Is your treadmill starting to feel like a hamster wheel? Finding the motivation to get in shape, and stay in shape, can be difficult once your workout gets stale. Fortunately, Berks County has many unique fitness offerings to keep your workout fresh, your diet on track, and your motivation through the roof.
Boxing at Etchfit
etchfit.com | 610.743.3514 | 701 Reading Avenue, West Reading
The team at Etchfit has perfected its roster of highly trained professionals, giving you the opportunity to train with the best. They lead a variety of group classes — including strength and conditioning, high-intensity interval training (HIIT), Pilates, barre and self-defense — but their unique boxing classes are the most in-demand. General Manager Sarah Small explained that boxing has unseated yoga as today’s top fitness trend thanks to growing interest among women.
Budding boxers of all levels train together in the Etchfit ring with a team of two professional boxers and an MMA fighter for a well-rounded experience. Members also get one-on-one time with a professional boxing coach during each session for a more personal experience.
Tests You’ll Want To Take
Before jumping into the ring, Etchfit members have another unique opportunity to opt in to medical-grade screenings that collect information to drive their personal training, and to monitor and track their success.
The InBody body composition test is a full-body scan that measures the lean-to-fat ratio throughout the entire body, as well as hydration levels. Done at intervals, this test can track improvements in minute detail. Functional movement screenings identify lack of symmetry and ideal body movements that can indicate areas of strength and weakness. This knowledge helps Etchfit’s exercise physiologists create programs to target areas for improvement and to avoid injuries. For athletes, these screenings can also compare their movements to what is needed to meet the particular demands of their sport. Finally, the V02 Sub Max test screens for cardiorespiratory endurance and can help athletes who are trying to cut down time or pick up speed.
Whether you are just starting out or training for your tenth triathlon, the state-of-the-art testing available at Etchfit can pinpoint exactly where you are and measure how close you are to meeting your goals every step of the way.
MYZONE Interactive Fitness at Body Zone
bodyzonesports.com | 610.376.2100 | 3103 Paper Mill Rd., Wyomissing
If you prefer to measure and monitor your own progress, look no further than Body Zone Sports & Wellness Complex’s MYZONE Interactive Fitness. This innovative program is designed to empower workouts by keeping you informed of your performance in real time.
Results You Can See
MYZONE is a system of wearable heart rate monitors that tracks aerobic activity with 99.4 percent accuracy – comparable to an EEG machine – and provides real-time feedback that makes workouts more interactive than ever before. The belts track heart rate, calories, time, goal progress and MYZONE Effort Points (MEPs), and your metrics are displayed on monitors throughout the gym. If seeing your progress in real time isn’t enough, the public displays amp up motivation by pitting you against your peers while keeping the experience fun and challenging.
The MYZONE app also allows users to track their workouts outside of Body Zone and to monitor post-workout stats at home. The app’s chat feature functions like a private support group, keeping you connected to friends, giving you the opportunity to meet new people, and providing feedback from your connections on personal goals and community challenges.
In the Zone at Body Zone
Although the MYZONE technology is designed to empower users to take control of their own training, Body Zone MYZONE liaisons make sure users never feel alone during their experience. Every member kicks off his or her training with a free InBody body composition test, which provides detailed data to plug into an initial profile. Body Zone also offers a free “Heart Rate Training + Your Fitness Goals” workshop to educate you on properly setting goals and tracking progress.
For extra inspiration and motivation, professional trainers have also developed the In the Zone Monthly Challenge, which gives users the chance to earn entries into a raffle for gift certificates to local restaurants and sports events, personal training sessions, free InBody tests, and more by meeting the WHO’s guideline of 1300 MEPs per month. Other wellness challenges throughout the year motivate you to meet your goals for a good cause, with proceeds benefitting local charitable organizations.
SYNRGY 360 at Colonial Fitness
chbsports.com | 610.777.7801 | 172 Shillington Rd., Sinking Spring
Not sure if you prefer the motivation of a group fitness class or the customization of personal training? The SYNRGY 360 program at Colonial Fitness might be just right for you. This small-group personal training accommodates all levels of fitness and gives you the chance to interface with a trainer at an affordable price while working through a timed-interval, total-body workout.
One Well-Rounded Work Out
SYNRGY 360 is a 30-minute exercise session under the guidance and supervision of a Certified Personal Trainer, with a maximum of only eight participants per session. The system was pioneered by Life Fitness to provide an inspirational fitness experience to an increasingly diverse audience of exercisers and to provide opportunities to train smarter, better and more effectively.
Participants work around a modular training hub with various fitness tools for timed intervals, so the options are limitless, and no two sessions are the same. During each session you work each interval at your own pace and preferred intensity, so there is no pressure to perform or to keep up with members at different fitness levels. However, the small group environment and CPT supervision help you to push your limits and reach the next level of fitness.
Finally, the SYNRGY 360 system utilizes a blend of the latest fitness tools, including TRX suspension training, kettlebells, medicine balls, battling ropes, cable resistance, balance training tools, body weight and so much more. This wide variety coupled with the short session times make this a dynamic solution that is certain to never get stale.
Meal Planning at iAMFit Studios
iamfitonline.com | 484.987.2411 | Locations in Sinking Spring and Temple
Finally, no wellness regimen would be complete without proper nutrition. At iAMFit Studios, the philosophy is that lifelong health is not just about diet and exercise, but also self-awareness and education. At iAMFit, individual programs are designed to not only accomplish short-term goals, but to hold you accountable for your health and to teach you how diet and exercise work together for overall wellness.
Eating Right Made Easy
iAMFit Studios offers personalized, simple and convenient meal planning that you can actually maintain. Members begin the program with a complimentary fitness assessment to determine baseline measurements. Your menu is then developed based on not only your ideal weight but also your base metabolic rate (BMR), to help you reach your goals safely and without burnout. Generally, the meal plans pair a high-protein and low-carb diet with supplements and exercise for maximum results.
For those who struggle with meal preparation or simply do not have the time, iAMFit partners with local restaurants to provide prepared meals weekly. Professional chefs ensure that the meals are always lean and fresh, and that the menu constantly changes.
A Solution for Complete Wellness
iAMFit recommends pairing meal planning with exercise to reach your goals, but according to owner Ernie Groff accountability is the real key to success. In-depth monthly testing assesses weight, body fat, strength, cardiovascular fitness and flexibility to provide a holistic view of your progress. Regular measurements help to keep you on track and to ensure your plan is properly suited to your goals.
What begins as a six-week meal plan often turns into a much longer commitment at iAMFit. When you are educated and informed about your fitness, it can create fundamental changes in your attitude and a lifelong commitment to wellness.
