Home Blog Page 47

Michael Hartman: Balancing Individual Fitness and Nutrition

Michael Hartman
-
0
Michael Hartman: Balancing Individual Fitness and Nutrition

As a personal trainer Michael Hartman has spent the past 13 years working hard to help people with their fitness goals. Whether your goal is to lose weight, gain muscle or just stay active Hartman takes pride in what he does because he knows first hand what it’s like to struggle with weight loss.

“I was always the overweight kid despite baseball and football athletics” Hartman says. In 2003 he experience a blunt trauma to his L3 and L4 discs from fielding an onside kick for football. Causing lower back damage, extensive physical therapy was required to get him back to normal. During that year he says he ballooned from 180lb to 240lb due to inactivity.

It wasn’t until 2004 he decided to make a change. In this time he reduced soda, sweets and started doing cardio and weight training. “Many times I did the wrong thing in the gym, but it worked!” Over the course of 2 years he lost 60 pounds to get back to his original 180 pounds.

Michael Hartman demonstrating the Push Sled at Wyomissing Fitness.

Proud of what he accoplished, Hartman was eager to teach others what he knew. It wasn’t long before he received his first personal training certification, enrolled in college for Kinesiology at Penn State, and was hired at LA Fitness with his first job personal training.

“I know what it’s like to lose weight and gain muscle so I can relate to people who wish to do the same. I also know what it’s like to be in pain, injured, and depressed due to lack of movement and poor eating choices. That is why I help people every day, because if I can make a few lives better every day, I’m doing my part.” For Hartman, this is the key to his success as a personal trainer.

Over the years Hartman has developed his own method of training to suit the needs of his clients. “I believe in an individualized approach to fitness and nutrition. No two people should have the same workout for their individual goals and needs.”

Michael Hartman demonstrating the Ropes at Wyomissing Fitness.

With this in mind Hartman started his own personal training and nutrition business called Formal Fitness Training. As Hartman puts it “it’s the quest for the best version of yourself”. Hartman’s technique uses five areas to help his clients achieve their goals. They are mindset, strength training, cardiovascular conditioning, nutrition, and flexibility.

As a traveling personal trainer, Hartman works out of Wyomissing Fitness and Training, Etchfit, and Mifflin YMCA and is involved with several programs including golf fitness and core & back strengthening programs to strengthen the muscles of the abs, and back to improve core strength and decrease lower back pain.

Expanding his business outside of the gym Hartman also works on corporate wellness programs and in home personal training designed for busy individuals or those who don’t want to go to a gym. Reflecting on the past 13 years Hartman says he has enjoyed getting to know his clients, making a difference in their lives and looks forward to helping out many more.

French Fries of all sorts on the menu in West Reading

Reading Magazine
-
0
French Fries of all sorts on the menu in West Reading

Hundreds of people packed 6th Avenue in West Reading Saturday for the 2nd annual West Reading French Fry Festival. 15 vendors lined the block serving up their unique take on the popular side dish. Popular toppings included everything from chili to seafood.

A few unique eats included West Reading Tavern’s Duck Fat Fries, Nonno Alby’s Chili Cheese Fries and Crabby Go Fish Fries from Go Fish Seafood Market. Other vendors included Relish, Philly Fry, Gourmand, Chatty Monks, Say Cheese and Twisted Treats.

Going behind the scenes, Reading Magazine food fanatic Justin Choate found several chefs eager to talk about their unique creations.

Walking through French Fry Fest, Choate found several french fry fans trying new flavors, including Kevin Gorski who shared his take on the Say Cheese Spicy BBQ Fries.

“One of my favorite things is the Coleslaw with the ghost pepper mixed in, so it does have a good kick to it, but its not too much of a kick, its got a good flavor mixed around it, their masters at cheeses” said Choate.

French Fries weren’t the only thing on the menu on Saturday. In conjunction with the French Fry Festival, Beer Fest was also held across the street in the Olympia Ball Room featuring beer tasting from several local breweries and pubs.

Reading Wizards prepare for upcoming season, say big changes on the way

Jason Hugg
-
0
Reading Wizards prepare for upcoming season, say big changes on the way

The local American Basketball Association Affiliate, Reading Wizards are back for their second season and ready to prove to the community they have what it takes to be the best in their division.

We caught up with Kashif Reyes, Owner and General Manager of the Reading Wizards during their tryouts at the Children’s Home of Reading Day Academy to get his take on the up coming Wizards season.

Reyes tells us a lot has changed with the team since their first year including the organizations structure, policies and players. The first big change has been the teams decision to apply for nonprofit status. Reyes explains the decision to become a nonprofit organization gives them more opportunity to help support the local community.

Another change this year is the implementation of several new team policies. Looking for professional players Reyes and his staff have enacted new rules on player attendance, ethics code and updated drug policy. Reyes says many of the new policies were implied their first year, however putting them on paper shows fans the team is serious about giving the community role models they can count on.

Moving on to the players Reyes was positive about the upcoming season, “Looks pretty good”. Besides the typical dribble, jump and shoot, Reyes says he and his coaches are looking for athletes who know the game well, can work with others and are eager to improve themselves. With five tryout sessions finished, Reyes is confident they have found the right group.

Adding to tryouts this year was the launch of the teams dance squad “Lady Amulets”. Headed up by Ginelle Ophelia, the squad will consist of 12 dancers which will perform at halftime, sidelines and act as community ambassadors. As an added benefit Reyes tells us both players and dancers will be paid in the upcoming season, a change he is hoping will help recruit a higher level of talent.

So what can fans expect to see this year? A lot of running, high flying alley-oops and scoring says Reyes. “If you love basketball come out and give us a chance, we are going to do our best to make our fans happy”.

In addition, Reyes will be adding a few new experiences for fans including free throw contests, merchandise giveaways and a VIP package. Reyes explains the VIP package offers fans the opportunity to join the team for a meal before the game, court side seats during the game and an exclusive photo/autograph session with players and dancers after the game.

The Reading Wizards first home game is November 11th against the Philly Cannons at Southern Middle School in Reading. Fans can also re-watch full length Reading Wizards games throughout the season on Reading Magazine.

Yocum Institute breaks ground on vacant building in West Lawn

Jason Hugg
-
0
Yocum Institute breaks ground on vacant building in West Lawn

For years the building at 3000 Penn Avenue in West Lawn has been vacant just waiting for the right owner. Now it will take on new life as the Yocum Institute for Arts Education announced plans to renovate the structure.

Yocum board members and the community gathered at the construction site for the official groundbreaking ceremony which included brief statements from the project committee and several blueprints and concept art designs of the purposed renovations. Designs included several class rooms, theater and artist studios.

Community members look over blueprints of the purposed renovations.

William Wellock, project committee chair, shared his research into the buildings history during the ceremony. Built in the 1930’s, the building itself has seen its fair share of businesses come and go. Beginning as a knitting mill it later transformed into several other manufacturing and sales businesses including mattresses, cars, a martial arts studio and more recently a storage facility for fire equipment.

“So now its our turn to transform this building, when the building renovations are completed it will truly be state of the art, we are really excited about what this building will do for the community” said William Wellock.

Groups toured the construction site after the ground breaking ceremony.

Concluding the ceremony Nick Bently ended with a quote from Walt Witman’s ‘There was a child went forth every day’ urging those in the audience to continue there support of Yocum for future generations.

“For our children the Yocum Institute is that object, it is an object of beauty and light, and our hope that is our children will carry the image of that object with them for the rest of there lives.”

After the ceremony groups toured the building and construction site. Construction will be completed by Berkey Construction. The building committee includes William Wellock, Chris Luppold, Rick Stoudt, Jenny Parkradooni and Susan Rohn.

Genesius Theatre featuring ‘Dreamgirls’ in outdoor performance

Genesius Theatre
-
0
Genesius Theatre featuring ‘Dreamgirls’ in outdoor performance

Genesius’ hit production of ‘Dreamgirls’ is back! If you couldn’t get tickets to the show at Genesius this is your chance to catch it under the sky in Downtown Reading! After a totally sold out run at Genesius Theatre this past August, Genesius is doing one performance of this hit musical which is FREE to the general public. That’s right, just bring a lawn chair and sit back, relax and enjoy this wonderful musical outdoors.

Genesius Theatre presents the electrifying Motown inspired musical Dreamgirls for a free outdoor performance in Downtown Reading on Sunday, September 17 at 2PM – in the Courtyard, behind the building at 6th and Penn – between Penn and Court Streets and 6th Street and the Railroad tracks (Courtyard is open at 1:15 PM).

Genesius Theatre – Dreamgirls

Dreamgirls is being presented in cooperation with D.I.D. the Downtown Improvement District, and the City of Reading. This is all made possible by a special grant from the Berks Arts Fund of Berks County Community Foundation!

The performance is also sponsored by Sweet Street Deserts – Sandy Solmon and Doug Messinger, Dave and MELANIE Melanie Mattes of the Mattes Group of Remax of Reading, United Artists Salon and Spa is the hair and makeup sponsor, and the Santander Performing Arts Center and Arena.

This megawatt Broadway crowd-pleaser electrifies the stage with Motown tunes and powerhouse voices. Loosely based on, Diana Ross and the Supremes, the story follows the turbo-charged rise to fame of the Dreams. Dreamgirls celebrates the advent of R&B in the 1960s with a Motown-inspired score, dynamic performances, and a moving look behind-the-scenes of the entertainment business. Experience all the onstage-joy and backstage-drama as an up-and-coming girl-group learns hard lessons about love, trust, and what it takes to make your way to the top!

Genesius Theatre – Dreamgirls

This modern-day classic sparkles with almost as many awards and accolades as its costumes have sequins. Take a trip back to the seminal music scene of the 1960s, when young women sang their way to musical prominence in a man’s world. Set in the Motown era that brought us powerhouse voices like Aretha Franklin, Diana Ross and ultimately Destiny’s Child and Beyoncé. Dreamgirls explodes from the stage with legendary songs and timeless appeal.

Dreamgirls takes you on a journey through the evolution of American music and it’s influence by the African American culture. As a predominantly black cast with three female leads, Dreamgirls addresses the issues of sex and race. In an industry dominated by men, Effie, Lorrell and Deena quickly learn how to navigate through the music industry and become powerful black women.

In case of bad weather an special arrangement has been made with the Santander Performing Arts Center, Genesius will make the decision to move the show indoors into one of the ballrooms at the SPAC. That decision will be made at 10:00 AM on the day of the performance and the public can find out if the show is moved by going to the Genesius Facebook Page or the genesiusdifference.org website. Santander Performing Arts Center will provide chairs so there is no need to bring a lawn chair for the indoor performance.

1...464748...63Page 47 of 63