Let’s Get Physical

Now that game day, with all of its tempting tailgating treats, is officially over we have no excuse to drop the get fit challenge. Let’s face it, as much as we bemoan the viciousness of the current weather cycle we seemed to be trapped in we’re less than six weeks away from the arrival of spring (41 days, to be exact) and although that’s no guarantee that it will bring mild weather as its escort, warmer days can’t be far behind. And then what do we do to hide the bulk of our winter foraging? We can’t wear snow suits in May.

Lucky for us, Fort Lee has everything we need to keep us fit. The recreation department offers a wide variety of activities for all ages to us moving—from fencing to jazzercise. The Palisades Interstate Park Commission offers weekly hikes, from easy to challenging, along the palisades. And then we have the entire riverfront from Ross Dock to Alpine Boat Basin to walk, run, and hike on our own. And it’s no secret that bicyclers come from Manhattan every weekend to ride along Hudson Terrace.

We’re also fortunate because for a small town there are so many fitness club options. If you’re looking for optimal one-to-one personal training there’s VIP Fitness, 1620 Lemoine Avenue, 2^nd Floor, adjacent to Garden State News. http://vipfitnesscenter.com/index.php.

Martial Arts is a great way for you and the entire family to get in shape and Fort Lee has a number of centers to choose from:  

• United Taekwondo Center, 1211 Anderson Avenue across from Cafasso’s Fairway Market. http://www.unitedtkdcenters.com/. They’re currently offering a free one month trial, free uniform, and special 50% off registration through February 28^th.  
• Tigers Twin Academy, 2151 Lemoine Avenue inside the Walgreen’s Shopping Center. http://www.tigertwins.com/

• Hosan Taekwondo, 2011 Lemoine Avenue, between Tribecca Night Club and Main Street.

If you’ve always wanted to try Pilates, Fort Lee has the Pilates Wellness Center, 520 Main Street. They offer both individual and group classes. Additionally, they specialize in both pre/post natal massage therapies.  http://www.pilates-nj.com/pwcstudio.html.  

If you love getting your exercise by playing tennis you don’t have to wait for the spring thaw because nestled on North Avenue is the Fort Lee Racquet Club, 532 North Avenue. They offer youth and adult lessons and clinics.

If it’s a match you’re looking for, they will do a literal match.com and partner you with another member. About Town is a big fan of the Fort Lee Racquet Club. If they could teach us to play tennis, they must be good!  http://www.fortleeracquetclub.com/.  

“Who wants to go out in this weather to exercise?” you ask. Well, don’t let that be your excuse because you can easily turn your living room or den into a fitness center. With some fitness DVD’s from the Fort Lee Public Library you can exercise and tone your body in the privacy of your own home without wondering how clean the showers are. In fact, as a patron of the Fort Lee Public Library you have FREE access to the materials of every other library in Bergen County through the BCCLS System that electronically links all of the libraries. You can do a search for the exercise DVD that fits your fitness needs and if Fort Lee doesn’t have it in its collection they’ll order it from the library that owns it for you. All at your fingertips! Just log onto http://www.bccls.org/.  

If you really want to up the ante to your home workout you can add a $7 stability ball that you can buy at Walgreen’s, T.J.Maxx, or Target. If you’re really serious, you can buy an exercise bench with built-in resistance bands sold at Target and Walmart for $75-$99—cheaper than the cost of a gym membership.  

It doesn’t matter what you do, as long as you move. And in Fort Lee that’s easy to do because everything is really within walking distance.    Get started, get fit!