“Fitness opportunities grow in Altoona area” |
Posted: 12 Jan 2011 01:42 PM PST The fitness scene in Altoona sports new faces this year, from a new martial arts instructor and a new fitness center to new owners of Farrells eXtreme Fitness. Rick and Shelly Rusch took over the Altoona Farrells location at 1003 Eighth St. SW, Suite E, in December. They closed the site Dec. 23 to renovate and their first session as new owners kicked off Jan. 8. "Last week, we worked about 14 hours a day Monday through Sunday to completely revamp the facility. It had gotten quite run down and rather than make little changes, we decided to go in with a bang. We gutted everything - painted every wall, power washed the floors, laid new mats, recarpeted and got new equipment," Shelly Rusch said. "From the administrative side, we will be keeping the prior staff. They are amazing at what they do and will provide wonderful service to all of our members. We are also ramping up our training for both our coaches and instructors. While they are already very passionate about what they do, there's always something we can tweak to be just a little better." The Ruschs have cancelled the 4 a.m. class and are trying a 12:30 p.m. class instead, so their new hours of operation are 4:30 to 10:30 a.m., then noon to 1:30 p.m. and 3:30 to 10:30 p.m. A self-proclaimed fitness junky, after Shelly Rusch completed the 10-week program herself three years ago, she took it a step further and became an instructor and coach. When she learned the facility was for sale, she and her husband jumped at the chance to keep Farrells in Altoona. "A good friend of mine, LeaKol Gardner, opened Farrell's and continued to persuade me to go and I finally did. It was an incredible experience. There were so many people that were pushing and guiding you to meet your goals. Everyone truly cared. I quickly found that this fitness place was so much more than a gym. It was a family of people with common goals just wanting to help everyone get to the finish line," Shelly Rusch said. "When my 10 weeks was completed, I wanted to give back, so I became an instructor and coach. It quickly became a goal to own a Farrells, so I could give this life changing gift to others. After two years of encouraging my husband to do it, he finally decided it was time and had a similar experience as I did and lost 40 pounds. We were both on fire for the program. As fate would have it, I found out in June that it was for sale and began a very long process to make it ours." IMPACT Fitness Lean body specialist Justin Roberson has launched his own program from scratch called IMPACT Fitness, which is an acronym for intense mixed power active cross training. Roberson's clients who wanted to help him after being laid off from the Altoona Campus in 2009 suggested he take his knowledge of fitness and start his own program from the ideas he created in the past. "After being laid off, I learned that nothing is guaranteed. I wanted to be my own boss and still wanted to follow my dream of being a fitness professional, because I got into the fitness industry purely to help people and make a difference," he said. "I am a lean body specialist with 10 years of experience and success. I have a degree in health promotion: wellness/fitness management from University of Northern Iowa. I am a nationally certified personal trainer through the Aerobic and Fitness Association of America and an advanced fitness boxing trainer through the Boxing Fitness Institute." Roberson first got started in personal training in the Twin Cities, then worked in corporate health and wellness there before returning to Iowa where he's worked as a personal trainer at the YMCA, an assistant director at QC Sports Acceleration and taught group fitness at Gold's Gym. He was the former weight room coordinator/personal training director at the Altoona Campus for eight years where he trained hundreds of clients and developed health and wellness programs for members. "I have experience in personal/group personal training, corporate wellness, group exercise and also as a performance enhancement coach for competitive and recreational athletes. I currently teach all of the IMPACT Fitness classes," he said. "At IMPACT Fitness, I use my fitness formula - which is an ultimate body 3-in-1 workout - that combines resistance training, cardiovascular training and core training to help burn fat, build lean muscle and energize the body all at once. The emphasis for the day rotates every day from a cardiovascular/boot camp theme and a strength/weights theme, so we never perform the same workout twice." A typical day with Roberson kicks off with 15 minutes of warming up and stretching followed by 40 minutes of sports specific drills to torch fat, strength exercises to target all the major muscles and interval training for cardiovascular performance. The last five minutes are flexibility exercises for regeneration of the body. "I structure my class for everyone regardless of fitness level, current weight, age or gender. Everything at IMPACT Fitness is usually timed so that everyone is going at the same time, so no one is left out, but at the same time, you can work at your own pace. This gives a positive group atmosphere where people can encourage each other in that group setting," he said. "Also, IMPACT Fitness is a membership, so there is no start and stop time. IMPACT Fitness helps people so that they don't have to struggle with boring redundant workouts, unrealistic diets, boring cardio workouts, workouts that don't target their problem areas, and most of all, not having someone there to motivate, encourage and care about their fitness goals." IMPACT Fitness will offer classes at 120 First Ave. N., Suite F2, at Steel Axis Dance, in a partnership with the dance studio. The program schedule may change, but tentatively is 5:15 a.m. and 6:30 a.m. weekdays, 5:30 p.m. Monday, Thursday and Friday, and 7 p.m. Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday. There will be a 7:30 a.m. class on Saturdays. IMPACT Fitness membership price is $99 a month with the opportunity to train free and a two-week free trial period. Martial Arts at Clay For the past 15 years, Altoona resident Norman Wrigley has taught martial arts in Rhode Island until moving to the area in 2008. His main focus of instruction is tae kwon do, but has studied other forms of martial arts like aikido, kenpo and kickboxing, plus has attended training seminars in frav maga and gracie jujitsu. While rank has never been important to him, Wrigley is a third-degree black belt. He plans to share his experience and talent in the martial arts by teaching children from 5:45 to 6:30 p.m. at Clay Elementary and adults from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Children cost $35 per month; adults $45/month. Children ages 7 and older can participate, although he will consider children ages 5 1/2 and older. "There are no contracts, no expensive testing fees. You are given nothing, but earn everything," he said. http://nokiaphonesreview-123.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-firmware-v50121001-nokia-e71-inc.html http://nokiaphonesreview-123.blogspot.com/2010/12/new-firmware-v061005-nokia-c5-c5-00.html http://nokiaphonesreview-123.blogspot.com/2010/12/unboxing-nokia-x3-02-touch-type-best-of.html |
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