Theresa Rothstein, front, is joined by Gina Montiel, left, and Laura Aguilera during Adrian Zavala's cardio fitness class at Hammon Senior Center on Monday evening, July 30, 2012.
Lisa James / Patterson Irrigator
Fitness instructor Adrian Zavala of Newman leads Theresa Rothstein, left, and Laura Aguilera in his weekly cardio fitness class at Hammon Senior Center on Monday evening, July 30, 2012.
Lisa James / Patterson Irrigator
Theresa Rothstein, front, is joined by Gina Montiel, left, and Laura Aguilera in doing "Wacky Jacks" during Adrian Zavala's cardio fitness class at Hammon Senior Center on Monday evening, July 30, 2012.
Lisa James / Patterson Irrigator
Fitness instructor Adrian Zavala of Newman kicks his leg up during the cardio fitness class he teaches at Hammon Senior Center on Monday evening, July 30, 2012.
Lisa James / Patterson Irrigator
Classes started in June at Community Revolution Ending Excuses Daily Fit Club, inside Hammon Senior Center, where a weekly fitness course is being offered for people of all ages who want to get healthy and build confidence.
Their leader, Adrian Zavala of Newman, is part of Team Beach Body, which designs and markets fitness, weight loss and muscle-building home-exercise DVDs.
Zavala, a 22-year-old massage therapist, sees the C.R.E.E.D. classes as a way to give locals an opportunity they might not get elsewhere.
“Some people can’t afford to go to a gym,” he said. “This gives people an opportunity to do something to benefit their health, without the cost of a gym membership, and it feels good to give back to the community.”
Accountability is a focus of both the group classes and the Team Beach Body program, Zavala said. Having familiar faces encourage and push through along with the participants not only makes the exercise enjoyable, but also gets the participants to do the full workout, he added.
Each class begins by turning on a workout DVD, a different one each time — perhaps the popular P90X, or Power 90 Extreme workout, which claims to significantly improve physical fitness in 90 days through a segmented training program combined with a nutrition and dietary supplement plan.
The first 15 minutes of class are spent doing quick circuit training. By the end of the warm-up period, almost half the group is generally taking a break, Zavala said.
“We don’t push anyone to go past their abilities,” he said. “I think that everyone has the ability to become fit. These programs are intentionally designed harder, but that’s where the success is going to come from.”
The next 30 minutes are spent doing the workout, which puts the participants through different techniques of high knees, running in place, upper cuts, pushups and intense strength training using just the body.
Recent workouts had everyone dripping sweat and grabbing for water.
“These workouts go hand in hand with eating right and weight loss,” said participant Theresa Rothstein. “This class is really good for me, because I know I wouldn’t do these workouts at home, and staying healthy takes lifelong commitment.”
Zavala said he got hooked on the Beach Body videos when he began at-home workouts more than two years ago. After seeing a dramatic growth in his self-esteem and improved health, he wanted to give other people in town the same opportunity, he said.
“I want to get as many people here in Patterson as interested in the club as I can,” Zavala said. “We keep things new and fresh. We highlight different workouts and different styles.”
In addition to the weekly fitness classes, Zavala offers his services as a Team Beach Body coach, providing information on workouts, health foods and nutrition plans for a fee. No purchase of those offerings is required to participate in the classes.
At a glance
What: Community Revolution Ending Excuses Daily Fit Club
Where: Hammon Senior Center, 1033 W. Las Palmas Ave., in Patterson
When: 6:30 p.m. Mondays
Cost: $2 per session
Info: Adrian Zavala, 648-0631
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