Fit for Travel!
To travel requires a certain fitness level. To be able to lift suitcases, climb stairs and hike trails, you need to maintain a bit of health. While not all travel requires strenuous workouts, the better shape you are in, the easier it is. So with this in mind, I am trying my best to be fit for travel! I have been on a roll lately writing about health and travel.
I know I will never have the stamina I had at 20, or even 30 or 40, but I am trying my best to keep fit. Recently I have taken my fitness to a new level by adding in strength exercises. I hired a fitness trainer and added a gym membership in my hometown of Pawnee, Illinois. Cliff Reed at Uptown Iron Gym is helping me achieve my fitness goals.
What, Me Weight lifting?
I would have laughed if anyone would have told me I would be lifting weights. However in all the medical stories I write for Senior News & Times of Illinois doctors emphasize that studies have demonstrated that adults who exercise have greater bone mass than those who are less active. Weight lifting has been shown to be one of the exercises that will do this.
Why Weight Lifting
I admit to loving the bicycling, but in the Midwest climate I can’t do this year round, and I have been bored with some of my other exercises. When I noticed the gym in downtown Pawnee on the square, I thought I would give Cliff a call. While he is a dedicated weight lifter, he is also a family man, a husband and father of five children ranging in ages from 18-1.
His wife Amanda has her own business. Their community dedication in taking over the former Dance -N-Flip building plus Cliff’s credentials as both a certified trainer and martial arts expert with a Black Belt and teaching experience caught my attention. If I was a kid, I might have even signed up for the mixed martial arts class he offers twice a week!
“My brothers Les and Marvin both were into physical fitness and weight training,” Cliff explained. “I learned from them when I was 8 or 9 years old the proper form and motivation. We always had a weight bench somewhere at the house.”
Starting martial arts around the age of 9, by 20, Cliff was an assistant trainer. Working as a manager at GNC, he also has nutritional experience as well.
Plan of Action
We started out with 8 sessions. Cliff had the patience of Job because the only weights I had ever lifted before were the pink ones you see in the photo that I use to Leslie Sansone’s video Walk Away the Pounds! Besides being totally inexperienced, I also was a bit intimidated by the weights and afraid of injury. However, working together, I have worked my way up to a routine that has helped strengthen my core and improve my overall physical condition.
Arnold Schwarzenegger doesn’t have to worry about me taking any of his body building titles, but I am working out on my own at the gym using the techniques Cliff taught me. That is what I like, that after the training he gave me that I have the confidence to do this for myself.
With this training, I will be fit to travel in the New Year!
My Hope for You
I hope where you live there is an Uptown Iron Gym and a Cliff Reed that can help you locally become fit for travel. Whether that travel is just to the local historical museum to enjoy the quilt display or a trip abroad.
Happy travels in 2020! May you be fit to travel and have fun working out in your fitness journey.
