haven’t been to the chiropractor in years! My shoulders don’t bother me, and at 72, I have no aches and pains.” He stresses that it’s truly about quality of life. People who are physically active as they get older have a much better sense of well-being than those who are sedentary. When asked what the most valuable component of Whole Body Fitness has been, Tom says without hesitation, “It’s the training. Having the experience of being guided throughout. Having exercises that were targeted towards my back and my shoulders which built up the musculature around those things, so I don’t have the joint problems that I used to have was paramount.” Their program consists of semi-private and private training programs that combine coached days and independent days. Plans vary from two-to-four days a week of individualized workouts with an instructor combined with unlimited access to the gym during regular business hours for working out independently or joining in one of their group classes.
A Balanced Life
Tom Van Overbeek was born in Modesto and lived most of his adult life working in technology in the Bay Area. He and his wife, Kim Hawley, decided to permanently relocate to Chico four years ago. Both Tom and Kim are active outdoorsy grandparents, but Tom felt something was lacking in his fitness. Kim had been a member of Whole Body Fitness and suggested Tom join as 24
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well, but he says he was resistant at first. He already participated in numerous sports such as hiking, cycling, and skiing, but he began to realize these focused mainly on lower-body strength. At the age of 68, he felt he was losing power and muscle mass in his upper body, as his primary fitness activities just weren’t using those muscles. He also points to other areas of concern, “My balance just wasn’t what I wanted it to be, and I was getting stiff. I had lower back problems, my right shoulder hurt all the time, and I was going to the chiropractor every couple of months.” Tom went in and had a consultation with one of Whole Body Fitness’s personal trainers, Veto Rodriguez, who convinced him they could develop a program designed specifically for him that would address those concerns. Tom laughs, “And they did, so I
Tom is extremely grateful for the overall sense of health and well-being achieved from working out at Whole Body Fitness. His belief and satisfaction with their philosophy is so absolute that he is no longer just a member, he and his wife are now the new owners of the training center. That’s a true testament to their confidence in the Whole Body Fitness health model and should inspire others to see what the center has to offer. Head to their website at www.wholebodyfit.net or visit the gym located at 2954 Highway 32 Suite 600. You can also call 530-487-8123 for more information.
WRITTEN BY TIM MILHORN
Whole Body Fitness is exactly what its name implies—a training center that addresses every aspect of the client’s physique, including posture, balance, strength, and cardiovascular fitness by tailoring a workout program specifically for the individual. “Whole Body Fitness is built on the idea that every member has a unique physiology, condition, and goals,” and their purpose is to facilitate the customer’s realization of those goals.
One of Tom’s favorite summer activities is hiking, specifically hiking Mt. Lassen. Since beginning his journey with Whole Body Fitness, he’s noticed that rather than cautiously picking his way back down the mountain, he now ‘flies’ down the trail thanks to a newly acquired faith in his own ability to balance. At the training center, every part of the body gets worked out. Older individuals are at acute risk for injuries associated with falling, and this is often due to balance issues related to declining core strength, usually arising from the disuse of those muscles.
