EN FERIAINMEN 1 B ODY J A The jovial Steinfeld flexes for the camera. Glenn Triest BY Jake Steinfeld has become the home fitness guru to the stars HEIDI PRESS body-building, the maven of macho, the personal fitness trainer to such celebrities as film director Steven shopper in his Livonia Mall Spielberg, Bette Midler, Harrison audience has a fitness Ford, Henry Winkler, Morgdn Fair- question. He calls her up to child, Michael J. Fox and 'Teri Garr. the platform and uses her as Steinfeld, who has fitness books, the demonstrator for the ex- videos, TV shows and guest ap- ercise. "Put your hands under the old pearances to his credit, was in Detroit buttissimo," he instructs. Everybody recently as the pitchman for the around the demonstration platform PrimaSport socks collection for Burl- laughs. ington. At the Livonia Mall Crowley's He is Jake Steinfeld, the boss of store, Steinfeld met the public dispen- News Editor A I sing his fitness knowledge while pushing the socks. "They're the Rolls Royce of sweat socks, " he exclaimed. The 29-year-old Steinfeld, with the to-die-for body, got into the exer- cise field as a fluke. As a youngster he worked with weights and when he was in the tenth grade, his father bought him an easy curl bar, which he admits, was what became the focus of his attention when he was suppos- ed to be studying. "I started doing bicep curls right in front of the mir- ror to Frank Sinatra's My Way, where at the end of Frank's song there's about ten seconds of applause, this wild applause. And I used to do the curls going, 'Jake Steinfeld, doing his bicep curls in front of 40,000 scream- ing people!' " As his muscles started to build, so did his popularity among women. His parents wanted hirii to go to college, and he spent one year at Cor- tland University in upstate New York. But the Brooklyn-born Steinfeld had other plans: he wanted to be Mr. America. "You can't be Mr. America and live in six-seven inches of snow," he decided, and left New York for sun- nier and warmer climes. To make his mother happy, he enrolled in Cal State-Northridge — for about half an hour, he joked, but "retired" from col- lege soon after enrolling. "I retired because it was 85 degrees on- Sept. 9. More and more I was going to the gym and less and less going to school and taking classes. I didn't buy a book." From then on it was just a matter of being in the right place at the right time. Word of his fitness expertise spread to the likes of Spielberg, and he has made marked success since. He credits the filmmaker with helping him get a start. "You know, Spielberg obviously has been just incredible to me. He taught me how to fly first class and spread the name when I wasn't real- ly anything. He's been a real good pal. He's taken photos with me for Newsweek, Life, for my book. He's given quotes when I needed quotes." And, he said, others have been just as helpful, and that also has contributed to his success. Of his star clients, Steinfeld said Bette Midler was the hardest to train. "Bette Midler took a long time to get involved. She's just crazed. She likes to be crazed and that's Bette for you. But when it comes to getting down to business, man, she gets down to business." But the socializing with the Hollywood crowd has not spoiled Jake Steinfeld. He still likes coming to the malls on the promotional tours and meeting the people. "It's great to come to places like this and you get to hear what's going on. You get to hear the questions. What about this Jake?' You want to show me this Jake?' The bottom line is people are --- ,GOING PLACES WEEK OF OCT. 23-29 SPECIAL EVENTS BORDER LINES FESTIVAL Detroit Institute of Arts, readings by U.S. and Canadian writers, 7:30 p.m. today; Auditorium of The Art Gallery of Windsor, 7:30 p.m. Saturday, admission, 833-1858. MARY KAY COSMETICS Fairlane Manor, 19000 Hubbard, Dearborn, "Holiday Happening;' breakfast and fashion demonstration, 9:30 a.m. Saturday, admission to benefit Children's Hospital, 745-5373. CENTER FOR CREATIVE STUDIES Greenfield Village, Lovett Hall, Dearborn, Sixth Annual Detroit International Wine Auction, 5:30 p.m. Saturday, admission to benefit the Institute of Music and Dance and Greenfield Village, 831-2870. MUSIC DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ARTS 5200 Woodward, Detroit, Brunch With Bach, 10 and 11:30 a.m. Sunday, admission, 832-2730. UNIVERSITY MUSICAL SOCIETY University of Michigan, Power Center, Ann Arbor, Don Pasquale, 8 p.m. Thursday, admission, 764-2538. NOONTIME CONCERTS Downtown Library, 121 Gratiot, concert, 12:15 p.m. Tuesday,free. MICHIGAN OPERA THEATRE Fisher Theatre, Detroit, Man of La Mancha, 8 p.m. today, Saturday, and Thursday, 1 p.m. Wednesday, admission, 874-SING. PRO MUSICA Detroit Institute of Arts Recital Hall, The Auryn Quartet, 8 p.m. today, admission, 885-0793. FOLKTOWN Southfield Civic Center, Parks and Recreation Building, 26000 Evergreen, England's New House Band, 8 p.m. Saturday, admission, 855-9848. CHAMBER MUSIC SOCIETY Orchestra Hall, Detroit, Amsterdam Guitar Trio, 8 p.m. Saturday, admission, 833-3700. DETROIT INSTITUTE OF MUSIC' AND DANCE Orchestra Hall, Detroit, Talent Education Tom; concert, 1 p.m. Sunday, admission, 831-2870. OAKLAND UNIVERSITY Varner Recital Hall, Rochester, Continued on Page 73 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS 71