Six weeks after beginning their family fitness makeover, Julie and Steve Erck and their adolescent sons, Dan and Aaron, are beginning to see payoffs from the sweat equity they’ve been investing.
“I feel so much better,” Julie Erck said.
“I used to slouch so much. I feel now like I walk without slouching. And when I started out, I could barely do 13 crunches. Now I’m up to 25 at a time!”
Since April, she and Aaron, 11, each have lost 4 pounds. Her husband has dropped 10 pounds. Dan, 14, has lost 7 pounds, “And we didn’t think he had that to lose!” Julie Erck said.
The Erck family was chosen by The Denver Post for a fitness makeover after they wrote about their lack of exercise and a healthful diet. The Post got them a membership at the Apex Center in Arvada and is also providing personal-training sessions and nutrition counseling. We will be following their progress through the summer months.
After several weeks of workouts, Julie Erck’s clothes are getting so loose that her sister- in-law recently insisted on taking her shopping for new jeans. She’s also noticed that her energy level is higher, and the once-chronic pain in her wrist is gone.
“You really do get in touch with your body when you work out regularly,” she observed.
She’s noticed that Aaron seems less prone to asthma attacks than he was before the family began working out. Dan, initially skeptical about the family makeover plan, embraces workouts. Both boys love the Apex Center’s popular climbing wall.
During the week, Steve Erck puts in a couple of half-hour sessions on an elliptical cross- training machine at his company’s workout room, in addition to the twice-weekly workouts at the Apex Center.
“I was doing 20-minute workouts when I was starting, and now I try to do 30, and sometimes 35, on the cross-trainer,” he said.
As summer approaches, the Ercks’ next challenge is sticking to their fitness and nutrition changes. Julie and the boys will soon go away for nearly two weeks, visiting relatives in Rapid City, S.D.
“I hate to miss that much lifting, so I’m planning to go to the YMCA in Rapid,” Julie said. She plans to take the boys swimming and hiking, as well.
Claire Martin: 303-954 1477 or cmartin@denverpost.com
Julie’s workout
Frequency: Two to three times a week
Cardiovascular exercise (treadmill or alternately running and walking laps on a track): 20 to 30 minutes, every visit
Stretching: 5 to 10 minutes, plus stretching between machines on the weight circuit, every visit
Cybex machine circuit (upper body): Torso rotation, back extension, abdominal, arm curl, pull-down, overhead row, chest press, row, fly/rear deltoid. Three sets of decreasing repetitions (12, 10, 8) while adding 5 pounds per set.
Cybex machine circuit (lower body): Glutes, hip abduction, seated leg curl, leg extension, leg press. Three sets of decreasing repetitions (12, 10, 8) while adding 5 pounds per set.
Other: Abdominal crunches on the stability ball (25),triceps bench dip (three sets of 12, 10 and 8), back-to-back medicine ball passes with partner (10-20 passes)
Biggest challenge: “Sometimes, it’s just making myself get to the gym. My trainer explained that there are days when you just have to push yourself if you’re not interested in exercising. So I make myself press on. Once I get over the hump, it’s not bad, and afterward I feel good.”
Favorite workout: Upright row machine. “I love the way I feel on this machine, because it forces me to sit straight.”
Steve’s workout
Frequency: Two to three times a week
Cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, stationary bicycle, elliptical trainer): 30 to 35 minutes, every visit, and also one to two times a week at his company’s workout room
Stretching: 5 to 10 minutes, plus stretching between machines on the weight circuit, every visit
Cybex machine circuit (upper body): Torso rotation, back extension, abdominal, arm curl, pull-down, overhead row, chest press, row, fly/rear deltoid. Two sets of 18 repetitions per set; alternate visits
Cybex machine circuit (lower body): Glute, hip abduction, seated leg curl, leg extension, leg press. Two sets of 18 repetitions per set; alternate visits
Other: Free weights, triceps bench dips, lunges, back-to-back medicine ball passes with partner (10-20 passes)
Biggest challenge: Doing lunges
Favorite workout: The leg machines
Aaron and Dan’s workout
Frequency: Two to three times a week
Cardiovascular exercise (treadmill, swimming, stationary bicycle): 10-15 minutes; every visit
Stretching: 5 to 10 minutes, plus stretching between machines on the weight circuit; every visit
Climbing wall: 20-30 minutes; every visit
Cybex machine circuit (upper body): Torso rotation, back extension, abdominal, arm curl, pull down, overhead row, chest press, row, fly/rear deltoid. Two sets of 15 repetitions per set; alternate visits
Cybex machine circuit (lower body): Glute, hip abduction, seated leg curl, leg extension, leg press. Two sets of 15 repetitions per set; alternate visits
Other: Free weights, triceps bench dips
Favorite workout: Climbing wall. Both boys have become adept climbers, and Dan is a particularly skillful belayer.
