Are you bored with your fitness regimen?
Have you reached a plateau?
Do you need motivation to stick with your fitness routine?

According to Prevention magazine, investing in a personal trainer pays off. An expert can instill a sense of confidence and positively impact your workouts.

JCC Personal Trainers are nationally certified professionals who will custom design a program that works with your lifestyle and interests.

Your JCC personal trainer will:

• Develop effective and time efficient workouts customized to fit your goals
• Routinely change your program to help you achieve the maximum fitness benefit
• Ensure that you’re using safe and proper exercise techniques.

Want to workout with a trainer in a fun and cost effective way? Try personal training with a partner or a small groups – get the same great workout at a fraction of the cost of individual personal training.

For more information on personal training, call Brian Saunders at (614) 559-6217.

Meet our Personal Trainers:

Ben Brant is the JCC Recreation Supervisor and an American council on Exercise (ACE) Personal Trainer. Ben specializes in youth circuit and strength training. He works with clients of all ages, and enjoys helping them to reach their fitness goals.

Bobbi Sue Cornwell has been with the JCC for several years and is certified through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA). Bobbi Sue has extensive experience training all populations from basic weight loss to specific strength and conditioning.

Mike Donham has been a certified fitness professional for 16 years. His experience working in diverse facilities, such as medial practices, community gymns and outpatient clinics, has enabled Mike to bring a unique and dynamic repertoire of skills that can help you meet your personal fitness goals. Mike believes that structural balancing should be the first phase of fitness programming, followed by safe progressive overload in the form of compound functional movements that ultimately lead to making activities of daily life easier. Mike holds a bachelor's degree in Physical Education and is ACE Certified. His experience also includes training in Muscle Activation Techniques, and Post-Physical Therapy Fitness Programming, Individualized Rehabilitation Programs for Chiropractic Patients, and Industrial Medicine Reconditioning.

Amy Edgar specializes in circuit training, group training, elderly fitness and special conditions (such as pre/post natal and rehab), but has extensive experience training all populations. She has more than five years of personal training exhperience and has participated in walking several 1/2 marathons. She holds a bachelor's degree in Health Promotion and Enhancement, and is a Certified Group and Personal Trainer through the Aerobics and Fitness Association of America (AFAA).

Tedda Focht's passion for fitness began as a child when she took gymnastics. Over the years, she expanded her focus to include martial arts and dance, which she integrated with strength training, cardiovascular workouts, and proper nutrition. As a personal trainer, she enjoys sharing her knowledge and experience with others so they may attain their fitness goals. "I believe the key to achieving fitness goals is to keep the program fresh and incorporate a logical progression of difficulty," she said. "The body will respond to new physical demands placed upon it, resulting in measurable and therefore motivating fitness gains. My goal is to deliver safe, effective, and engaging programs designed to meet the objectives of each individual." Tedda is certified as a Personal Trainer from the National Academy of Sports Medicine (NASM), as a Group Fitness Instructor from the Aerobics and Fitness Association (AFAA), and also holds a master's degree in Business Administration with a minor in Dance. She has competed in bodybuilding at the state level, and has had 20 years of strength training and 20 years of dance training.

Erin Gilliam's personal training style is specialized to help athletes improve their fitness and performance with sport-specific workouts and routines. Additionally, she also gears her workouts to help the overall population in achieving their desired fitness goals. Erin believes that a combination of cardiovascular exercises and resistance training is key to maintaining a physically fit and healthy lifestyle. Erin holds a bachelor's degree in Health and Fitness Management from Capital University and also is CPR and AED certified by the American College of Sports Medicine Certification.

Matt Hood's exercise philosophy focuses on routines that help the body develop balance, flexibility and synergy. His knowledge of Muay Thai and Jiu Jitsu allow Matt to help his clients channel their and energy and strength into reaching all of their fitness goals. Matt is a former amateur baseball player and a competitive mixed martial artist, who believes that a sound fitness routine is paramount to leading a healthy, active lifestyle. Matt is a Premier Certified Personal Trainer with four years of experience in Sport Specific training, Professional Muay Thai Kickboxing instruction, and Professional Jiu Jitsu instruction. He also is certified in outdoor survival and as a river guide. Matt also is a Level II Nationally Certified Firefighter, Emergency Medical Technician Basic, and has received the FEMA Incident Commmand System Certificate of Achievement.

Bobbi Lohiser believes that workouts should be fun and deliver results. Her fitness programs incorporate different exercises and a variety of equipment at each session. Bobbi enjoys working with clients of all levels, ability and experience. She holds bachelor's degrees in both Psychology and English, and has completed two years of a pre-medicine program. Bobbi has more than 7 years of training experience, and is a Certified Personal Trainer from the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), a Certified Cycling Instructor with USA/Cycle Reebok, a YMCA of USA Certified Group Exercise and Pilates Instructor, and is an American Red Cross Certified Lifeguard.

Beth McCullough, JCC Fitness Program Director and Personal Trainer, has been an instructor at the JCC for four years. She has an extensive exercise background, and is a certified instructor in yoga, mat pilates, spinning, and general group exercise. Beth is a certified instructor trainer for YMCA of USA, and also is certified in personal training through the American council on Exercise (ACE). She is in charge of the JCC's newest program, Mind/Body Personal training. "Yoga and Pilates are mind/body exercises that help build strength, flexibility and particularly, core strength," she said. If you wish to learn yoga or pilates, but do not care for the group setting, or if current classes don't fit your schedule, contact Beth to arrange one-on-one instruction, or small group training. She may be reached via e-mail at bmccullough@columbusjcc.org or (614) 559-6207.

Vicki Neal is a National Exercise Trainers Association certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor. Her favorite classes to teach are aerobic kickboxing, step aerobics, toning, circuit, and drills-n-skills, a boot camp approach to working out. Vicki loves to work with clients who like to sweat, and works with clients one on one to assist them in accomplishing their fitness goals.

Brian Saunders, JCC Fitness Director and Personal Trainer, admits that "lifting weights is not easy, and grueling through a tough run in effort to better a previous time is not either." However, he said, one thing that an intense, well-structured, committed training program can do is make life easier. How? "Through a better physical appearance, more energy, improved metabolism, a heightened immune system, and decrease in stress and anxiety is a good start," he said. "Actually, these are just a few benefits. My training programs are designed to enable clients to increase strength and improve balance and control, all while chasing away stubborn cellulite and replacing that fat with lean muscle." Brian noted that the body has to be constantly challenged in order to stimulate change; therefore, variety and intensity are the two most important factors that he incorporates into each session. Brian holds a bachelor's degree in Sports Medicine with a concentration in Athletic Training, as well as a master's degree in Business Administraiton. He also has completed two years of a pre-medicine program. With more than 8 years of training experience, as a strength and conditioning coach and athletic trainer, Brian is certified as an Expert in Training from the National Athletic Training Association. If you have reached a rut in your training and are tired of the same old lifts, or just want to improve your well-being, contact Brian at bsaunders@columbusjcc.org or (614) 559-6217 to schedule an appointment.

Connie Walker, the JCC’s aquatics personal trainer, has been involved in aquatics the majority of her life and has worked in the water for 35 years. She believes in enhancing an individual's quality of life, as well as improving their overall health and wellness in a challenging, yet fun environment. The aquatic environment offers challenges due to resistance and buoyancy, but will also protect joints and reduces weight bearing. The water equalizes everyone. Her goal is to use the unique properties of the water to create a program to meet individual needs, whether it is in fitness or rehabilitation. Connie has taught aquatic fitness for athletes to senior wellness programs for many years. She has worked with developmentally delayed children in therapeutic situations, adults pre/post surgically, and doing rehabilitation. In addition to presentations for NIRSA and the World Congress on Disabilities, Connie also has presented workshops for Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Institute, McConnell Heart and Health, Welsh University, and several other facilities. She also is a massage therapist. Connie holds a degree in Physical Education from Miami University and the American Institute of Alternative Medicine. Her certifications and experience includes: Aquatic Therapy and Rehabilitation Institute/Aquatic Therapy and Rehab Rheumatology Certification, Aquatic Exercise Association/Adapted Aquatics, American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation Adapted Aquatics, American Red Cross Association Ai Chi/Jin Shin Do Basic US Water Fitness Association/Water Safety Instructor, Red Cross.