Health & Fitness
PROFILE
Friendly Advice
Each month in Health & Fitness,
the JN will profile a Jewish
Instructor, client or competitor.
E-mail suggestions of
people to profile and your reasons
to health@thejewishnews.com .
Robert A. Sklar
Editor
I
t's never too late to begin an
organized fitness program
with a certified instruc-
tor. No minimum fitness level
is required to start although
medical clearance may be needed
depending on your age and
health risk factors.
That's the good news from
Aly Jaffe, 33, Certified as a group
exercise instructor, personal
trainer and spinning instructor.
.
Certified instruction
can help you hone
your fitness and
competitive edges.
Bloomfield. "A trainer will assess
So she decided to pursue
the need for medical clearance
certification as a group exercise
before the initial training ses-
instructor while working full
sion."
time as a social worker.
Jaffe works with members of
The amount.of time you
the Jewish Community Center
should devote to working out
in West Bloomfield and Franklin
depends on your goals. If your
Athletic Club in Southfield; she
goal is just to stay in shape and
also does in-home training. What promote good health, Jaffe sug-
she enjoys most is helping people gests working with a trainer 2-3
adopt a healthier lifestyle and
times a week. In all, you need
developing interpersonal bonds
to work out 5-6 days a week for
with clients.
about an hour a day, Jaffe says.
Exercise has a positive impact
"Workouts should include car-
My Jaffe: "Workouts should include cardiovascular training,
on many levels. "It has ben-
diovascular training, strength
strength training and flexibility training."
efits that are not just
training and flexibility training:'
physical but mental and
she says.
emotional as well:' Jaffe
Competitive athletes would
well as stability balls are great to
Working with a personal
says. "It is a great way
devote even more time working
start with."
trainer has spurred Weiss to
to relieve stress and
out. "An athlete," Jaffe says, "not
Client Trudy Weiss of
make exercise part of her routine.
increase energy.
only needs to train specifically
Farmington Hills says Jaffe
She has made wiser meal choices
Research continues
for their sport, but also cross
challenges her, but makes sure
and has seen back and shoulder
to show the pro-
train in order to prevent injury?'
the workout is safe and not
pain lessen. The Adat Shalom
found influence of
The choice of fitness equip-
overwhelming. "I have found
Synagogue staff assistant cited
diet and exercise on . ment varies, depending on a
that Aly's knowledge of the
yet another bonus to working
quality of life and
client's goals, injuries, general
equipment and exercises we use
with Jaffe, the daughter-in-law
longevity. A healthy
health and physical limitations.
during the workout allows me
of friends: "I've gotten to know
lifestyle is routinely
"For new clients or those with
to maximize the sessions, mak-
her better and we've developed
linked to disease preven- some limitations:' Jaffe says, "the
ing sure all muscle groups are
an enjoyable personal relation-
tion:'
resistance tubes and bands as
trained properly"
ship." ❑
The Cleveland native
earned a bachelor's degree in
psychology from the University
of Wisconsin in Madison and
a Master of Social Work from
Her certifications: American Council on Exercise, group exercise instructor (1996) and personal
Loyola University in Chicago. She
trainer (1998); Aerobics and Fitness Association of America, personal trainer (2005); Mad Dogg
has always enjoyed being active.
Athletics, spinning instructor
She studied dance from age 8
Age range of clients: teenage to elderly
through her undergraduate days.
Graduate school cut into her
Communal involvement: Member, Jewish Federation of Metropolitan Detroit's Young Adult
free time. So she moved from
Division and Shalom Baby program; preschool program volunteer, Temple Israel in West
studying dance to doing aerobics
Bloomfield, where daughter Anna attends
to stay fit and relieve the stress
Workout fees: Rates vary depending on if training is based at home or at the JCC or Franklin
of studying. "I found that I loved
and if it is group or private
the combination of choreography
Contact: alyjaffe@comcast.net
and physical activity the aerobic
classes involved:' she says.
-
Jaffe works with client Trudy
Weiss on exercises at the
Fitness Club at the West
Bloomfield JCC.
She's a full-time mom to Anna, 5,
and Ethan, 20 months, so limits
the.number of clients she cur-
rently works with.
"Those just starting an exer-
cise program can really benefit
from working with a trainee,'
said Jaffe, who lives with her
husband, David, and kids in West
42
March 30 • 2006
Aly's Detail.