Search Weight Loss Topics:

Page 306«..1020..305306307308..320330..»

Home » Fitness » Page 306

LONDON Andy Murray will begin his Wimbledon title defense on Monday after confirming his recovery from a hip injury that has disrupted his preparation for this year's tournament.

"It's felt much better the last few days," the world number one told a media conference on Sunday.

"If I feel like I do today, I'll be fine to play the tournament. I'll be fine to play seven matches."

Murray, who will play Kazakhstan's Alexander Bublik, a lucky loser ranked 134, in the Centre Court opener on Monday, said he felt no lasting effects from the injury which caused him to pull out of two exhibition matches at London's Hurlingham Club last week.

"I've had hip problems since I was very young," said the Scot, who added that he had benefited from several days' rest. "It's not something new to me. It's just been very sore the last few weeks.

"It was giving me quite a lot of trouble moving to certain shots and getting into certain positions.

"This is an extremely important tournament, so you worry a little bit. It's a little bit stressful if you can't practice for a few days.

"You really want to be preparing, training as much as you can to get ready and make you feel better, especially when you hadn't had any matches."

Murray confirmed British media reports that he and his wife Kim are expecting their second child, but said it would not distract him in his title defense.

"We're both obviously very happy and looking forward to it," he said.

"I've had family the whole time I've been playing tennis, so yeah, I'll be fine dealing with that. It's certainly not a distraction in the slightest."

Murray, who has won Wimbledon twice in the past four years and reached at least the quarter-finals every year since 2008, is attempting to successfully defend a grand slam title for the first time.

"Hopefully I'm able to deal with things better this time round," said Murray, who won his first grand slam title at the U.S. Open in 2012.

"Once you get out there, I don't feel like I'm coming in trying to defend something. I'm going out there trying to win Wimbledon again. I want to try to win the competition."

This year the odds appear more stacked against him after a year disrupted by a series of minor problems including chest infections, elbow problems, flu and shingles.

However, the 30-year-old Briton said he was hopeful of being a force to reckon with at his home grand slam for years to come.

"You want to make the most of every tournament you play. I think you realize that a little bit more as you start to get older. I hope I'm still playing here for five, six, seven more years, if possible."

(Reporting by Neil Robinson; Editing by Clare Fallon)

LONDON, England Britain's Johanna Konta says she is fit to play at the Wimbledon Championships after recovering from a heavy fall that forced her to pull out of a warm-up tournament.

DUESSELDORF, Germany Tension was building up around Team Sky after two days on the Tour de France as rival teams complained that the jerseys they used for the opening time trial had been designed to illegally boost aerodynamics.

Original post:
Murray confirms his fitness for Wimbledon - Reuters

This week marks the start of the 2017 Tour de France. This year the race covers 2,200 miles in 21 days of racing, comprised of team and individual time trials as well as stages through cities, countryside and mountains of France.

The Tour de France is interesting to me because it provides an excellent opportunity for a short lesson in sports physiology.

All of the riders in the Tour are exceptionally fit since their bodies have adapted to years of dedicated, intense training. Endurance sports like cycling are dependent on the delivery of oxygenated blood to the muscle to produce ATP, the energy needed to sustain exercise.

The riders have large, strong hearts, resulting in the ejection of more blood to the muscle. Within the muscle there is an increase in the number of capillaries, the small blood vessels that deliver blood to the muscle, and mitochondria, the part of the cell that produces most of the ATP. Together, these adaptations allow the muscle to produce more ATP without fatigue, allowing the athlete to exercise at a higher intensity for a longer time.

But training isnt the only reason these athletes can sustain such intense exercise for so long. Proper nutrition, especially what the athletes eat and drink before, during and after each stage, also plays an important role.

Intense endurance exercise like cycling relies on carbohydrates, in particular, muscle glycogen, as a fuel. Muscle glycogen is a storage form of glucose, sugar that the muscle converts into energy. During prolonged exercise that lasts several hours, muscle glycogen levels can be severely depleted.

Eating carbohydrates before exercise can boost muscle glycogen levels, so cyclists eat carbohydrate-rich foods for breakfast before each stage. They also consume carbohydrates in the form of sports drinks (think Gatorade) and energy bars prior to starting.

In fact, they start replenishing their muscle glycogen immediately after finishing the previous days ride. This usually begins with a recovery beverage, which may contain some protein for more rapid muscle glycogen synthesis, and extends through carbohydrate-rich meals and snacks that afternoon and evening.

During exercise it is crucial to maintain adequate blood glucose levels, which tend to drop since the muscle is using so much as a fuel. Failure to replenish blood glucose results in what cyclists call hitting the wall or bonking, which is like your car running out of gas. To prevent this, glucose must be replenished, typically with sports drinks, energy bars or a sugary mixture called goo.

Prolonged, intense exercise, especially in the heat, results in a high sweat rate, which can lead to dehydration. Sweat loss of several liters per hour is not uncommon during cycling, so fluid intake is essential. This means that cyclists spend a lot of time drinking water while they ride. Sports drinks are also commonly used since they contain carbohydrates and electrolytes in addition to water.

Endurance events like cycling, especially multi-stage events like the Tour de France, highlight important concepts of sports physiology. Even though you may never compete at that level, understanding how training can improve your endurance is relevant if you cycle or run, walk or swim for exercise.

Knowing how proper nutrition before, during and after exercise can improve performance can help you make better decision about what to eat. Hopefully, it also gives you a greater appreciation for the science that goes into a performance like the Tour de France.

Brian Parr, Ph.D., is an associate professor in the Department of Exercise and Sports Science at USC Aiken where he teaches courses in exercise physiology, nutrition and health behavior. You can learn more about this and other health and fitness topics at http://drparrsays.com or on Twitter @drparrsays.

Here is the original post:
HEALTH AND FITNESS: Sport physiology in the Tour de France - Aiken Standard

Andy Murray looked to be winning his fitness battle as he put in the hours on court at Wimbledon on Saturday.

The world No. 1 pulled out of two scheduled exhibition matches at the Hurlingham Club this week because of a sore hip and limped through practice on Friday.

He was still limping between points on Saturday but was in good spirits and hit the ball well during three practice sessions lasting more than three hours.

Asked how the hip was feeling, Murray said "It's okay," adding that he planned to play his opening match against Alexander Bublik on Monday.

As the defending champion, Murray has the honour of contesting the first match of the tournament on Centre Court. And on paper he could hardly have asked for a kinder draw against a lucky loser ranked 134 who has only ever won one grand slam match.

Bublik got his first taste of Centre Court on Saturday and said he would be nervous but the 20-year-old does not lack for confidence.

The Russian-turned-Kazakh is known for his trick shots, and said: "Why I am playing at this level is because my game is unpredictable. I don't even know what I'm going to do. I decide when the ball is coming."

Bublik thought his chance of a Wimbledon debut had gone with a heartbreaking loss in the final round of qualifying, when Daniel Brands won the deciding fifth set 12-10.

Bublik had not even considered the possibility of a lucky loser spot and was in Starbucks when he found out that not only had he got into the tournament, but that he would be playing Murray.

"I was so down," he said. "I was even crying. I'd never cried after matches. But that time I went somewhere in a forest, sitting there and I'm like, 'Okay, whatever'.

"Then I wake up in the morning, we go to Starbucks, grab a tea. My father texted me, like, 'Hi, you're playing Andy Murray.' I'm, like, 'Ha! Of course not. Are you kidding me?' And he's like, 'No, you're playing Andy.' And I'm, like, 'Nah.' And he's like, 'Take the draw.'

"And I open up the draw and I see my name next to Andy Murray and my phone just fell out of my hand and I'm, like, 'Nah, it can't be real. Can't be real.' I was calling my manager, and he was like, 'Nah, that's just a joke. Stop it.' And then when I realised, for 30 minutes my head was shaking.

"I never got a lucky loser in my life, absolutely never, juniors, whatever. I was actually I think the unluckiest guy on tour. I'm very excited to play the first event, to open up the stadium with Andy. It's going to be great."

Bublik will hope to continue an unwelcome 2017 trend for Murray, who has lost to both the previous lucky losers he has faced -- Borna Coric in Madrid and Jordan Thompson last week at Queen's Club.

Not that Bublik, who beat top-20 Frenchman Lucas Pouille in the first round of the Australian Open, has been keeping track of the world number one's form and fitness. He follows tennis only when his fellow young guns are competing and prefers watching basketball.

"Even Rafa and Fed, when you watch them they're putting everything in court and it's not interesting," said Bublik.

"It's interesting to see the highlights, how they're finishing the ball, but when they're rallying for, like, 45 shots, you're sitting there and you're feeling: 'Can I quit tennis please?' But I enjoy watching Nick [Kyrgios], for example. I like the way he's playing."

Bublik is also into music and is part of the rap scene in his home city of St Petersburg. He expects to have several Russian rappers in his Centre Court player box on Monday and has two quotes from Eminem tattooed on his right arm -- 'You won't break me, you just make me stronger than I was' and 'Always be a leader not a follower'.

Bublik said: "Someone asked him: 'Why are you not following anyone on Twitter?' He replied: 'Always be a leader not a follower.' But I'm following someone on Twitter, so that's not the right thing."

See the original post here:
Andy Murray winning Wimbledon fitness battle as draw shocks Bublik - ESPN

Wall Street Journal (subscription)

A Fitness Plan Based on Lots and Lots of Disc Golf Wall Street Journal (subscription) Zach Deputy never found exercise fun. But when his weight tipped past 400 pounds, he knew he needed to move more. Running was uncomfortable. CrossFit sounded like torture. And low-impact activities like golf seemed boring until the singer-songwriter's ...

Visit link:
A Fitness Plan Based on Lots and Lots of Disc Golf - Wall Street Journal (subscription)

President Trump's Thursday Twitter attack on MSNBC's hosts has, for some, raised concerns about his ability to serve the country.

A group of Democratic Representatives has been worried about that for some time.

Over 20 House Democrats are backing a bill that would create a congressional 'oversight' commission that could declare the president incapacitated, which could result in his removal from office by way of the 25th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

12 PHOTOS

President Trump meets with South Korean President Moon Jae

See Gallery

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) greets South Korean President Moon Jae-in prior to delivering a joint statement from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Bourg TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. President Donald Trump listens as South Korean President Moon Jae-in delivers a statement from the Rose Garden after meetings at the White House in Washington, U.S. June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Bourg TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) greets South Korean President Moon Jae-in prior to delivering a joint statement from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) arrives for a joint news conference with South Korean President Moon Jae-in (L) in the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

South Korean President Moon Jae-in and U.S. President Donald Trump (R) deliver a joint statement from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in depart after delivering a joint statement from the Rose Garden of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

U.S. President Donald Trump (R) and South Korean President Moon Jae-in (4thL) meet with their delegations in the Cabinet Room of the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump reacts after a lamp next to him was almost turned over during a photo spray with South Korean President Moon Jae-in in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Carlos Barria

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) welcomes South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

U.S. President Donald Trump (L) welcomes South Korean President Moon Jae-in at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 30, 2017. REUTERS/Jim Bourg

WASHINGTON, DC - JUNE 30: President Donald Trump and South Korean President Moon Jae-in deliver joint statements in the Rose Garden of the White House on June 30, 2017 in Washington, DC. President Moon is on a three-day visit in Washington. He had an Oval Office meeting with President Trump prior to joint statements. (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)

HIDE CAPTION

SHOW CAPTION

According to the Cornell University Law School website, "The 25th Amendment, proposed by Congress and ratified by the states in the aftermath of the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, provides the procedures for replacing the president or vice president in the event of death, removal, resignation, or incapacitation."

Employing that option is entirely uncharted territory.

Nonetheless, Representative Jamie Raskin, the bill's chief sponsor, believes it's an avenue worth exploring.

He told Yahoo News, "If you look at the record of things that have happened since January, it is truly a bizarre litany of events and outbursts. I assume every human being is allowed one or two errant and seemingly deranged tweets. The question is whether you have a sustained pattern of behavior that indicates something is seriously wrong."

Though President Trump has made many comments on Twitter that some have found questionable, his Thursday statements have received widespread and bipartisan condemnation.

The tweets read, "I heard poorly rated @Morning_Joe speaks badly of me (don't watch anymore). Then how come low I.Q. Crazy Mika, along with Psycho Joe, came to Mar-a-Lago 3 nights in a row around New Year's Eve, and insisted on joining me. She was bleeding badly from a face-lift. I said no!"

More from AOL.com: President Trump 'obsessed with former President Obama,' columnist claims WATCH LIVE: President Trump gives joint statements with South Korean President Moon Jae-in President Trump nixes decades-long White House tradition of Ramadan dinner

Read the original post:
Bill allowing creation of panel to assess Trump's fitness as president gains support - AOL

WATCH LIVE

Patrons at 24-Hour Fitness gym in Vallejo are on edge after a member tested positive for tuberculosis.

Solano Public Health Officials notified the club on June 16 that a member was infected with the disease.

A club spokesperson refused to answer why it took two weeks to notify other members.

On Friday, county health officials reached out to anyone who was in the club at the same time as the infected patron.

"Everyone checks in so that's how we know who was in the club while he was there," said Dr. Michael Stacey with the Solano County Health Department.

Members said they have never been concerned about potentially contracting anything at the club before.

"I'm not really personally worried," Vallejo-resident Steve Freund said. "You have to be close to get it. But still, this happens."

The Vallejo gym is located on Sonoma Boulevard.

Published at 4:33 PM PDT on Jun 30, 2017 | Updated at 6:01 PM PDT on Jun 30, 2017

View post:
Tuberculosis Scare at Vallejo 24 Hour Fitness Gym | NBC Bay Area - NBC Bay Area

There are really only two ways to react to an invitation to workout with fitness guru Jillian Michaels:

Bring it!

And...

Gulp.

Michaels promises beginners will be welcome on Saturday, July 8, when she hosts a 45-minute workout followed by a meet and greet at the Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall near downtown L.A. to benefit Stand Up to Cancer.

Its nothing to be scared of, insisted Michaels (who built a reputation for herself as TVs toughest trainer on The Biggest Loser). Everything I do has modifications and progressions, she says. If youre a beginner, youll do a pushup on your knees. More advanced? A clapping pushing for you.

Weve all lost people to cancer or know someone who has been affected by it, she said, adding that cancer and heart disease are chief causes of death in this country. One way to combat that, she said, is prioritizing your health and happiness. Ill do whatever it takes to incentivize people to do that, she said.

For some of us, the workout could be a much needed jump start. (Its summer. We forgot to lose that winter weight ...

Actually, the life coach kindly corrected us, we didnt forget to lose weight. We forgot to motivate ourselves.

Heres her 4-step plan for doing that or anything else you put your mind to.

Step. 1: You have to decide what the work is for, what is worth it. You have to have that Why to tolerate the How. Its not enough to just say, I want to be healthy or I want to lose weight. People speak in generalities about health and money and love, but what they have to do is define those things in their lives.

Examples?

Its saying I want to wear a two piece instead of a one piece. Its living long enough to walk your daughter down the aisle, or living to see your great-grandchildren. Maybe its having sex with the lights on. It doesnt matter what it is, it doesnt matter if its superficial or profound, but you need to figure out what you want and why you want it.

Step 2: Form an emotional connection to it. Meditate on that goal. Focus on it. Anchor it in your core. Thats when work has a purpose, when it has a passion behind it, she said. Work without a purpose is punishing.

Step 3: Then you have to get informed, so that the actions you do take yield powerful results. In the case of fitness, that means educating yourself about the basics of nutrition and fitness.

Step 4: Have fun! Make sure you enjoy it! I always say, The best workout is the one that youre going to do. I can go on all day about HIIT workouts, and metabolic circuits, but if you hate it, youre not going to do it.

Michaels says theres a workout for everyone, even people who think they hate all exercise.

Maybe its hiking, Pilates, or yoga do you like salsa dancing? ... Golfing? Theres got to be an activity that you love, or that you like, or that you can at least commit to. You have to find it.

And it doesnt need to be painful.

What I am looking for is activity. A golf game is an activity. Bowling is an activity. Its not fitness, but it has you on your feet and moving, and thats where you start, by making sure you are moving and as active as you can be.

If you are the fitness tracker type, it might interest you to know that Michaels swears by her Apple watch. And yes, we asked: How many steps does she get a day? Sometimes she hits the magic 10,000 steps, but sometimes she doesnt.

Some days I get in five miles which is in the 10K-step range some days I only get in one. Thats just life. On the days where Im busy, I really watch my diet.

Michaels busy lifestyle has her dividing attention between her online platforms and investing in health and fitness businesses (Thrive Market, Lucky Jack Coffee, Giggles N Hugs, a restaurant-plus-gym for parents and children). Theres her app, which she describes as quite literally having me as your personal trainer in your pocket, its as customizable as fitness training can get, and her newest endeavor, FitFusion.com.

Think of it as a Netflix, or YouTube vertical, focused on follow along fitness content. Weve got the biggest names in fitness in there, she said, including Tara Stiles, Leslie Sansone and the Tone It Up Girls.

Her latest obsession, though, has us on the edge of our seats: These days, Michaels, 43, is all about anti-aging.

But were not talking about the cosmetic surgery variety.

I am working on an anti-aging book. How come some people seem to defy age, and some people give in to it. Why does J Lo who is pushing 48 look like shes 20? Why? What is she doing? Why are there 90-year-olds who run marathons and 20-year-olds that cant run up a hill? I want to take a deep dive into longevity.

If all goes well, its a title that could hit shelves in 2018. Hurry up, Jillian. We want to know the answer to that J Lo question too.

Train L.A. with Jillian Michaels

When: 10:30 a.m., July 8

Where: Shrine Auditorium & Expo Hall, 665 W. Jefferson Blvd., Los Angeles.

Cost: Tickets start at $87.

Info: ShrineAuditorium.com/events

Health@latimes.com

Original post:
Jillian Michaels wants to jump start your fitness (and swears it will be fun!) - Los Angeles Times

Broward County's new Destination Fitness facility will enrich the quality of life for thousands of residents, said Peter Wood, vice president of programs and community investments for the Health Foundation of South Florida.

The outdoor exercise area in Rev. Samuel Delevoe Memorial Park, located at 2520 NW Sixth Street in Fort Lauderdale, has a dozen workout stations available to use at no cost.

Designed for ages 14 and older, it allows 23 people to exercise at the same time. Users can target specific areas such as arms, legs and upper body. Several of the fixtures are handicap accessible.

"It's a world class fitness station," Broward County Director of Parks and Recreation Dan West said at the ribbon cutting ceremony in June.

Destination Fitness is the first of its kind in the Broward Municipal Services District, County Commissioner Dale Holness said. It's the latest of many improvements that are bringing tourism and commerce to the area.

"Destination Fitness ties in with the rich history of the corridor," Holness said.

As part of the triplex with the Urban League and the African American Research Library and Cultural Center, Destination Fitness will spark socially enriching activities, organizers said.

The 36-acre park offers senior programing for ages 50 and up. After-school and summer programs are attended by hundreds of youth.

All ages will benefit by having acess to the free workout equipment. It complements the park's existing indoor fitness center which requires a membership fee and is limited to those older than 18.

The idea for Destination Fitness germinated in the neighborhood's Healthy Community Zones group. Locals envisioned an asset that would provide much needed exercise options.

The Health Foundation of South Florida, Broward Health Regional Planning Council, Partnerships Transforming Our Community's Health (TOUCH) and Broward County agencies "came together in essence as one" to make it happen, Wood said.

"Without partnerships in the community we wouldn't see this," assistant county administrator Alphonso Jefferson said. "It's about bringing community business and residents together to change how this community functions."

hwolt@tronc.com

Read the original post:
Fitness center opens at Develoe Memorial Park - Sun Sentinel

The majority of cases related to shoulder pain are largely caused by rotator cuff problems. Injuries to the rotator cuff muscle are usually related to movements which include repetitive overhead motions or sudden forceful pulling motions. A rotator cuff injury can be any type ...Read More Dont be too dependent on protein powders to build muscle. Not only thats not a very effective approach, but it can also negatively influence your health in the long term because our body needs a constant supply of good quality whole foods to both ...Read More Maintaining an eating schedule during the day is well known in the fitness industry, but lately the debate has shifted from daily to nightly consumption namely, what to eat before bed. If you think about it using everyday common knowledge, you will most ...Read More The summer is at the front door. The time to start panicking about your flabby shape has arrived. With the sunny summer months just around the corner, you wont make a mistake if you immediately start preparing for a wonderful summer your first ...Read More Creatine has been around for quite some time now and even if youve been living under a rock youve heard of it. However, as creatine got more and more popular, people divided into two groups, the difference between them being the opinion they had ...Read More Given that your traps are one of the largest muscles on your back and which can also scream power like no other feature on the upper body, you should aim on developing them as much as possible. The upper portion of the trapezius influences ...Read More Keeping the metabolism revved up will have a great positive impact on how you feel during the day and keep you slim and fit. Eating the right foods can have a tremendous impact on your metabolism, but avoiding the foods that slow it down ...Read More Floyd Mayweather has shown many times that he goes through one of the most brutal training regimens ever created. His boxing and training regimen has always been a reference point for what a true champion should endure to become the best. The undefeated Mayweather ...Read More Have you ever thought that, despite what youve been repeatedly told by all fitness gurus, nutritionists and health magazines, trying to slim down by keeping track of every calorie that goes into your body is not such a smart idea and it rarely works? ...Read More We bet you rarely hear people talking about hammering their hams in the gym, and even at physique competitions, most of the bodybuilders will have massive quads and mediocre hams that lack density and detail. This is a very important muscle group for athletes ...Read More

Follow this link:
Fitness and Power - Top Bodybuilding and Fitness Info for a ...

VAN NUYS >> For years, the old Famsa Furniture store on Van Nuys Boulevard sat vacant, frequented not by customers but by the homeless.

That building, a ginormous building, was empty for a very long time, so it kind of became a homeless attraction, noted Dora Bercea, who operates a thrift store next door. They were setting up camps in front and in back of the building.

But on Monday, the 21,000-square-foot retail space officially opens its doors as a new Crunch Fitness facility, a welcome sign of urban renewal in a part of Van Nuys in need of it.

Its nice and clean, said Bercea, 35, of Reseda. I think its great. Im excited.

RELATED PHOTOS: Van Nuys gets a Crunch fitness

Longtime Van Nuys community activist Don Schultz agreed.

Its a good addition to a neighborhood that needs new businesses to kind of spark up the activity on Van Nuys Boulevard. Its been a retail area thats suffered over the years, Schultz said.

David Harman, president and co-founder of a Chatsworth-based company that owns dozens of health clubs, including the new Crunch at 6723 Van Nuys Blvd., said other big fitness companies have traditionally avoided the area.

The community is densely populated. It needs fitness, but the large chains have never gone into that market, Harman maintained. Some people see Van Nuys as kind of a rough neighborhood and so on. I look at it as a community that is underserviced and needs something that is, I would say, a low-cost model but providing a middle-cost to high-cost-value type of gym.

There is a large LA Fitness a few minutes away on Sepulveda Boulevard near the Orange Line.

But in this particular part of Van Nuys, Harman stated that many fitness centers didnt want to come there because they thought they couldnt make the money they were requiring.

RELATED STORY: Goodwill returns to Van Nuys

The new Crunch will be open 24 hours and offers a base membership of $9.95 a month with no contract.

Harman said to keep membership prices down, the Van Nuys gym doesnt have a swimming pool, basketball or racquetball courts, which he said would otherwise drive up operating and insurance costs.

The Crunch in Chatsworth offers a similar pricing structure to Van Nuys.

But the base rate at the West Hollywood location is $62.99.

Today, , the Van Nuys Crunch will hold a sneak peek party to show off the club. Just days before the event, painters applied a fresh coat of bright blue color to the exterior, while club personnel busily installed fitness equipment. Harman put the cost of weights and workout machines for the new location at $700,000.

Advertisement

RELATED STORY: Business owners struggle with homeless, crime along Orange Line in Van Nuys

A few doors down, theres a thrift shop, a 99 Cents Only store and a Jons supermarket. The parking lot for the businesses frequently crawls with homeless people, street vendors and pigeons.

Still, Harman said, Crunch is already doing big business.

This has been one of our most profitable and successful pre-sales that weve done in our organization, he declared. Projections are great. Its very, very healthy.

Erica Espinoza, 33, of Van Nuys, who works at a bakery only steps away, was the first person to sign up for a membership.

The tanning beds. Thats why I want to do it. Get some color in my pale skin, she joked, adding, Im glad that theyre finally going to open. Now, hopefully, Ill get skinny.

Juan Chacon, 30, of Van Nuys, who works at a nearby gift shop, also signed up.

The price is affordable, he stated. To know that youre going to be one of the first people to use those machines, its nice. Everybody likes brand-new stuff.

I have a membership with 24 Hour Fitness, but this is going to be even easier for me, added Jose Rodriguez, 39, of North Hollywood, who works at a hairstyling salon across from Crunch.

Harman said the gym has tailored its marketing toward the neighborhoods predominantly Latino population.

All of that marketing content will reflect from what that demographic is, he explained.

Bercea, owner of the MTA Thrift Store, said she liked the idea of the gym being open 24/7.

At night lots, of shady stuff happens in this neighborhood, she said. Since theres going to be movement and somebodys going to be here, maybe police are going to patrol more, hopefully.

RELATED STORY: Deardens furniture to close all 8 Southern California stores

Even with the opening of Crunch, the retail prospects for the area remain mixed.

Deardens a furniture store thats been in business for over 100 years recently announced it would close all eight of its Southern California locations. One of those stores is just a few doors south of Crunch.

In that area ... there are a bunch of storefronts with a lot of vacancies, noted Schultz, former president of the Van Nuys Homeowners Association.

He said some retailers neglected upkeep by failing to quickly deal with graffiti on their walls a persistent problem and by placing clothing racks on sidewalks, which he said is a code violation.

Crunch at least represents a step in the right direction for that section of Van Nuys, Schultz maintained.

It might actually start sprucing up that area, he said.

Original post:
Van Nuys eyesore gets new life as Crunch Fitness - LA Daily News

Page 306«..1020..305306307308..320330..»

Home » Fitness » Page 306