By: AMFC Staff
Meet AMFC charter member, and Fitness Hero, Dick Applequist. He and his wife Connie could hear and see the progress of the Center’s construction from their home; when the doors were ready for opening, they were among the first members to have fun and get fit beginning in December of 1997.
AMFC Yoga Instructor, Kat Rykus, nominated Dick for Fitness Hero because of his unwavering dedication to maintaining a varied, balanced and disciplined regimen of strength, cardio and flexibility exercises including workouts on his own and group exercise classes. He says that when he first started years ago, he was taking thyroid medication, carrying too many pounds and just didn’t feel all that great. From the start, he worked with fitness staff to make a plan and then dove into 2 hour workouts covering strength, aerobics and stretching, 3 times per week, Monday, Wednesday and Saturday. (He kept Tuesday open for bowling in the winter and golf in the summer).
Actually Dick says, he feels better after 3 hours here than 3 hours at the golf course! His time per workout increased as he began to add more variety to his routine. He knew he needed better flexibility and balance as he grew older, and so decided to give yoga and try; he discovered that yoga is wonderful for many aspects of health, strength and wellness – not just flexibility – so he’s stuck with it and is a true yogi.
Some of his time here, which he also attributes to his great health and wellness, is time spent conversing with friends or enjoying a relaxing, invigorating steam. “It’s all important,” he says, adding that the balance, community and stress reduction are all part of the mix lending to his kind, calm and sunny disposition. Sometimes he uses the bike to cover cardio because he also uses that time to read. Because he wants to thrive and enjoy life at every age, nothing gets in the way of his weekly scheduled workouts. And that strategy works.
Dick Applequist is an inspiring member and his commitment is proof positive that exercise is good medicine.
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