Sweat Inequity and the Evolution of Group Fitness - by Lucinda LaRee

As Co-Owner of City Fitness Gym, Cleveland Park’s neighborhood gym, I take issue with the statement “Gyms suggest a lack of structure, intensity and discipline” in the article Sweat Equity in the December 3, 2015 Style section.

Workouts should have structure – the right variety of fitness classes, personal trainers, and tailored workouts provide that in a gym setting. Workouts should provide intensity – and that means different things to different participants, some want to feel the burn and scream, others find pain to be long-lasting and negative. Workouts do need discipline to be effective – trainers provide that for some; group fitness classes bring a social accountability to others.

The Council of the District of Columbia gave us a Resolution as the Longest-Standing Woman owned Fitness business in the District.  We have been in the fitness business for 33 years. We have survived all the fitness trends and continue in our commitment to improve the health and fitness of the community. We did not accomplish this longevity by promoting an elitist attitude, unrealistic physical appearance or a cult like atmosphere with short-term “Killer Workouts” that promise quick results and end in long-term overuse injury from unbalanced programming. Maybe our unique position of being a neighborhood “boutique” gym allows us to offer more attention and promotes adherence.

The article suggests that the Type-A personality is new to DC and that what they seek more stress and pressure. Type-A’s have been here from the beginning. Some thrive off of more stress, but many crave a haven from the storm. When 9-11 occurred, when the Wall Street collapse occurred, when other large stressors have affected our community, our attendance has gone up. What activities were busier? Yoga, group strength, and other mind-body modalities. People did not seek torture, they wanted nurturing and peace. We have many members, Type-A’s and not, who have been exercising in our friendly community for 25-30 years who could not have made it to their Silver years healthy and strong if they focused only on High-Intensity Training Trends.

Don’t get me started on some of the statements or words in this article that I found offensive: HURTS LIKE HELL.  HURTS SO GOOD.  POUNDING.  BODY-NUMBING. HATE IT OR HATE IT YOGA.  MISERABLE.  INSTURMENTS OF TORTURE.   S & M.   FIRE. SCREAMING, FIENDS, BLACK OUT, OBSESSION. These words belong in the article below RUN, HIDE, FIGHT. AND GET USED TO IT, about 355 mass shootings this year in the United States. This is an interesting juxtaposing of articles to say the least. This attitude is not a recipe for longevity but a set up for exercise burnout.

There is nothing new under the sun. What many of these programs have done is to rename and amp up already existing exercise practices. You can take Pilates and yoga, combine them (which has been done for decades) and “Power” market them with a new name…and they are still Pilates and yoga, but not necessarily safer or better. Add a celebrity smile to your marketing and suddenly you have a sensation. Kudos to their marketing teams, but one wonders if their safety guidelines and teacher training can properly keep up with the demand.

An interesting article to write might be the evolution of group exercise and what it does for people. In my 52 years, I have been in a Sports Illustrated workout video, I brought Ashtanga Yoga into the DC gym market, I have taught step, strength, slide, hi/lo, circuit classes, interval training, Pilates and now pole dancing. I get the need for variety and challenge the mind and the body. Our gym offers a huge variety of classes and types of trainers to provide that variety and structure to our clientele. We encourage everyone to work on all fitness components – cardio-respiratory, body composition, muscular strength, endurance, and flexibility. We also encourage balance – physical and mental. I personally use the Medicine Wheel as a guide for wholeness and wellness and we use these same principles to guide our members.

I end this with words that I feel would benefit the Type-A, work-obsessed people of this city and world at large:

BALANCED

GROUNDED

EMPOWERED

STRONG

FLEXIBLE

ENERGITIC

HAPPY

GRACEFUL

CONNECTED

PEACEFUL

How we journey there may be the most interesting story of all.

Lucinda LaRee

Co-Owner City Fitness Gym

A Giving Community: The City Fitness Crowdfunding Campaign, by Dega Schembri

Launching a Crowdfunding Campaign is a bit daunting for so many reasons.  For me, however, the biggest challenge, plain and simple, was the sheer fact that we would be asking for donations.   Asking for anything is particularly hard for me unless it is for a donation to a charity that I believe in, and this was a little different.  Although City Fitness is a community, we are also a business, and we are asking people to show their support for it by making donations.

Before we even launched our campaign, the first step I had to take was going out into the Cleveland Park Community to ask for donations from our area merchants.  As part of our Crowdfunding Campaign, we wanted to offer “perks” for anyone that made a financial donation.  For example, if you donate $50.00 you will receive a 20% discount from an area merchant.  In the past, we have received tremendous support from these businesses when we hold our annual Fitness Fiesta Fundraisers to support various non-profit charities, such as Girls On The Run DC.  This time, we are asking them to support our business.  These are other small businesses, like us, struggling to keep afloat. 

My first stop was Weygandt Wines, our downstairs neighbor in the Park-n-Shop.  Without hesitation, they agreed to offer a 20% discount on any wine purchases.  I was met with success again and again right in our own center with Ibhana’s, the new woman’s clothing shop that just opened, Parcel Plus DC and Paragon Thai.   From that point on, I would say that 99% of the merchants that I approached readily agreed to very generous “perks” - discounts on services, discounts on meals, free eye exams – it was simply unbelievable.  Our own trainers offered discounts on their training packages.   A member offered a discount on acupuncture and our staff massage therapist offered a discount on massages. In less than two days, we accumulated so many perks that the Indiegogo site could not handle the volume.  We had to combine some of the perks to fit into the site’s template to fit them all!

This was just the beginning of my being overwhelmed with the amount of generosity shown.  We launched the campaign and as of right now we are almost at 50% of our goal.  We received two very generous donations of $1,000.00 and another of $500.00.  Unbelievable.  Many of the women who are students of mine at our corporate site, the US Supreme Court, who do not even and will probably never come to City Fitness Gym donated.  We had one member who is struggling financially and offered to help in any other way than with a monetary donation and then ended up donating anyways!  Another member not only donated, but is offering to buy a drink to the first 25 folks that show up to our public Crowdfunding event, the date and location to be determined.

I understand the expression, “my cup runneth over”.  It is with a very full and grateful heart that I offer my deepest thanks to everyone that has participated so far.  It does indeed take a village to create and continue our special City Fitness community.

Perspective about Physicality, by City Fitness member Neil Proto

I just returned from the Falklands, South Georgia, and the Antarctic,€“ a National Geographic expedition. Twenty-four days. Departing from Ushuia, Argentina, through the Beagle Channel once explored by Charles Darwin. My imperative for going was the journey of Sir Ernest Shackleton; what he and other Antarctic explorers saw, in part, even though I’d see it through the 21st century prism of better gear and an obvious safety net. We did not avoid risk, and often could not avoid the radical, often abrupt changes in the weather, ice conditions, the rough sea and wind currents in the Drake Passage, and the potential for the accident, including in the places Shackleton journeyed with his men during his failed expedition in 1914. It's been 100 years since his expedition began. 

Many elements of the trip resonated with me: one was the way National Geographic managed risk, the other was how physical preparation - training of a deliberate, intense kind over decades - made a difference. I include in that a range of outdoor activities - snowshoeing, hiking, kayaking, and sailing (as the crew) among them, mostly in the Pacific Northwest, and with friends who taught me the meaning of safety, preparation, weather, and the value of camaraderie at hard moments. There also was running, playing tennis, standing on the METRO, and walking, not riding the escalator. Consistently throughout all of that, at times daily, certainly regularly, were workouts and the occasional expert training lessons and very particularized guidance at CityFitness. It has been, and was on this expedition, of imminent value to know my body, what muscles to use and what to call upon at different times. Perhaps most surprising to me were the few moments when the "accident" loomed or happened, including once when I slipped on wet tussock grass coming down a steep incline, and found that I "fell" into a position that I'd learned in yoga! It was the first thought I had when I stood up, and then continued, unharmed, down the hillside. 

The ultimate benefit was that I got to see more, walk higher and longer, cross rapidly moving streams coming off melting glaciers, and embrace every physically demanding opportunity. I did it with a very clear understanding of my physical limitations. It also meant, I got to see yet broader, stunning vistas, experience harsher winds and cold, and see penguins walk confidently up thousands of feet in snow and ice to reach their colony. Neil Thomas Proto CityFitness member for 15 years. (anyone interested in more narrative, photos, and videos can go to FACEBOOK; 7 posts, all of which are "public" (not confined to Friends) or to http://www.neilthomasproto.com

Join City Fitness' Crowdfunding Project!

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Just like many of you, City Fitness has goals for the New Year. To expand on our 2014 renovations, the next round of the Great Streets Grant will help us with some further modernization and equipment upgrades. But we want to do more…a lot more. 

City Fitness is a small business founded in 1983 with the simple beginning of providing on-site fitness instructors to places of business. Considered cutting edge at the time, work site fitness is now considered a mainstay and we have persevered. We provide fitness classes to the US Supreme Court, National Gallery of Art, World Bank, the Holocaust Museum, and the National Zoo to this day.

Our gym has been serving the fitness needs of the Cleveland Park community in Washington, DC for over 21 years. We have awesome long-term members, some of who have been with us since we opened, and this stability and co-support has created a thriving community where we serve people of all ages and abilities. We are a home-away-from-home where members feel safe, connected and welcome.  We maintain a quality member service mindset in an era where customer service has diminished, priding ourselves on providing personal attention.  City Fitness is the "Cheers" of Fitness because, unlike other gyms, we actually “know your name.”


Being small in a world of big box facilities, a woman-owned gym in a male-dominated field, and a friendly, neighborhood business in an ever- growing isolated world, we face the challenge of staying competitive. We have invested in our physical space constantly through the years with new equipment, new floors, painting, updating our accessories, and improving our customer service and staff education. In 2014, we began a major capital improvement campaign: with assistance from the Great Streets Grant we partially refurbished our locker rooms and replaced our aged fitness floor A/V equipment. In 2015, we are poised to finish the locker room upgrades, replace our HVAC system, upgrade our cardiovascular machines and more. The Great Streets Grant will help us with some of this, but we want to do so much more.


Our budget does not allow for the upgrades to our weight room equipment and other parts of our A/V systems. There are 4 weight room pieces that could be more user-friendly - especially for our more mature members while, at the same time, still serving our elite athletes.  Our televisions are very old and are difficult to see on some cardio machines. Our campaign to raise $10,000.00 will allow us to begin the effort of replacing these items. Help us achieve this goal while still allowing us to optimally service the diverse demographics that our gym proudly attracts. If we don't reach our goal, we will purchase as many pieces of equipment as we can with the money we raise. So, no amount is too small to help and every bit of it will help with working capital toward our upgrades.


We are very happy to provide wonderful perks from the local neighborhood businesses of Cleveland Park as well as from our own staff. As a “Thank You” for your contribution, we are offering discounted personal training packages, massage specials, and much more. Or, give the gift of fitness with a discounted membership! City Fitness Gym is proud to continue to be your neighborhood gym. Lift Locally, Think Globally.

Thank you,
Dega and Lucinda

Real Women Deadlift at City Fitness Gym - Just Ask Heide Herrmann!

I stand five foot three inches tall on a good day.  I am a 40-year-old woman who wears pink shirts and pigtails to the gym.  At first glance you might think I’m the kind of person who spends most of her workout time on the elliptical, with maybe a few triceps dips thrown in because someone told me that’s how you get "Michelle Obama arms."  You might assume that the weight room is foreign territory for me.  But you would be wrong.

So far, my heaviest deadlift is 230 lbs. I squat 185 lbs. for reps.  When I lift, I wear a heavy-duty belt around my waist and straps around my wrists.  Both are pink.  I’ve been an attorney for fifteen years, and I’m very proud of what I do for a living.  But I’ve never been more proud of anything than I am of the work I’m doing in the gym.  There is no rush like setting a new personal record, and then looking up to see that all the guys in the weight room were watching when I did it.  There is no better feeling than the soreness that comes from working my muscles to failure and then letting them rebuild themselves, bigger and stronger than before. 

And no, I am not “bulking up.”  That’s a myth that keeps countless women away from strength training, which is unfortunate, because we need it.  Over the last two years I’ve lost just over 50 lbs. I’ve gone down five dress sizes. I was curvy before and I always will be.  But they’re better curves now, trust me.

My newfound love of weightlifting began when I met Phil, my personal trainer at City Fitness.  I would never and could never push myself the way Phil pushes me.  I used to get frustrated when I had eked out what I thought was the last rep I could possibly manage, just to hear Phil tell me “only five more.”  Now I might laugh, or I might curse him under my breath, but I keep going, because I know he’s right – if Phil says I can do five more, I can do five more.  I’ve come to trust him implicitly, and he has convinced me that I am capable of performing feats I once thought impossible. 

So I’m going to stick with this.  This is not like the piano lessons when I was eight, the scarf I started knitting when I was ten and still haven’t finished, or the book I always say I’m going to write.  I already know I will never stop lifting.  It makes me happier, healthier, and more energetic than I’ve ever been, and now I can never go back.

A Small Village in the Big City - By Lucinda LaRee

I am so excited and grateful to be celebrating a special anniversary with my business partner, Dega Schembri. 2013 marks 20 years for our gym, City Fitness, and 30 years for Fit Physique, Inc., our parent company.   Little did I know that when I showed up at 1500 Mass. Ave., Washington, DC, with only my O’Neil surf bag to my name to audition to teach classes for Dega that this was one of those life-changing moments.

As a child my father moved every six months.  My grandfather, Otis worked on a road crew, known for his excellent eye for leveling.  He paved many of the roads through the High Sierra in California, Nevada and the deserts of Arizona. Because of this, my father was committed to raising his children in one place.  He said it was difficult on him to move every 3-6 months as a child because he never had a chance to bond to a place, make lasting friendships or participate in sports. My father went into the Air Force and when he got out in 1964 he was stationed in Clovis, New Mexico, where I was born. He moved our family to Round Valley, near Bishop California and got a job working for Union Carbide, a tungsten mine or as some called it “The Mine In The Sky.”

He kept his word, raising his three daughters at the base of the 13, 470’ Mt. Tom, on the Eastern Side of the Sierra, in a small mining village called Rovana.  This was in company housing provided by Union Carbide.   Here we had the freedom to run wild.  We never meet a fence we would not cross or a yard we would not play in.  At the heart of this small, isolated, rural community was the gym.  It was here the fathers played on the company basketball team as the kids ran around playing hide and seek under the bleachers.  Some of my earliest memories are of my handsome, six foot three father who was strong and lean looking like Elvis as he shot hoops, trained with old leather medicine balls and shadow boxed with old leather boxing mitts.  Our TV reception was poor so many nights were spent watching old black and white film of Causuis Clay and George Forman fights when we were not planet and star gazing.

As I grew, the gym and the baseball field became the place to explore my own athletic abilities.  We considered ourselves “tomboys” and played every sport the boys did; baseball, football, basketball, volleyball, track and field & skiing on Mammoth Mountain. When we were not playing sports we rode horses, swam in the creeks, climbed the mountains and chased the coyotes and mule deer through the sagebrush.  At 11 years old, I became a cheerleader and my love of dance and movement began.

As a teen, growing up in one of the most isolated communities, I had a dream to travel the world. Inspired by my love of Jane Fonda and Jazzercise I announced at my high school graduation that I wanted to be a Diet and Fitness Consultant for the Rich and Famous.  This got quite the laugh, as this was unheard of in my small town and not a career path in 1981.

My professional fitness path started out at The Total Workout 1983 in North County San Diego.  It was here I was introduced to the person who was instrumental in getting me a job at the exclusive spa Cal A Vie where I trained such celebrities as Gary Busey, Stockard Channing, Leslie Ann Warren - my childhood Cinderella - and fitness star Kathy Smith.  Meeting the rich and famous at this job opened doors to working as a trainer on the east coast at the Norwich Inn and Spa which lead to me to the opportunity to audition and become the trainer for the Sports Illustrated Super Shape Up Video Series with Cheryl Tiegs, Elle McPherson and Rachel Hunter.

Riding the wave of the release of this popular video set, and being a bit of a gypsy for a few years, I moved to DC.  Soon, I found myself pregnant, a single mom to be, and I realized in order to make it work I needed to settle down.  Having done what I said I wanted to do traveling to some amazing places in the world and training the rich and famous I was ready to see a long held vision of my own fitness business come to a reality. My son was born in 1992 at Georgetown Hospital, and like my father before me, I wanted to raise him in a close-knit community.

I was hired by the Forsheimers to design and open City Fitness Gym on October 1^, 1993, and became business partners with Dega Schembri October 1, 1996. Together we purchased City Fitness Gym. We have built a wonderful community here in Cleveland Park.  This neighborhood has been a support network to our families. My son went to the neighborhood public schools, he has many friends that he met here in kindergarten and has an extended family made up of the gym staff and members.  He is now 21, with a son of his own, and I get the grand adventure of a grandmother with a growing family! 

I want to share my gratitude to my family of origin and their encouragement of my physical activities and dreams.  My childhood community and friends were always up for an adventure and my DC family made up of friends, staff, fitness instructors and gym members make my amazing world go round everyday.  I want to thank my son for giving me a reason to get my act together 20 years ago.  Last but not least I want to thank Dega for her commitment to our life as business partners as we work together creating this amazing space where I can “Be Lucinda” and offer up my unique talents and serve with her to help make the residents of DC happier, healthier and fit!

A master in the art of living draws no sharp distinction between his work and his play: his labor and his leisure: his mind and his body: his education and his recreation.  He hardly knows which is which He simply pursues his vision of excellence through whatever he is doing, and leaves others to determine whether he is working or playing.  To himself, he always appears to be doing both. 

Francoise Rene Auguste Chateaubriand

Confessions of a Teenage Gym Rat - by Gabriella Broocks

What does a fifteen-year-old girl do with two hours to kill in Washington DC after school? I would have never imagined this three years ago, but I found that going to the gym is one of the most satisfying activities to do in my free time.

How many teenagers do you know who go to the gym every weekday? Probably not many. Most likely, there’s a reason for that. Many gyms come across as intimidating and working out isn’t exactly synonymous with fun. Even if they do want to go, most high-schoolers are too busy with homework and extracurriculars.

I belong to that small group that carves time out of the day to go to the gym. Right after school, I head over to the gym and exercise for about two hours. I’ve been going for so long that it’s become a routine. Now, it’s unusual for me to skip a workout. I look forward to having two hours to myself.

This pastime started after volleyball season ended and I was looking for a way to stay in shape. None of the winter sports offered at my school sounded fun to me. My mother suggested that we look at a neighborhood gym. I was really reluctant to go there at first, but I decided to give it a try. A teenager was such a rarity at the gym that everyone was especially welcoming. That made it something to look forward to.

Soon after, I learned that I would need surgery and the doctor recommended that I do more exercise as preparation. As soon as I had recovered from the operation, I went back to the gym because I missed going. Truthfully, it’s not that hard to get to the gym if you enjoy going. 

First, it’s easy to get to. The gym is only three blocks from my school. Also, it’s right next to the metro station, making it simple to go home on the days when my mom can’t pick me up. 

Second, the atmosphere is really pleasant. The gym I go to is small enough that everyone knows each other. When I get to the entrance, the staff member at the front desk greets me by name. When stopped going during volleyball season this year, one of the owners called my parents to ask about me.

For me, this friendly, personal environment is important because as a shy person I feel infinitely more at ease in a place where I everyone is a friend. For example, like many people, I like to read magazines while on the cardio equipment. However, all the magazines available were for adults, which aren’t always appropriate for my age group. So, I asked one of the owners if the gym could get a subscription to a teen magazine. To my delight, a couple of weeks later the magazine subscription appeared.

When a school friend of mine asks where I’m going, as we walk down the street, their eyes typically widen at my answer. Usually, they say something like, “Wow, I couldn’t imagine working out every day!” I just shrug; I go to the gym because vigorous exercise always feels good.

On those rare days when I don’t spend two hours at the gym, I’m amazed at how much free time I suddenly have after school. Then I wonder what I ever did with all this extra time before I got in the habit of going to the gym.

Gabriella is in the tenth grade at the Washington International School. Her favorite gym is City Fitness on Connecticut Avenue in Cleveland Park.

Making Sense of Fitness - by City Fitness, Washington, DC. Cleveland Park's neighborhood gym!

Each week we are bombarded with infomercials, new studies, and hyped up trends in exercise.   The conflicting messages (often accompanying a sales pitch) convolute a simple idea- that anyone can improve their fitness through effort and a little knowledge.  This column will provide a starting point to beginning a sensible exercise program, and later examine some of the trends, studies and options we hear so much about.

In order to get a grasp of what we need to do, lets look at what makes up the “fitness” we seek.  At City Fitness, we believe a complete fitness program must include emphasis on the following four areas: cardiovascular capacity, strength training, flexibility and nutrition.   Working towards change in these four areas will bring about positive changes in a host of health markers, from bodyfat % to triglyceride levels, bone density to basic ability to run, lift, hike or play.   Ignoring any of these components will dramatically lessen the overall benefit, as there is a synergy to a well-rounded program.

Cardiovascular exercise (“cardio”) is simply working to elevate and maintain the heart rate, creating an increased demand for oxygen.   The benefits of cardio are well documented, including heart health, controlling blood pressure, and increased lung capacity.  This is also what most people consider “calorie burning”, although strength training plays a crucial role in that as well.  Typically exercises such as running, biking or cardio machines come to mind, although circuit training, swimming, jumping rope and a number of other options can provide excellent cardiovascular training.

Strength training is crucial in maintaining and increasing the ability to perform day-to-day tasks, as well as promoting bone density and boosting the metabolism.   In active athletic populations, muscle acts to protect the joints in vigorous activity.   In older people, strength training is crucial in promoting bone density, as well as maintaining functional ability.   Muscle mass protects bones in the event of a fall, and plays a large role in the bodies ability to recover from chronic illness.

Building muscle is also responsible for the aesthetic changes that are often sought.  Definition or “tone” are achieved through a combination of muscle building and leanness.   Muscle is also metabolically active tissue, therefore helping raise the metabolism and promotes calorie burning.    In order to be effective, strength training should progressively introduce heavier weights and more challenging movements.   That is; the body adapts when it is challenged, and needs constant stimulus to continually progress.

Our third pillar is flexibility.   Often people confuse the need for basic range of motion and joint mobility with advanced yoga poses bordering on contortionism.  In reality, basic flexibility allows us to move with ease, protects against injury, and makes us feel better.   As fitness professionals, we see a strong correlation between time spent sitting at a desk and back pain in our clients.   Students and even children are more sedentary than ever, and the lack of activity directly affects the ability to move comfortably.   Rather than face a lifetime of limited activity, discomfort and possible need for surgery, spend fifteen minutes a day working on flexibility.

Finally, we come to the often most confusing aspect of fitness: nutrition.  Fad diets come and go, doctors change their minds, and the public is left scratching their heads.   We get told (and sold) so many different things, its no wonder many people have no plan when it comes to nutrition.   In fact, there are some ground rules for nutrition that are relatively simple, and a few changes can make a profound effect.  

Nutrition should be based around real, unprocessed foods.   Each meal should have a balance of lean protein, carbohydrates and fat, and should leave you satisfied but not overly full.  Carbs should come from colorful vegetables, and starch should be kept to a minimum.  Replacing breads, pasta, rice or potatoes with a more nutritious choice can have a dramatic effect.   Fat is also an essential part of a healthy diet, but should come from specific sources, not fried foods or additives.  Unsaturated fats, especially those higher in Omega 3 fatty acids are preferable.   Examples include flax seeds, walnuts and coldwater fish (salmon, halibut and sardines).

Three basic skills are vital to empower you to reap the health and fitness benefits of good nutrition.   First is the ability to read labels and understand what to look for, and what to avoid.   The drawback is, most people are shocked to realize how much sugar, saturated fat, and sodium are added to seemingly healthy choices.  Understanding this is essential in taking charge of what you ingest.   Inevitably, this will steer you away from processed and fast foods.  

The second skill is learning to prepare your own healthy meals and plan ahead.   To do this is to take responsibility for your nutrition, remove excuses and set yourself up for success.   Basic meal planning for the week ahead allows you to shop accordingly   Not every meal has to be planned ahead of course, but often the more forethought, the better the results.   This also helps to avoid making bad last minute choices.   Coming home tired from a stressful day at work without a healthy option is one of the major pitfalls to avoid.

Now that we have an idea of how to choose food, and plan it out, we come to portion control.   The final piece of the puzzle is often a challenge in a society where over-consumption is not just rampant, but culturally accepted.   Once we understand how much food we actually need, it’s easy to see how common overeating is.  A good meal should leave you satisfied, but comfortable and not “stuffed”.   It takes a while to realize that the feeling of “not hungry” is different than full.

Hopefully this provides a reasonable starting point for those interested in taking charge of their fitness.  The four components we’ve discussed (cardio, strength, flexibility and nutrition) all play an important role in overall well being.

At City Fitness, we believe that even a basic approach to exercise and nutrition can have profound benefits, and encourage everyone to make this a part of their life.  Sometimes the amount of information on fitness can be overwhelming, but like most things, its best to start simple. 

Changes for 2012 by Lucinda LaRee

CHANGE YOUR MIND

CHANGE YOUR BODY

CHANGE YOUR LIFE

CHANGE YOUR WORLD

Four years ago during the Presidential campaign Obama’s word was Change. 2012, an election year City Fitness’s word is Change. We have seen many changes in the last 18 years of business.

When City Fitness opened in 1993, the most popular class format in was Step Aerobics. The most popular class today is Yoga with body sculpting and boot camp classes next in line.

The gym opened in the Grunge era. We played Pearl Jam on the CD player and got pumped up to lift. Now we have satellite radio and everyone has their very own entertainment centers via their Ipod, Iphone or Ipad.

Although other things may have changed over time, everyone is still looking for the new fitness trend, quick fix, and “ultimate” workout to start off their New Year. We are here to say there is no such thing as a quick fix. It is good to change it up, don’t get me wrong. Try new things, push to the next level, and think outside of the box. If not for muscle confusion, then make workout changes for excitement and the challenge of learning something new.

We don’t believe it should always be “out with the old and in with the new.” Keep what works for you and be willing to change what doesn’t. We want to encourage everyone to step it up and step out of your comfort zone:

· Try a class you’ve been to afraid to attend because you think you will make a fool out of yourself – odds are you won’t, and even if you do have a GREAT time trying.

· Set up a Fitness evaluation and program design or sign up for a Personal Training Starter Package to get one on one attention and out of your workout rut!

· Turn off your Ipod, unplug your ears and have a conversation with your neighbor. You might just make a new friend.

There is no hiding at City Fitness. Unlike the big “BOX” chain gyms that offer extreme deals without membership limits, 50 treadmills in a row where you’re just a hamster on wheel, and that don’t care if members actually use the gym or not, we are owner operated and want to see our members getting the most bang for their buck. The only way to do this is use the gym, focus on your workout and be a part of our fitness community. We are here to help you reach your goals. City Fitness has everything you need to do it. All we need is your commitment.

In 2011 our intention was to give our gym a lift from the ground up. We replaced the floors, painted and repaired the facility, refinished the deck, replaced the windows and worn our bench pads, purchased some new fitness toys and mats and made a stab at better storage for our fitness props.

2012 will bring more changes with new cardio equipment and more dance classes, but it will still offer you the same consistency in our awesome instructors and trainers that continue to learn and grow and want to share their knowledge with you. Enjoy our beautiful gym to break a sweat, swing a kettle bell, chant “om,” or stand on your hands.

WE SAY TO YOU

“BRING IT”

AND LET’S SEE WHAT CHANGE CAN DO

Presidents' Day Weekend

Happy government holiday weekend! City Fitness will be open regular hours with a full class schedule on Saturday and Sunday. Monday, we will be open 8am-8pm. Here is our class schedule for Monday:

• 9:30 a.m. Samayama Yoga
• 10:45 a.m. Samayama Yoga
• 12:00 p.m. Body Sculpting
• 6:00 p.m. Boxing
• 7:00 p.m. Afri-Cardio

City Fitness Gym - Labor Day Schedule

City Fitness will be open on Labor Day from 8am-4pm. We'll be holding our regular 9:30am, 10:45am and 12:00pm classes. Come on over and have a great workout to finish your holiday weekend!

City Fitness needs your click TODAY!!!

There was an article in yesterday's Washington Post Style section about the guy who started Vida fitness (among other business ventures). At the end of the article, it gives a link to vote for your favorite gym. As seems too terribly frequent in the major papers, we were not listed as an option on the list. Dega phoned the author and, of course, got us added. If you are able, can you please log on to the below article and click on us? We want the reporter to come and write about us - and he seems sort of interested int he business. A strong showing might help push him to do so!! Thanks in advance to all of you for your support.

Congratulations to the 2010 City Fitness Tri Club!!

Congratulations to us - WOO HOO - WE DID IT! Sunday, June 20, the City Fitness Tri Club including: Angie, Danielle, Holly, Katherine, Kyla, LeeAnne, Natalie, Sara (OLYMPIC DISTANCE!!!!!) Sogbe, Tam and Dega all completed the Inaugural DC Triathlon! A special congratulations to Dega who placed 1st in her age category! All of this was accomplished on a darn hot day. Another congratulations to Chris and Maria who did a different triathlon two weeks ago! We want to post some photos on the bulletin board at City Fitness, so if you have any to share, please drop them off! Here's to the next one.

City Fitness Gym Member Appreciation Events

At City Fitness we always appreciate the members of the gym. Our patrons are why we are here and why we do what we do! Wanting to reinforce this to you, we have scheduled some fun events this month:

Bring a Guest for a week FREE through March 31!!

• One free week per guest
• You AND your guest get a free sweat towel compliments of H&R Block
• $15 for 15 minutes - please contact the front desk to reserve your space.

Refresh & Relax with a Massage!

• $15 for 15 minutes - please contact the front desk to reserve your space.

• Saturday, March 20, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Thai Massage with Linda Baron
• Monday, March 22, 1:00-3:00 p.m. Seated Massage with Sarah Lawrie
• Sunday, March 28, 1:00-2:00 p.m. & 3:00-4:00, Seated Massage with Sogbe Konate
• Monday, March 29, 4:00-6:00 p.m. Seated Massage with Patty Huggins

Ballroom Fitness with Vivian!

• Join us Thursday, March 25 at 9:30 a.m. for a great cardio workout blendingballroom dance and aerobics.

City Fitness Happy Hour at Nanny O'Brien's

• Friday, March 26, 5:00-8:00 p.m. Join the City Fitness crew at a local haunt for drink specials and general merriment!

Join the City Fitness Beginner Triathlete Program - Informational Meeting Saturday, February 13, 1:00 p.m.

Have you always been interested in doing a Triathlon but have been unsure of where to start? Join Dega for this informational meeting - she and Sogbe did their first Triathlon in 2009 and are training for a DC event this June. Learn about their experiences and get started on your own journey with their support!

Postponed - Partner Yoga at City Fitness with Vionna - Saturday, February 13, 12:30-1:45 p.m.

Celebrate Valentine's Weekend - bring a friend or significant other to partner yoga! Everyone is welcome - City Fitness members pay $20.00 per "couple" and guests are welcome for $30.00 per "couple." RSVP with the front desk as payment is required to reserve a space 202-537-0539. ***Class postponed due to weather issues this week. New date to be announced soon!***

New Year's Week Schedule

• City Fitness will be open from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. on New Year's Eve. We are offering two special workout classes: Cardio-Sculpt with Safisha at 9:30 a.m. and Gyrokenesis with Arja at 10:45 a.m.
• New Year's Day we shall be CLOSED!
• Saturday and Sunday, January 2 and 3, 2010, the gym will be open slightly shortened hours from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Both days we have our regular fitness class schedule.

Christmas Week Schedule

• City Fitness gym will be open Christmas Eve from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. Arja will teach Pilates at 8:30 a.m. and Sylvana will teach Zumba at 9:30 a.m.
• We are closed on Christmas Day. Enjoy the holiday!
• Saturday and Sunday December 26-27 we are opened shortened hours from 8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m. Both days we will offer our regular class schedule.

City Fitness Gym - Columbus Day Holiday Hours

City Fitness will be open from 8:00 a.m. - 8:00 p.m. on Monday, October 12 for Columbus Day. Classes are as follows:

• 9:30 a.m. Samayama Yoga with Lisa
• 10:45 a.m. Samayama Yoga with James
• 12:00 p.m. Body Sculpting with Elie

City Fitness Gym Celebrates its Sweet 16 - $0 initiation and first month's dues donated to charity!

Help us celebrate 16 Years of City Fitness in Cleveland Park with 16 Charities! In honoring our mission statement "to deliver to our clients the best fitness products and services in the DC Metro area while operating a values-led business that is socially responsible to the community..." join City Fitness Gym now for NO initiation fee and your first month's dues will go to the charity of your choice from the following:

1. Bread for the City
2. ROMP - Renovations of Macomb Playground
3. DC Central Kitchen
4. DC Public Library Foundation
5. National Zoo/FONZ
6. Girls on the Run
7. Green Door
8. Metro TeenAIDS
9. National Parks Conservation Association
10. Rachael's Women's Shelter
11. Street Soccer USA
12. Through the Kitchen Door
13. Washington Home Hospice
14. Washington Animal Rescue League
15. Washington Scholarship Fund
16. Whitman-Walker Clinic

City Fitness is the Cleveland Park community's local gym. Offering cardio and strength equipment, fitness classes, experienced personal trainers for every body, and an outdoor workout space, we are a unique women-owned and operated business. New classes available this fall include Kettlebell training, Teen Jiu Jitsu and Women's Self-Defense. Learn more about our gym, bodywork practitioners, The Capital Sports Injury Center, and class offerings at our web site http://www.cityfitnessgym.com or join our group on Facebook! Thanks to everyone for their continued support - we look forward to another 16 years and more!