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Sportplex Total Fitness shows its commitment to a healthy lifestyle with its first annual Health Fair raising funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation benefiting LIVESTRONG. On Monday, Oct. 25th, Sportplex invites the community to take advantage of free health screenings and wellness related activities at any of their four locations. Beginning at 3 pm, the day will include open group exercise classes, including Group Power, Group Active, and Group Ride. Sportplex Personal Training will offer complimentary body fat analysis and fitness education for all individuals. There will be childrens activities as well as plenty of healthy food, fun and prizes for the entire family. LifeSouth will also be on-site to welcome blood donors.Sportplex Total Fitness has served the Birmingham and Mobile area for almost three decades. With 4 facilities totaling over 45,000 square feet, Sportplex offers group fitness, personal training, racquetball, swimming pools, basketball, and indoor walking tracks. The first annual health fair and charity event, Stand Up Against Cancer benefiting LIVESTRONG is yet another way for the facility to encourage healthy lifestyles among its members and serve the greater community. District Manager Michael Ward said “as someone who has had cancer directly affect my family, it is exciting to create an opportunity to help the community fight this disease.” The event will take place from 3pm until 8pm Monday October 25th 2010 at all four Sportplex locations.

Just for stopping by, you will receive a FREE LIVESTRONG bracelet.To learn more about the event, you may contact:Michael Ward – District Manager – Sportplex Total Fitness

via Alabama Health Fair Benefiting LIVESTRONG Oct 25th 2010 At Sportplex.

Q:How did your get interested in fitness?

A: My desire for physical fitness has grown from the age of thirteen when I got my first Joe Wieder machine.  From that day until this one I have always desired to reach new levels of physical fitness and success.  Serving in the United States Marine Corps gave me a different perspective and appreciation for total body fitness which led me to pursue a career in the field. 

Q:What led you to being a personal trainer?

A: I started training clientele on a part time basis until I realized the potential impact I could have on a person’s quality of life.  Once I came to understand that I had an opportunity to not only change someone’s physique but also their personal belief system concerning themselves, I jumped in with both feet. 

I became certified by the American Sports and Fitness Association and have been successful at adding hope and confidence to the lives of many clients who are now all personal friends.  I am very passionate and intense when it comes to training because I am fully aware of the life altering affects the positive results will bring. 

Q:What makes your different as a personal trainer?

I truly believe in the mantra “To get what you do not have, you must do what you have not done.”  Because of this perspective, my training systems are different, intense, and passionate as well as….very effective.  I understand that my continued success is dependent upon the success of my clientele.  I refuse to accept nothing other than that….Success.

Sherriff Curry:

I read with interest your recent letter opposing designating certain highways in ShelbyCounty as a bicycle trail.  First, let me point out that I am not intimately familiar with these roads, nor am I 100% certain what designating these roads as a “bicycle trail” entails.  However, I am very familiar with the law as regards cyclists’ rights to the road as I spend a good portion of my law practice representing injured cyclists.

First, no where in your letter do you mention that Alabama law guaranties cyclists the right to ride their bicycles on almost all roads (Interstates being the notable exception). Alabama Code 32-5A-260.  Further, cyclists are allowed to ride two abreast.  Alabama Code 32-5A-263(b).  So, criticizing cyclists for doing something that they absolutely are entitled to do does not seem appropriate to me – especially for the highest law enforcement official in ShelbyCounty. 

Second, the fact that trucks or mobile homes or for that matter, any other vehicle may have to slow a bit to pass a cyclist does not ipso facto mean that the cyclist has no right to be doing what he or she is doing.  The fact is that many heavily loaded vehicles, like mobile homes or large trucks, may slow other traffic down – it does not follow that these other slow moving vehicles are prohibited from using the road.

Third, the arguments that you make, that it’s inconvenient to other motorists and that it’s dangerous to cyclists – taken to its logical conclusion – would mean that cyclists should never be on any road that cars use – period. 

Instead of creating two classes of road users, cyclists and everyone else, I would think that the focus ought to be on sharing the roadway – which would mean educating truck drivers and other motorists that: (1) cyclists have the same legal right to be on the road as do motorized vehicles (given that every cyclist I know also is a taxpayer and a motorist – cyclists pay just as much for the roads as do motorists); (2)  motorists need to slow down and drive more cautiously given that they may encounter cyclists (and for that matter, other slow moving vehicles) on the road; and finally (3) being a cyclist on a  road in this State should not subject the cyclist to being hit and killed because motorists don’t want to be inconvenienced by driving a little slower and more cautiously. 

 Please do not misunderstand me – I understand that there are better roads to ride on than others, due to less traffic, wider lanes etc. and that there are better times to ride a bicycle – not during rush hour etc., but that being said, it still does not mean that cyclists ought to be “buzzed” by fast moving traffic or that cyclists ought to be prohibited from doing that which they have every right in the world to be doing. 

I’d be pleased to speak with you further regarding this matter should you so desire.

Sincerely,

Daniel B. Feldman

Subject: Proposed bicycle path-county roads 61.49.47 

Lady and Gentlemen,  

I was made aware of an article in the printed media about a proposed or planned bicycle trail using county roads 61, 49 and 47.  I had not heard any mention of it up to that point.  The information I was given was that it would not have a separate bicycle path built, only signage designating a bike trail.  As I am familiar with all three roads, and travel 49 some, and 47 a lot, and 61 rarely, my first reaction was surprise.

The second group were residents of Columbiana and county 47 and county 32 that intersects with 49.  These people have motorhomes and pull behind camper trailers. Again, limited sight distances and suddenly catching a 5-10 mph biker over the top of a hill or around a curve is deadly.  They also stressed how when slowed to these 5-10 mph speeds, then trying to swing out over the double yellow line to pass several bikes, they cannot accelerate quickly, takes time to over take, and they are 60-75 feet long.  Anytime they are over the double yellow line, they are automatically at fault with an accident occurs.  They also stressed the wide side mirrors and difficulty judging when they are safely ahead of the bike to move over.

My last observation is personal.  Saturday morning, in my personal pick up truck southbound of 47, I was catching a single bike going up hill and approaching the crest of the hill.  I had to quickly decide to brake down to the 5 mph (he was struggling up the hill) and wait.  At just the moment I would have been over the double yellow line to quickly jump past the bike, northbound appeared a one ton dually pick up, pulling a trailer with a bobcat loaded on riding right on the double yellow.  In that accident I am certain the biker would have been collected and nothing good would have been the outcome.

As a citizen I think this bike trail is a poor decision.  As Sheriff of Shelby County, I want to go on record that the liability and risk to the biking public out weights the value of a bike trail.  

Chris Curry, Sheriff

Shelby County Sheriff’s Office 

P.O. Box 1095 

Columbiana, Alabama 35051 

Phone (205) 670-6030 

Fax (205) 670-6912

o Fitness Bootcamps Schedule: Tuesday / Thursday 7am – 8 am, Saturday’s 11-12 noon.

· Join Now!!!! Bootcamp Class is filling up quickly.

· Members $120 and Non-Members $180 for 4 weeks of 3x Week Boot camps designed to whip you into shape fast!

Registration for more fitness bootcamp classes soon at the Hoover and Inverness (280) locations only.

o Monday-Wed-Friday 7 am – 8am and Evenings from 6-7pm

1. Almond Butter: Oh, man is this stuff good. We eat it in oatmeal, on toast with a bit of sweet stuff. We always get the fresh ground stuff from either Whold Foods or Fresh Market. They have a milling machine in the store that you get to run yourself. They usually have peanut butter and honey roast. The kids love that stuff. It’s just ground nuts. Do not be intimidated by the machine. Get in there and learn how to work it. Eat that stuff, it’s goooood for you. Here’s a write up from Best Natural Foods.com on Almond Butter.
2. Pearled Barley : This actually has more fiber than Whole Brown Rice. About 2g more per serving, and it’s a bit cheaper. It takes about the same amount of time to cook, 40-50 min, but it rocks.  Simmer it in some organic chicken broth – NO MSG and add a few chopped portobello mushrooms to simmer – super side dish
3. Agave Nectar : We eat this a good bit instead of honey – and yes, it comes from a plant. It’s a low glycemic index food, so it absorbs into your system slower thus not causing a spike in blood sugar. Walmart even sells this stuff now. It’s located around the baking goods and looks just like a squeeze tube of honey. They also have some that looks like Syrup - Honey Tree organic agaive nectar – eat it on my pancakes – woohoo good!
4. Portobello Mushrooms : What can’t you do with these – They taste so smokey, and robust, we grill them, mostly on the George Foreman Grill with a little soy sauce – and add to noodles or just eat plain – any kind of pasta. They are a good little source of protein without having to eat meat.
5. Cottage Cheese : This is a basic one, but this is one of my night snacks when I want something kind of sweet or dairy – instead of ice cream but the protein is there to make me forget about food for the rest of the night. The best cottage cheese I have had is either the Breakstone 2% or the Cabot 4% – seems to work the same on the fat scale as the milk you buy.

No, you do not. But, without a personal trainer, you have to maintain your motivation and program on your own. If you are new to this fitness thing, a personal trainer is ideal for you. It’s that time of year when alabamians can hopefully get serious about their fitness and nutrition goals. Fitness and exercise for most alabamians is something that does not fit into the schedule.  Even with the economy in it’s current state, and additional financial resources at a minimum, we can still find time to dedicate to fitness and making our lives better. Performance in every aspect of your life is better. Work, family and kids, more energy to do the things you love. Here are three basic options to starting a fitness routine, each with differnt degrees of financial commitment and resources.

Reasons To Exercise:

Most people start exercising for the wrong reasons. They want to “visually appear better”. They want to “fit into a smaller pair of pants”. That’s great, you will get all of that by default if you train your body to BE BETTER.  Let’s even get rid of the word “exercise” and keep the word “train”. You are training. You are in training. Training to be better and NOT SUCK.

Going It Alone:

This is what we do to a certain extent. We have a good support system of group fitness instructors and small training groups that we float in and out of. Our dedication revolves mostly around one thing. Not wanting to suck. My wife is a much better runner, racer, swimmer and all of the above than me. But we both know it’s no fun to be last. We push hard. Maintaining your own fitness routine takes serious planning and dedication. Attention to detail and balance in all aspects of your life is critical especially nutrition and workload. This is not the best option for beginners.

Pick A Group Or Zone:

Fitness groups are great for learning about fitness and exercise but also holding you accountable for results. These can be outdoor bootcamps or indoor group fitness classes. These can also be groups like the birmingham bike club, birmingham urban mountain pedalers (BUMP), Vulcan Triathletes, Birmingham Track Club or another fitness group. Find something you love and find a group that does it.

Gyms And Personal Trainers:

Several gyms in birmingham offer great facilities and personal trainer services for members. Finding a personal trainer that is knowledgable and experienced is as important as finding one that you like. If the thought of going to the gym and spending an hour with a personal trainer that you hate worse than your mother-in-law just won’t do it. Be aware of the certifications and qualifications of your trainer. Reasearch the actual person and see what they offer. Make sure you are honest about your goals and they do not over prescribe the plan. You will get burned out and quit.  Here are 5 personal trainer programs we could find in the birmingham area.

1. Sportplex Total Fitness – Hoover, Inverness, Robuck And Mobile
2. Gold Gym Birmingham – Pelham, Colonnade And Pelham
3. The Fitness Center
4. Icon Performance
5. Drake Fitness – Altadena