Sycophants are one of the many perks of being insanely wealthy, so it's nice to read a Times piece about a few gajillionaires who leave their asskissers at the gym door. John Sitaras runs the no-nonsense Sitaras Fitness on East 58th Street, and his clients include the former chairman of the Fed, Paul Volcker, the former head of GE Jack Welch, and billionaire George Soros, along with a slew of other people who you'd normally think only get exercise from having money fights.
What sets the gym apart is that all members have to take a 6-hour fitness test administered by Sitaras himself, and commit to two one-on-one sessions a week. And he doesn't put up with any bullshit:
Mr. Sitaras recalls one member, whom he did not want to name, who used to snap his fingers, insisting that the background music be changed to classical when he arrived and demanding access to certain equipment immediately, even if someone else was using it. Members were shocked when Mr. Sitaras revoked his membership.
“In their world, they’re at the center of their own universe, but when they come here, each one is not more important than the other, and everyone is on an even playing field,” Sitaras says. “It’s about managing personalities—big, big, strong personalities—and I want them to learn how to get along in the sandbox.”
Annually, Sitaras' "upscale private gym" costs a minimum of $13,760, which is a bargain compared to CORE club's $30,000 initiation fee. Then again, no one at Sitaras is there to pop your zits.
