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Fitness center promotes exercise while boosting confidence

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3 weeks ago

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Fitness center promotes exercise while boosting confidence

RHINELADER (WJFW) – Everyone knows exercising is good for you, but it can be intimidating to know where to start. A Rhinelander gym recently celebrated one year of motivating people of all shapes and sizes.

Resident Melissa Bayne-Allison wanted a workout space that was safe and fun, so that exercising was not something to dread but to look forward to.



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“I wanted to create a space that was fun and that was exciting and would create,” said Bayne-Allison, “it would create consistency for people and make sure that they continued to show up for themselves.”

She started Club Vybz just over a year ago out of her home in Rhinelander, but it wasn’t quite meeting her goal.

“My husband and I drove past here and there was a for rent sign in the window and I had kind of been contemplating opening a space like this,” she said, “but I just didn’t know how to get that going.”

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Club Vybz 2

Despite that initial hesitancy, the new space has welcomed in many more people.

Bayne-Allison said, “people really come together, they joke around, they share things with people, you know people come in here and because this is a vulnerable position to be in, working out people do tend to share more about their lives in that and with that comes community and that’s really what this place is about.”

Club Vybz has 40 active members. Since opening, Bayne-Allison has seen how it helps people outside of the club.



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Club Vybz 3

She said, “some people come in here and their confidence might be low and coming in here and accomplishing a workout that they maybe didn’t think that they could do is really rewarding for them and that is a confidence booster and it does really help them go out into the community and do more for themselves.”

There’s one more thing she wants the community to know about Club Vybz.

“The hardest part of the workout is walking through the door, just show up for yourself, if you’re scared, come in, check it out, if the green light is on and the blue door is open, I’m here.”

Club Vybz Fitness is located in Rhinelander on Courtney Street. Hours for exercise classes are posted on the Club Vybz Facebook page.

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Fitness

Sanford expert shares tips for improving heart health

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6 hours ago

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February 18, 2026

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Sanford expert shares tips for improving heart health

FARGO — While we know exercise is a key part to keeping our hearts healthy, it can be challenging to know where to start.

That’s why Randy Martin, manager at Sanford Sports Performance, says talking to your physician or meeting with a personal trainer can help you create a workout plan.

The American Heart Association recommends 150 minutes of moderate exercise or 75 minutes of vigorous exercise per week.

Martin says jogging, rowing or using an elliptical are simple exercises that can improve your heart health by elevating your heart rate.

“So it’s never too late to start an exercise program. Of course, you want to kind of maybe consult your physician ahead of time and get his or her approval before you start an exercise program,” Martin said.

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It’s important to include some strength training into your workout routine, he said.

Exercises such as squats and dead lifts increase your heart rate while working muscles throughout your entire body.

Kjersti Maday joined WDAY as a reporter in May of 2024. She is a native of Granada, Minnesota and graduated from Minnesota State University Moorhead in 2015.

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‘You feel incredible afterwards’: Alison Hammond, 51, on the exercise that helps her her stiff joints

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18 hours ago

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February 18, 2026

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‘You feel incredible afterwards’: Alison Hammond, 51, on the exercise that helps her her stiff joints

Achey knees? Sore hips? Niggling back? As we get older general stiffness can set in – and if you’ve ever hobbled out of bed, you’ll know that this can hit hardest first thing in the morning.

The good news is that exercise can help. ‘It may be tempting to rest if you’re aching, but exercise is crucial for maintaining flexibility, strength and healthy muscles,’ says Good Housekeeping’s Dr Sarah Jarvis. ‘Weight-bearing exercise (any aerobic exercise except swimming and cycling) is great for bone as well as muscle strength.’

Alison Hammond is one celebrity who knows just how powerful finding the right exercise can be. The presenter, who recently lost an incredibly 11 stone, told Closer magazine that she often feels ‘stiff as a board’. But she’s found that reformer Pilates not only helps aches and pains – but means she feels ‘incredible’ after a session.

‘I’ve just started doing reformer Pilates and oh my God, it’s so good,’ she said. ‘You feel absolutely incredible after it. I really need a good stretch – I’m stiff as a board – so reformer Pilates has been brilliant for me.’

Alison joins a list of celebrities who swear by reformer Pilates and rave about it’s benefits – including Harry Styles, Adele and Jennifer Aniston. Pilates workouts are performed on a specialist machine – the reformer – which uses springs for resistance to create a low-impact full-body workout. Not only does reformer Pilates build strength in your core, it also targets key areas like your glutes, arms and legs. In fact, one study found that equipment-based Pilates can help with chronic lower back pain.

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Stiffness? Here’s what to do

If you’re perimenopausal or menopausal, there are other steps you can take to ease muscular aches and pains, says Dr Sarah Jarvis. She recommends talking to your GP about starting HRT; using anti-inflammatory medicines such as ibuprofen; and treating acute inflammation in a muscle or joint with ice and heat packs can help.

This year, GH is getting fit (enough). Join us!

The Fit (Enough) Club is an accessible, realistic and fun fitness community for women who hate fads and like treats. Sign up to the Good Life newsletter and, along with wellness tips and health advice, you’ll get a weekly dose of fitness advice, videos and expert insights.

Get your Fit (Enough) Club fix to keep you moving and motivated throughout 2026. You’ll also receive your special welcome pack.

Ready? Get set… Go!

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Fitness

Janet Street-Porter, 79, swapped intense exercise for these low-impact workouts to ‘live to 100’

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1 day ago

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February 17, 2026

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Janet Street-Porter, 79, swapped intense exercise for these low-impact workouts to ‘live to 100’

Janet Street-Porter has no interest in slowing down. At 79, the broadcaster and journalist is focused on one goal: staying active, independent and sharp well into her 80s, 90s and beyond.

She’s determined to become a centenarian. ‘My full intention is to live to be 100 and to live a very full life so anything that comes along that might impede that, I go absolutely crazy,’ she revealed to The Express. ‘I want my body to be operating at peak capacity, peak efficiency and if anything goes wrong I can’t handle it. I’ve got all painkillers going.’

Intentional – but not obsessive – movement is a key part of that strategy.

Janet’s step count goal

‘Keeping fit is essential, but I don’t like to be militant about it,’ she told The Telegraph. One daily habit is walking around 5,000 steps. ‘You don’t have to power walk,’ she said. ‘Just put one foot in front of the other. As a writer, I spend a lot of time on the computer, but I make sure that I do an hour and a half of walking every day.’

A shorter session works just as well. ‘Even if you do half an hour; just do something,’ Janet added. ‘I also think it’s important to walk in the morning and in the afternoon.’ It’s even better if the walk becomes a chance to switch off. ‘Whatever you do, do not take your phone with you!’

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Her low-impact workouts

Low-impact exercise is also high on her list. ‘I swim now in rivers and lakes. It’s less stress on my muscles,’ Janet told Yours. Tennis and swimming in the sea are regular features too, although she was quick to point out: ‘That’s not to say that I swim like an Olympic athlete. I prefer to do a ladylike breaststroke!’

Managing arthritis and avoiding overtraining

Over the years, Janet has become increasingly mindful of how exercise affects her arthritis. ‘Mentally you’re all right but your joints are stiff,’ she told Yours. And she cautions against overtraining. ‘I had a gym in my house for 20 years and I had a personal trainer once or twice a week for 10 years,’ she said. ‘However, that’s what wrecked my legs.’

Excessive intensity has occasionally caused problems. ‘I’ve had a lot of injuries through exercise, and an arthritic condition that was aggravated by weights,’ she added to The Telegraph. Managing her condition while continuing to move is therefore critical: ‘Thankfully, I have found a mixture of various exercises that work for me.’

Her diet

Janet isn’t overly rigid about her diet either. ‘[On the weekend], I have a full English. My partner Peter cooks it,’ she told the Manchester Evening News. She balances indulgence with nutrient-dense choices: ‘He’ll do bacon and eggs from the local farm shop, tomatoes or mushrooms, occasionally black pudding. I’ll precede that with dark fruit: blueberries, black grapes, pomegranate seeds.’

Ageing with positivity

Ultimately, ageing well is shaped as much by attitude as lifestyle. ‘It’s all about your mindset. Living in the past is the most ageing thing. [Instead], live in the present,’ she told The Telegraph, before concluding, ‘Just get up every morning and, even if it’s the dreariest of days, say to yourself “Today will be fantastic.”’

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