Fit for Life!
Courtesy Akron Area YMCA, Akron LIVING WELL Magazine
Your future depends on your health. Finding a fitness routine to accommodate and personalize your lifestyle may seem challenging, but with the right support from a wellness facility that offers a variety of low-impact, high-intensity, beginner and advanced classes, you will easily discover a routine tailored to fit your personal goals.
“Working out, staying active and developing a healthy lifestyle shouldn’t feel like a chore,” says Akron Area YMCA Wellness Director Jeremy Ford. “Once you find a routine that is designed to work for you, you begin to feel really good about yourself.”
The decision to live a healthier lifestyle and become more confident is the first step on your journey to personal fitness. Machine equipment, body weights, flexibility training, strength training and cardiovascular exercises are all great ways to begin building a strong foundation. However, a fitness routine that focuses on strength training, high-intensity cardio or even running four or five times a week may work for some individuals, while low-intensity cardio, walking groups or water aerobics are better for others.
“When beginning a strength or running program, start at a speed that is comfortable for you,” explains Ford. “If you are starting a strength program — with the correct form and the proper weights — start two or three sets and perform 12 to 15 repetitions with each set. Once your routine starts to feel easy, increase the weight and decrease your reps.”
The human body can be conditioned and strengthened through a variety of exercises tailored to fit your personal and physical needs. For the best results, commit to a healthy lifestyle; don’t make fitness a chore and have fun!
The Akron Area YMCA supports your health and wellness goals through five convenient branches that offer a variety of programs supervised by knowledgeable and approachable staff. The Y is dedicated to helping you reach your goals by offering classes specific to your areas of interest and level of fitness. Financial assistance may be available to those who qualify. Contact Jeremy Ford, Y Wellness director for University Park YMCA at 330-434-9622, or visit akronymca.org for branch locations and programs.
