Comparing Local Fitness Clubs Beverly Hills Club www.beverlyhillsclub.net Location: 31555 Southfield Road, Beverly Hills, (248) 642-8500 Cost: NA Amenities: Free weights and machines; cardio; tennis; pool; yoga, Pilates, spin and TRX classes; kids'fitness programs; massage Crossfit www.crossfitbloomfield.conn Locations: Seven locations including Bloomfield Hills (799 Industrial Court), Royal Oak and Troy Above: Sarah Kuretsky, wellness director at Franklin Athletic Club Opposite page: Far left, Michael Minielly, personal trainer at the Jewish Community Center Fitness Club in West Bloomfield Left, Jordan Levin, owner of Crossfit Bloomfield in Bloomfield Hills Cost: Unlimited: $150 per month; two classes per week: $125 per month; one class per week: $75 per month; punch card: 10 classes: $150 Amenities: Group classes seven days a week Franklin Athletic Club www.franklinclub.com Location: 29350 Northwestern Highway, Southfield, (248) 352-8000 Cost: $50-$252 per month Amenities: Free weights and machines; cardio; tennis, racquetball, squash and basketball courts; Pilates, yoga and Zumba classes; pool for swimming and scuba, snorkeling classes; kids'fitness programs; skincare and massage JCC Center Fitness Club you should go to the gym as often as possible. "If you can try to do something every day for 20 minutes, it would be great," Kuretsky said. "But coming to the gym three times a week would be a good start." She implores people to put a workout into their calendar and treat it like any other appointment. Minielly said the workout should be "convenient and important." "Find a place between home and work and just make sure it's part of your life," he said. "If you schedule seven days but you only make four, it's a hell of a lot better than zero." When at the gym, cardio work should be blended with strength training. "There are three parts to condition- ing," Minielly said. "First is cardiovas- cular, because you have to take care of your heart. Part two is strength, to help build muscle and increase bone density. The third part is to eat properly." He suggests cardio 30 minutes a day and getting the heart rate up to 60-70 percent of maximum range. Kuretsky said that the old-school thinking of only needing cardio to lose weight is false. "Cardio is great for heart health, but not good for long-term weight loss," she said. "People will take up running, but won't like it and will give up. "What I tell people is find something that you love. If you love Zumba and you love to dance, that should be your form of cardio exercise. Fitness changes as you age and you need to think of muscle strength, bone strength and flexibility." And there are plenty of classes and new workout routines to choose from, she said. The new hot thing is Insanity class, she said. And beginners should try TRX — suspension training. "Zumba has been a huge craze — no matter what your fitness level is — it's something that everyone loves, but www.redthreadmagazine.com there's also spinning, cycling and Pilates," she said. "Everyone should incorporate at least one day a week to just stretching and flexibility. Be it yoga, or just stretching — your muscles need that. If everyone could do yoga one day a week, everybody would be happier." Levin said that Crossfit, a high-inten- sity circuit workout class taught by two to three coaches in each class, gives the proper motivation, teaches you how to do the workout correctly and is tailored to all fitness levels. "I have members who come to me and want to lose 20 pounds," he said. "I tell them you might lose only 5 pounds, but your body will be nice and toned. You'll move with speed. You'll look good and feel good." AGE DOESN'T MATTER You're also never too old to begin a fit- ness regimen. According to new theories, people can keep their strength, if nothing else hap- pens, until they're 82, Minielly said. "This place the JCC] is proof of taking care of yourself," he said. "There's a 97-year-old guy who wheels himself in here every day, drives his car. His wife is 96 and just stopped coming. There's a 95-year-old guy who kicks everybody's ass in pingpong every day. You're never too old to start. We have classes that start for people who are older." Kuretsky said the older you are, the slower the weight loss is going to be. "It's very important to have a trainer, especially one that specializes in senior fitness," she said. "There's higher risk of injury, so one should take it easier. I've had people 70 years old who have lost 70 lbs. It depends on how committed you are." Minielly added, "Everyone needs a goal, but it needs to keep chang- ing. Everybody gets on a scale, but it shouldn't be the sole reason to exercise. Making exercise part of your life is the best goal." RT www.jccdet.org/health-sports-a-fitness/west-bloomfield Locations: West Bloomfield, Oak Park JCCs, Membership: (248) 432-5496 Cost: Ranges from $38 per month for seniors to $110 per month for executive-level membership; family memberships are $70 per month Amenities: Free weights and machines; pool; cardio; aerobics; yoga, dance, spin and martial arts classes; two indoor walking tracks —one outdoor; personal training LA Fitness www.lafitness.conn Locations: 10 Metro locations including Bloomfield Hills,Troy, Royal Oak, and Southfield Cost: $99 initiation fee, $44.90 month Amenities: Free weights and machines; aerobics; boot camp; core training; cycling; racquetball, basketball courts; kickboxing; Pilates, yoga and Zumba classes; pool; child care Lifetime Fitness www.lifetimefitness.com Locations: Commerce, Troy, Rochester Hills and Novi Cost: $77 per month/individual Amenities: Free weights and machines; cardio; tennis, racquetball, squash and basketball courts; yoga, Pilates, martial arts and cycling classes; pool; climbing wall; kids'fitness programs; hair, nail, skin and massage services Planet Fitness www.planetfitness.com Locations: Five Metro locations including Farmington Hills, Novi and Troy Cost: $29 startup fee/$10 month for one location; $10 startup fee/$19.99 month for reciprocal locations Amenities: Open 24/7; free weights and machines; cardio; circuit training; free personal training; free tanning Powerhouse Gym www.powerhousegym.com Locations: Birmingham, Detroit, Novi, Troy and West Bloomfield Cost: All clubs are different, but West Bloomfield ranges from $19.99 month with $200 enrollment to $39.99 month with no enrollment fee. Amenities: Free weights and machines; cardio; aerobics; spinning, kickbox- ing, TRX, Zumba, Pilates and yoga classes Sports Club West Bloomfield www.thesportsclubs.com Location: 6343 Farmington Road, (248) 626-9880 Cost: $62 to $74 per month Amenities: Open 365 days/year; free weights and machines; cardio; indoor track; pools — two in winter, three in summer, including a three-story water play structure; spinning; yoga studio; tennis, martial arts, swim and gym- nastics lessons; four locker rooms — two for kids RED MEAD I January 2014 27