For Amy and Kirk Levy, three weekly classes are the draw for working out together at the Simon Family JCC. Kirk, who works nearby, meets Amy as often as he can on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays for noon Tabata with Starr Kimmer Gargiullo or Tony Pearsall at the fitness center. “I love Tabata class,” says Amy. “We’ve tried other classes, but this one clicked for both of us, so it’s something we now do together. It’s intense and personalized to fit our individual physical abilities.” In this non-competitive environment, the class has developed camaraderie, and if someone misses a class or two, others ask about them and worry about their absence.
Parents of four, the Levys say they like that their gym visits are something they do together and alone, without any kids. “We get to see each other mid-day and know we’ve worked out hard. If we don’t make a class, we are disappointed,” says Amy.
As the sun is setting, Beverly and Alan Frieden are most likely to be on one of the many pieces of cardio equipment at the fitness center. “We like coming here to work out, and we come here to support a great place in the community,” says Alan. “As we age, we realize how important weight training and staying in shape are.” With six grandchildren six and under, they want to stay as fit as they can. Each night, Alan gets home from work, changes, and heads right to the JCC. “We do everything together,” says Beverly, “travel, errands and the like. This is one more thing we do as a team.”
Their friends, Nancy and Alvin Wall, train with Ray Beard twice a week at 7:30 pm. “We both have sedentary jobs, so we walk a lot outside and come here for our weight training, which we know is so good for us,” says Nancy. “We are constantly challenged by Ray and his innovative techniques.” Living in Larkspur, the JCC is close and convenient, and they like the family friendly environment. “It’s great to see people we know like the Friedens,” says Alvin. “We’re all here to stay healthy for as long as we can.”
The Simon Family JCC is a constituent agency of United Jewish Federation of Tidewater.
by Leslie Shroyer