For the week of September 17 - 23, 2003

That extra push
for health

Fitness centers help with
maintaining a healthy lifestyle

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By DANA DUGAN
Express Staff Writer

Keeping fit is one of those deliciously attainable issues for which people have mixed responses and all the excuses in the world. Sure, running is cheap and easy, but it can be hard on the knees. Does biking appeal? It’s fine except for the affordability of that new fangled, must-have, multi-speed cruiser. Join a club, walk every day after work, hike on weekends?

In fact, what many people need even more that availability is that extra push that comes from the reality of monthly dues. It’s the use-it-or-lose-it theory of life.

Zenergy’s pools attract both families and athletes. Here, twin nannies Allie and Lacey Hillman enjoy the Jacuzzi with charges William Everett and Oscar Wilander. Express photo by Willy Cook

Fortunately, the Wood River Valley is home to several fitness centers and athletic clubs that appeal for very different reasons. At almost all the facilities there are a plethora of machines; free weights; pools; showers and towels. Pilates; yoga; dance; aerobics and other mind/body type classes that continue to be hot are generally offered either in these clubs or the many other studios, such as Sacred Cow Yoga Studio, Gateway, Innerflow and Numinosity.

In fact, all the programs most desired by clients come under the heading of organized fitness routines. According to a survey of health and fitness experts, given yearly by IDEA, the world's leading membership organization of health and fitness professionals with more than 23,000 members, these programs are, in order of preference, yoga, personal training, core conditioning/abs classes, Pilates, stretching/flexibility, group strength training, fitness assessments and indoor cycling.

So where can one find all of these in the valley?

The all-encompassing, down to basics clubs still draw conventional fitness types. In downtown Ketchum, the Sun Valley Athletic Club, which was built in 1984, has approximately 1,500 members on average with additional users during the high seasons of the summer and winter.

The club maintains regular classes constantly through the day in everything from spinning and dance to yoga and Pilates. Of course there are two floors of machines and weights, a pool and all the other extra amenities such as massage rooms, Jacuzzi, steam, sauna and plenty of certified and approachable certified trainers are on site throughout every day of the week. The club also organizes and supports many events from the Sun Valley Sprint Triathlon and workshops at the Sun Valley Mountain Wellness Festival.

"We do so many different things: children’s swim program twice a year, dance workshops … bringing in out of town professionals, Relay for Life," Manager Bill Cantrell said. "We support the Nutritional Minute on KECH with nutritionist Daniella Chace. We have the bio-scan twice a year. We’d like to initiate an annual in-house health fair for local people."

The Footlight Dance Centre, which teaches dance to over 250 valley youth, has a home at the club as well.

Recently renovated and painted, the club has a long-standing loyal following.

"Core training is huge in the industry right now," said Diane Olson, director of aquatic programs and older adult programs. "What we need now is what we need later balance, balance, balance. It’s something I’m working really hard with for everybody."

"Aqua classes work this concept extremely well," she explained. "In moving water you have to work harder to stabilize your core. The medium is working against you. But it’s safer. You don’t have to lose your balance as you grow older, you can regain it."

The other area she is particularly enthused about is bringing attention to shoulders. She points out that between running, hiking, biking and skiing valley residents are good on their legs. But shoulders need to retain full mobility and flexibility and in many adults that is lost.

"They are meant for mobility, not brute strength, unless you’re a power lifter. The shoulder is one of the most versatile joints in our entire body. We need to protect that." Olson lifts her arm straight up and then bends it to scratch her back, then all the way forward and under to demonstrate. "It’s a precious joint. It’s real common to see shoulder impingement injuries."

"Basically you need an overall workout. For long term mileage we need to cross train. That’s what’s been stressed at our training conferences lately."

Core strength is also something Athletic Club trainer Patti Daigh is concerned with She cited IDEA’s Trendwatch survey.

"This year the responses showed that clients want balance, agility and posture programs," Daigh said. "And that’s core. The number one piece of equipment sold is currently the stability ball. The next is Pilates. Baby boomers are getting older and looking for formats that are kinder and gentler."

The stability ball, a firmly blown up rubber ball, can be used for nearly any exercise to better purpose. Daigh added that the other things the trend report found were that people wanted better and more formats of personal training.

"The top six pieces of equipment are the balls, elliptical trainers, indoor cycling and programs, weighted bars, all of which inexpensive and can be done in groups. Also core conditioning equipment like the Bosu, which is a half of a stability ball on one side and flat and solid on the other side."

Bosu is sponsor and supplier to the US Ski Team. There’s also a Reebok Core Board. These, Pilates equipment and different props are the top fitness equipment."

Designed to help rehabilitate athletes, the core board apparently works to improve performance and reduce the risk of injury. It can, however, be used safely for a wide range of fitness levels.

Daigh, who has been a trainer at the SVAC for 14 years and in the fitness business for 27 years, believes that all these trends come around and around and around. She remembers working in a salon that had fat-jigglers aka, the vibrator belt.

Zenergy, in the new Thunder Spring complex on Sun Valley’s Saddle Road, has 40,000 square feet of space, including a fully equipped cardio-strength activity area; weight room; aerobics studio; group exercise rooms; luxurious locker rooms fully equipped with dry sauna and steam rooms, and a gorgeous octagonal yoga studio, which is overseen by yoga and marketing director Mila Riggio.

The club has two indoor clay tennis courts as well as squash courts and a comforting wellness center which offers sports reiki; shiatsu; Swedish massage; facials; body treatments and wraps; viscid shower and meditation.

One of the newest pieces of equipment is New Leaf, a system that measures the efficiency with which a body can utilize oxygen, said personal training manager Eric McCormack. The assessment is generally preformed during an easy workout on a treadmill.

For instance, champion bicyclist Lance Armstrong uses 85.6 kilograms per minute. More earthly bound athletes might use 60, while the average folk rate 50 to 30. Under 30 kilograms per minute indicates someone needs help, McCormack said. Knowing all of this makes it possible for trainers to prep very exact ways of designing a work out for a client.

"We match metabolic profile to heart rate and see which zones to train. It’s the gold standard of cardio-vascular assessment tools. Exercise becomes smarter not harder," he added.

There are also 25-yard indoor and outdoor swimming pools; a Jacuzzi; as well as lounge area with a café bar, all of which take advantage of one of the best views of the Smoky Mountain range to the West that includes Bald Mountain.

The facility, which opened for business in the winter of 2001, has 1200 members.

Another new comer in the heart of the Northwood Business Area, High Altitude Fitness, offers "a super approachable place," said Kevin Mora, who with his wife Holly owns the gym, opened the gym in January 2000.

"Our trainers and staff all ski or play sports, It’s really easy." They now have about 700 members, many of them skiers and high school athletes. "We have members from 13 to 81 years old."

"It’s a gym. There’s nothing fu-fu about it, no initiation fee, no contracts, I don’t have space for huge locker rooms, but we do have the most up to date equipment."

Included, he said, is Hammer Strength equipment, which employs independent leverage. "No matter what you’re doing it’s closest to free weight without it being free weight. It’s better for new comers and older people."

There is the usual contingent of buff physical trainers on hand including Carolyn Droege from Koth Sports Physical therapy. "We work with them and they refer people to us," Mora said.

They are also associated with Spine & Sports Authority at Alfs Physical Therapy, though not in a business sense. Run by physical therapist Donna Alf, the small facility near High Altitude uses the F.A.S.T or Fitness and Sports Training Program. Keith Potter is a trainer for both High Altitude and F.A.S.T. This program operates under the theory that high levels of core strength provide stability to the spine.

The Pneu-Weight equipment being used has been highly successful with athletes who have medical issues, out-of-wack postures or set patterns that need to be corrected. The system involves a treadmill with an attached harness. It supports the client while running on a treadmill, a bit past neuro-muscular comfort level. The harness catches the user if tripped up by these challenging movements. Because the body automatically chooses safety first, high levels of core strength are essential while attempting the exercises. The Pneu-Vest ensure that the user is safe, It will not let you do anything that could potentially injure you.

Sandpoint, Idaho, F.A.S.T. trainer Peter Faletto said, "Pneu-Weight’s Unweighting range allows the patient to perform low-impact kinetic exercises in an upright functional position. It’s the most functional equipment I’ve ever seen." Faletto helped Alf install the machine and personally trained the staff.

In Hailey, there are also several distinct choices. The Blaine County Fitness Center, at 20 years old, was built originally by Dr. Don Levine to house a racquet ball court, which it still does.

"There’s has also always been a physical therapy room in this place," manager Pam Street said. The Hailey Hospital, which was adjacent to Blaine County Fitness, leased the space from Levine for many years until the new St. Luke’s Wood River Medical Center was built. In the process of an expansion, the club will ultimately have three floors. The basement area is used by both Footlight Dance Centre and by the Rock Down Under climbing gym. On the ground floor are free weights, machines, and the physical therapy area. Upstairs there’ll be a new free weight room. Tai Chi, yoga, fit ball and cycling classes are also taught.

"There’s no initiation fee, our monthly fees are cheaper than anyone in the valley," Street added.

Meanwhile, the largest fitness franchise in the world, Curves for Women, has appeared in a new space on the north side of Hailey. After less than a year it already boasts 320 members. The idea is for the clients to go through a regular circuit of approximately eight machines, after an initial training session.

"The machines are specifically for women," employee Carol Heed said. "They all work with hydraulic resistance so you use your own resistance."

Also on the north side of Hailey is The Gateway, a beautifully conceived holistic and training center. While not strictly a fitness center, it offers a variety of health related entities under one roof including Lotus Medicine, Sawtooth Martial Arts, yoga and massage therapy.

Which brings us right back to those kinder, gentler ways to maintain good health.

As SVAC trainer Olson said, "We just push and push ourselves. Sometimes it’s okay to just go for a walk. There needs to be joyful activity. Do something civilized once in a while."

 

 

The Idaho Mountain Express is distributed free to residents and guests throughout the Sun Valley, Idaho resort area community. Subscribers to the Idaho Mountain Express will read these stories and others in this week's issue.