When Tom and Tammy Sliney opened the exercise facility CORE, they hoped to help clients get stronger, fitter and recover from injury. But even more important to them was the fact that, through their new business, they would have the opportunity to educate people about smarter ways to exercise.
During the considerable amount of time that the Slineys had spent in gyms over the years, they’d noticed something. “We watched everybody work out,” says Tammy, “and no one knew how.” Agrees Tom, “Most people don’t know how to exercise, and there are a lot of myths out there. We really wanted to educate people about the proper way to exercise.”
The exercise approach that the Slineys promote at CORE is gathered from a collection of studies that indicate that spinal conditioning and core strengthening exercise make huge differences for both healing injuries and general health and fitness. Working the core and spine means working the lower back and lumbar region – areas of the body that most people find it difficult to isolate. Many people, says Tom, end up working mainly their legs or chest – or worse, hurting themselves – when they try to work their lower back “It’s impossible to work the lumbar and lower back without locking the pelvis,” explains Tom, who researched and invested in unique equipment that locks the pelvis and isolates the exact muscles that are being targeted for strength building. “This is the only equipment line in the world that truly locks the pelvis.”
Another key concept taught at CORE fitness is one that is often very difficult for athletes to grasp- rest. “Exercise triggers a mechanism for change, but change happens after you quit exercising,” says Tom. “Improvements won’t happen until you stop exercising and recover from it.” Most people, Tom says believe that they need to work out much more than they do. “It doesn’t take as much as people think,” he says.
The programs that CORE suggests consist of only two hours a week of proper, isolated, core strength conditioning. “You train your body as a unit,” says Tom, “and you’re leaner, faster and stronger afterwards.” CORE clients, who rand in age from 14 to 77, have seen impressive results with the Sliney’s assistance. Tom cites the case of a client who had chronic back pain for years and regularly took many medications for pain before beginning to work out at CORE. “He doesn’t take anything anymore,” says Tom, who adds that 94 percent of people with back pain find their pain alleviated simply from doing basic strength training. Other clients come in to lose weight, or to train for an upcoming sporting event – some sign up for only six or eight weeks, others keep coming to CORE indefinitely.
Tom, who competed in power lifting while in the Marines, and Tammy, who in the past competed as a body builder, opened CORE in November 2003. The Sliney’s pride themselves on giving clients personal attention, as well as providing them with clean, ready-to-use equipment, water, and towels – but most importantly, they are proud of educating people about better ways to exercise. “People just need to work out more effectively,” says Tom, “and they’ll get better results faster with less risk.”
CORE is located at 616 NW Arizona Ave. For hours and rates, call 389-6595
By Kim Cooper Findling/ The Bulletin
Our Town 2004
Business Spot Light
Page 23 |
WELLNESS 