Start your fitness journey at the Lunenburg County Fitness Centre
“It’s a welcoming place for everyone, wherever they are on their fitness journey,” says fitness instructor, Jennifer Landry.
Lunenburg County resident Charlene Rafuse knows the importance of living a healthy lifestyle.
The Early Childhood Educator has spent more than 33 years working with young, active children, so she needs to keep her health, wellness, and energy in good form to keep up with her busy life and career. So, in 2016, when the Lunenburg County Fitness Centre (LCFC) opened on Dufferin Street in Bridgewater, she and some friends decided to take the opportunity to join this local facility, and they’ve been avid, active members ever since.
“I tried a couple of the classes and really enjoyed them,” says Rafuse, who over the past few years has committed to going to the LCFC several times per week. Her husband is also a member and regularly joins her. “The classes and the amazing instructors are what really attract me. The spin classes are my personal favorite. I’ve become a spin fanatic!”
John Hann and Doug Petrie are two of the spin class instructors at the LCFC; both of whom only began teaching there within the past few months.
They have been active members of the gym since its early days and have witnessed the many improvements and additions to the centre over the years.
Their spin classes consist of state-of-the-art indoor cycling bikes designed to give an outdoor bike riding experience while also implementing different exercises.
“Spin training and workouts can help tone your body, build muscle, strength and energy, burn calories and fat which contributes to weight loss and helps you sleep better,” Hann says.
What Rafuse likes most about the spin classes is that the instructors and participants are all very welcoming, helpful and they encourage you to go at the pace that’s right for you in a nonjudgemental setting.
“The room is dark with flashing lights and music that motivates you,” she says. “No one else is watching you. You’re just doing your own thing!”
In addition to spin, the LCFC offers classes in Zumba, cardio, core and strength training, and yoga. It also offers members (ranging in age from students to seniors) access to a dedicated weight room with new, high-end equipment; a cardio section with treadmills, step mills, ellipticals and rowing. There are also spaces for stretching and for group exercises, spacious locker rooms, steam rooms and a seating area with massage chairs; as well as a Shake Bar where members can enjoy protein shakes and other healthy beverages.
Jennifer Landry has been instructing at the LCFC since it first opened its doors. She teaches Zumba (a dance-inspired cardio class), Core (which works to strengthen the body’s most important muscle group), and Strength and Tone (which uses dumbbells to build strength and the major muscle groups in the body).
“It’s a welcoming place for everyone, wherever they are on their fitness journey,” says Landry. “The members are friendly and participants in my classes have become regulars, encourage one another, and take pride in each others’ accomplishments.”
Katherine Dorey has been teaching yoga at LCFC for about a year. She teaches Hatha Vinyasa Yoga, also known as flow style classes, where movement is found with each breath, starting with a slow warm up through foundational postures. Dorey is also a full-time Physiotherapy student and a huge proponent of being physically active, encouraging people to find movement in any form that brings them joy.
“The LCFC is a fun, safe environment to interact with others and move your body,” Dorey says. “It’s central to the community and a service that helps keep our community social and physically active, promoting whole body and mind wellness.”
Spin instructor, Doug Petrie agrees and adds that the LCFC, which is locally owned and provides employment for the local population, is important to the area and gives residents the opportunity to access a great facility that promotes healthy living and awareness.
“Healthy living is important to me to keep myself physically active so that I can live a long active lifestyle while I age into my senior years,” he says. “The people of Lunenburg County should check out our beautiful gym so they can get started on the road to fitness and feeling better about themselves and how they spend their daily lives.”