Television celebrity adds punch to Spring into Fitness campaign

Photo By Joseph Schmitt | Tim Manley throws Charles Young to the floor during an exhibition of the martial art yoshinkhan aikido at Hawk's Nest Training Center during the Spring into Fitness Expo, March 16. Yokosuka's Morale Welfare and Recreation Navy Fitness set up the event to show people all the different ways MWR can help people get fit this spring.  

YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JAPAN

03.16.2013

Story by Joseph Schmitt 

Commander, Fleet Activities Yokosuka

YOKOSUKA, Japan - Fleet Activities, Yokosuka’s Morale, Welfare and Recreation (MWR) Navy Fitness held their annual Spring into Fitness Expo at the Hawk’s Nest Training Center, March 16. A free seminar lead by fitness trainer, Brett Hoebel, taught community members the different ways of staying fit.

“It’s springtime and people are getting back in the gym, and we are using this to show them all that Navy Fitness has to offer,” said John Benningfield, MWR Athletic Facilities manager. “With events like these, we will see a different demographic come out; some people who don’t frequent the gyms, will come out, see something they like and start coming to the classes.”

Hoebel, former trainer on NBC’s “The Biggest Loser” and health expert on Food Network’s “Fat Chef”, held one of the workout sessions, leading the group through exercises. His visit is part of an Armed Forces Entertainment tour to bases in the region.

“I’m pumped up to work with military members, and it feels great to be able to give them a way to stay fighting fit,” said Hoebel. “I do change the program so that it can fit into their lives. The workouts are only 15-20 minutes, and a lot of the moves are based on using the weight of your body so that there is no need for equipment. They can take these workouts and do them almost anywhere.”

Group exercises gave attendees a taste of workout programs like Beachbody’s Turbo Kick and P90X, TRX and CoreFit Yokosuka. Navy Fitness unveiled a new piece of equipment called the Life Fitness Center G360, where attendees move around to different stations, circuit-training style, and perform several different exercises in a series.

“We’ve got a lot of different classes and programs to achieve your fitness goals,” said Benningfield. “With the spring physical fitness test coming up for Sailors and beach season around the corner for everybody, there is no better time to get fit.”

Martial arts classes showed off alternatives to large group exercises. Attendees experienced forms of Korean tae kwon do, Japanese yoshinkhan aikido and others. The fighters sparred, grappled and threw each other to the mat with moves that onlookers remarked as seeming almost acrobatic.

“I think that martial arts classes, like yoshinkhan aikido, which is what we were demonstrating today can help people stay not only physically fit, but also mentally fit,” said Charles Young, yoshinkhan aikido student. “It’s relaxing to me. When you have a tough day at work, you go to class and you focus on the moves and forget about everything else for a bit. It’s stress relief.”

Some of the attendees asked about the classes being affected by the reduction to MWR services due to the government furlough. Benningfield explained that while some group classes will be reduced, all of the classes at the Spring into Fitness Expo will continue to be offered. For more information on classes visit Yokosuka’s Navy Fitness website at http://mwryokosuka.wordpress.com/navyfitness/.

• Date Taken: 03.16.2013
• Date Posted: 03.29.2013 01:36
• Story ID: 104286
• Location: YOKOSUKA, KANAGAWA, JP