however, began in a rather unusual place: on water. As a teenager, Michele discovered water skiing and went on to spend 30 years performing at Cypress Gardens in Florida.
Today, Michele brings that experience into classes ranging from Balance and Fall Prevention to Cardio and Aqua Aerobics. For her, building a healthy community starts with creating a place where everyone feels welcome.
“There should never be any judgment in my classes,” Michele says. “We’re here to have fun, move safely and accomplish something positive, no matter where we’re starting from.”
She believes fitness should be adaptable because everyone has different abilities, limitations, and goals.
“My job is to help people find what works for them rather than expecting everyone to fit into the same box.”
Michele also encourages people to focus on what they can do rather than simply counting repetitions or trying to push themselves harder.
“For me, it’s about quality of movement, not quantity. Sometimes, less really is more.”
Many of her participants come to class after an injury, surgery, or health challenge. Safe, consistent movement can help build not only physical strength but also confidence and independence. For Michele, fitness is about much more than becoming stronger or fitter. It can help people maintain their independence, confidence, and quality of life. Seeing someone who initially feels unsure about their balance or physical abilities eventually become stronger and more confident is incredibly rewarding.
“I love seeing people discover that they are capable of more than they thought,” she says.
Her goal isn’t to make everyone do more. It’s to help each person move better and feel better.
“If someone leaves my class feeling good about themselves and a little more confident than when they walked in, I feel like I’ve done my job.”
Her fitness philosophy as a movie title? “Less Is More!”
Sharon Kanz: “Move, Smile, Repeat!”
When you first meet Sharon Kanz, you might notice her contagious laugh and smile before anything else. But behind that upbeat personality is more than four decades of experience in physical therapy, fitness and movement. Sharon’s interest in helping people through movement began when she was only 11 years old, when she helped her older brother with his exercises after knee surgery. That early experience sparked a lifelong interest in health and fitness.
She later became a physical therapist and spent 37 years treating joint pain and muscular problems. Today, she enjoys being on the prevention side of health. For Sharon, a healthy community is one where everyone feels welcome and supported, regardless of fitness level or ability.
“I want people to feel comfortable coming to class, having fun and doing what they can without comparing themselves to others.”
She has a favorite reminder for her participants: “To compare is to despair!” Everyone starts from a different place, she says, and what matters is making progress and taking care of yourself. Sharon also believes exercise should be fun.
“We listen to upbeat music, laugh, sometimes even sing,” she says. She reminds participants that smiling and having fun are good for us, too—and that positive feeling is part of what makes people want to come back.
At the same time, her physical therapy background makes her especially focused on safe movement. She teaches people not to work through pain and encourages modifications when needed. Her goal is to help people stay active, prevent injuries and maintain strength and independence as they age.
One of the most rewarding things for Sharon is hearing from participants that they’re seeing real changes in their health. Several have reported improved bone density through strength training. But sometimes the most meaningful feedback is much simpler.
“Someone will come up to me after class and say, ‘I feel so much better!’ That makes my day.”
Sharon’s motivation is deeply personal. She has seen throughout her career how powerful movement can be, and she knows firsthand how important exercise can be for managing stress. As a mother of four daughters born within six years, she learned early that even 30 minutes of exercise could make a huge difference.
Her oldest daughter used to tell her, “Mom, I’ll watch the baby if you go exercise for 30 minutes!”
“She already knew how much better I felt afterward!” Sharon laughs.
Her philosophy is simple: “Move, Smile, Repeat!”
Paula Renfro: “Come Home to Yourself”
Paula Renfro is a yoga and strength instructor, as well as a personal trainer at the SaddleBrooke Two Fitness Center. She has been teaching fitness for more than 20 years, with her teaching rooted primarily in alignment and corrective exercise.
“To me, a healthy community is one where everyone feels welcome and feels that they belong. I try to create a supportive environment where people can work at their own level without feeling pressured. I always offer modifications, and if someone is struggling, I’m happy to spend some time with them after class. My goal is for everyone to feel comfortable, supported and encouraged,” says Paula.
She wants people to know what their bodies are capable of and how it is directly related to their overall health. When she teaches yoga, it has always been about much more than the physical poses. She encourages students to pay attention to what is happening not only in their bodies, but also in their minds and emotions. And whether she is teaching strength class or personal training, she encourages challenging oneself within safe limits for their bodies. Almost every session, be it class or one-on-one, has something new and different as well as classics that are on repeat to increase the gains we are striving for.
“One of my favorite things,” she states, “is when a student or client begins to recognize their improvements in how they move and feel. You can see that something has shifted, not just physically, but in their confidence and awareness.”
When reflecting on what motivates her, she says, “My students and clients are a huge part of what keeps me inspired. I’ve been teaching for more than two decades, and I still feel like I learn something every day. I’m constantly learning, reading, practicing and continuing my education.”
If her fitness philosophy were a movie, Paula’s title would be: “Come Home to Yourself.”
“For me, fitness and health take daily attention to live optimally in our bodies. I hear people say things like ‘I used to be...’, or ‘I don't feel like me in this body’. Sometimes we need to rewrite the narrative we say to ourselves, and once we do that, we seem to find determination and consistency in healthy actions that move the needle for us. We find ourselves feeling greater joy each day, feeling well, strong and confident.”
More Than Exercise
Although these instructors have different backgrounds, teaching styles and fitness philosophies, their stories share a common thread. For them, fitness is not simply about exercise.
- It is about confidence.
- It is about independence.
- It is about friendships and community.
- It is about feeling better mentally and emotionally as well as physically.
It is about being able to walk to the mailbox without fear of falling, climb a flight of stairs, touch your toes, complete a roll-up, move without pain or simply leave class thinking, “I feel so much better.”
After all, the overall goal is to become “Stronger for Life.” How about this movie title to reflect the Fitness Center philosophy?
