Aaron Jaco

Uppercut Boxing & Fitness

"Boxing is not just about aggression; in fact, the guys who can stay the calmest and coolest in the ring are usually the ones who win."

"You don't come to the gym and just punch bags. You're going to do a variety of things to get your body in shape. There are jump ropes, rowing machines, everything you see at other gyms. It's the greatest way to cross train."

"I love boxing because it's such a good discipline. It's not just for your physical appearance. Your brain functions better; your stress level is so much better. boxing is great for the mind."

Won Huh 

Fitness trainer, Sarasota Family YMCA 

“You’re never too old for fitness training. I’m 62. I don’t feel like a 25-year-old anymore, [so] now I’m training smart with a more realistic exercise program. I used to compete, but I’m competing with myself right now. I’m not looking to look better than somebody. It’s for me.”

“Most of my clients are 45 to 75 and 80 years old, and I’ve been training many of them for 10 or 15 years. I know their bodies. When I train clients over 65, I tell them I want to reach as high as you can go without injury.”

“Ideally, you should do weight training and cardio exercise three times a week, and three or four times a week cardiovascular exercise on the elliptical or treadmill.”

Kelli Jaco

Yoga instructor, Soul Yoga Sanctuary

“I’ve been a lifelong athlete—I swam in college—and yoga was the place that helped to heal me between training sessions. I don’t feel any better than when I leave a yoga class.”

“I teach a power yoga, also called Vinyasa. It warms the body; you tend to sweat a lot. It’s athletic. You’re not only getting nice, deep stretches but you’re also working your core and your shoulders and your strength.”

“I offer my students a balance between the emotional, mental, spiritual side of yoga and the physical side. They have one hour to do something in their day; I want them to get as much as they can from it.”

“My advice to newbies is to check your ego at the yoga door. Be grateful for what your body can do today. It’s a lifelong journey, and there is no ‘yoga winner.’”

Chaz Glunk

Instructor, Pure Barre

“Pure Barre creates a long, lean ballet dancer body with great flexibility, without having to be a ballet dancer.”

“Be ready to work deceivingly hard. The movements are small but that doesn’t mean you’re not trying hard; it takes more energy to move smaller. It’s very similar to Pilates in that the focus is on core work and how the core is really the truth to how strong we are.”

“It’s very hard on your muscles but very easy on the joints; if you can hold onto a barre, you can do Pure Barre. Some of our clients are in their 80s and still going strong. In one recent class, I had a grandmother, a mother and a daughter all doing the same workout.”

Key Fitch

Personal trainer, Key 2 Life Training Studio 

“Ours is a female-only gym. There’s a certain level of comfort when it’s all females; they don’t worry about people looking at them. We do a lot of bonding.”

“History tells us that weight training is not good for women, that it makes them bulky, but it’s quite the opposite. Studies show that weight training is the only way to retain mass and muscle weight, and the only way to affect your metabolism long-term after you stop working out.”

“It’s amazing how a woman’s attitude can change in six months if she’s consistent. I tell my new clients that everybody here had a starting point; everybody here was where you were at one time.”