Quarterly eNewsletter

Fall 2022

In This Edition

Fitness Center: Trainer tips to tone your triceps, new fitness classes, Black Friday deals!

Ice Arena: Bauer Mystery Minis are back, new hockey starter kit, try hockey for FREE!

Recreation: What do you want to see in your local park? Fall soccer contest photo winners, Veterans Day donation drive!

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Fitness Center Updates

Winter Hours

Monday - Friday: 5am-9pm Weekends: 7am-7pm

Carrie's Trainer Tips: Toning the Upper Arms

As we age we can notice more excess weight in the arms and back. We can improve muscle tone in the upper body and achieve a tighter and toned appearance by incorporating these seven exercises below. Aim for lower weights and higher repetitions if you are looking to tone and tighten your arms. To receive better results, you can combine a proper diet and regular exercise with these exercises.

1. Pulley Tricep Extension

2. Tricep Push-ups

3. Lateral Pulldown

4. Overhead Press

5. Lying Tricep Extension

6. Reverse Fly

7. Lateral Raise

You can try all seven of these exercises for 2-3 sets of 15 reps, or incorporate three to four exercises to start with. If you need more help with these exercises, feel free to reach out! Contact our Fitness Manager, Sandie, at (616) 735-6116.

Exercise Your Bones

Give your own skeleton some love by working on bone and joint health. Musculoskeletal conditions are very common. One study estimates that 54% of Americans experience bone or joint disorders.

For both men and women, the sooner you take steps to slow the process of bone loss and maintain the bone mass you have now or even increase it, the better!!

1. Try a class – many of our classes incorporate stretching, which increases bone density by imposing force on the spine and hips. Check out our full class schedule on our website.

2. Incorporate strength training into your workout – strength training can help keep bones strong, especially as we age.

3. Eat Healthy – a diet high in calcium, vitamins C, D, E and K, and anti-inflammatory foods (such as fatty fish, leafy greens, and fruits) has been proven to be beneficial for bone and joint health.

4. Maintain a healthy weight- we can help with that at the gym!

NEW! West Michigan Martial Arts Training

Mondays from 7:05 pm - 8:30 pm, starting November 7. This class is taught by Black Belt instructors with decades of experience. You will learn and train several styles of martial arts that can be used in multiple self-defense scenarios. This is non-contact training for all ages.

NEW Fitness Class!

WERQ with Lisa starts Wednesday, November 2 at 7:05 pm.

This is a cardio dance class that includes balance and yoga-inspired poses. All fitness levels welcome!

Benefits of the Chaturanga Plank

Did you know that both a full and modified plank are highly effective abdominal-strengthening exercises? Most people burn between two and five calories per minute. Planks increase muscle and boost metabolism, helping to sustain higher levels of caloric burn during rest. If you do a full workout session (approx. 20 to 30 minutes) and include five sets of 1-minute planking, you will burn up to 18 calories.

If you want more of a challenge, hold in a Chaturanga Plank!

Michigan Vs. Michigan State

Fitness Challenge

October 17 – October 28

Hey football fans!! The Michigan/Michigan State Challenge starts October 17. See the front desk for more details on how to get your team's flag to fly in the gym this year!!

Ice Arena Updates

Pro Shop Hours

Monday - Friday: 5am-9pm Weekends: 7am-7pm

Open any time the fitness center is open!

Skary Skate

Come enjoy an evening of spooky skating on Friday, October 28 from 8 - 9:20 pm. Costume contest with prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place! The cost is $5 and includes skate rental. Begin a new spooky tradition with friends and family!

Bauer Hockey Mystery Minis

The new 2022 line of Bauer Hockey Mystery Minis is now in stock at the Pro Shop!

Each stick is wrapped in an opaque sealed bag, which keeps the stick’s artwork hidden until opened.

Collect all 5! Sticks are $19.99.

LTS Registration is Open!

Session 2 of Learn to Skate, Learn to Play Hockey or Snowplow begins November 5.

Our Ice and Hockey Director, Mike Fountain, took us through our Learn to Skate program:

Why should kids choose skating or hockey as a recreation activity?

Mike: Skating and hockey is a fantastic way to keep in shape, learn a new sport, make friends and have fun! It’s the one sport you can truly do and play for the rest of your life.

Are the WIFC programs okay for kids who have never skated?

Mike: Absolutely! You have to start somewhere. Why not learn from the best Learn to Skate/Play program in West Michigan? With our professional staff, your kids are in great hands!

Once kids have completed Learn to Skate/Learn to Play hockey, are there opportunities to continue with ice recreation?

Mike: The next step in hockey is to sign up for our Cross Ice Program or register with the HAWK hockey program. For figure skating, we recommend reaching out to Coach Brooke as she can help get your skater set up with the free skate program

Click here for more information! Register today!

Cross Ice Open Registration

Our Cross Ice program is perfect for kids aged 4-14 who want to develop their hockey skills. No previous hockey experience needed. Kids just need to have basic skating ability and we will take it from there! At WIFC, players get to progress at their own pace, and the emphasis of Cross Ice is making hockey fun!

Friday night skill-based practices start at 5pm, while the Sunday 12pm sessions having skill skate practices and game day. The season runs through March 12, 2023. Click here to register.

If you have questions about Cross Ice, please contact our Hockey Director, Mike Fountain.

If you have questions about registering for our Ice Programs, please contact Gillian.

Parks and Recreation

Thank you to our volunteer coaches who selflessly and generously dedicated their time and talents for the good of our youth soccer program. Your participation and support mean everything to us!

What a contest! We received the most pictures that we ever have for this season’s photo contest! Thank you to all that participated, we love all the entries and in our eyes, you are all WINNERS!

Brain Game Answers:

Touchdown
Backward Glance
Excuse Me
Jack in the Box
Incomplete Pass
Reading in Between the Lines

Fall Funnies Answers:

Nobody
Squash
Pumpkin Patch
Strawberries
Half a Worm