Rockford Gyms and Fitness

At GL Dance Fitness, working out is often a form of cross-cultural exchange. As Latin-inspired music from around the globe reverberates in the studio, instructors lead students through high-energy dance moves that draw inspiration from salsa, belly dancing, and merengue. Specialty classes tweak the formula, slowing things down a bit during Zumba Gold, adding a strength-building element with small weights during Zumba Toning, and introducing students to man’s first best friend—the chair—during Zumba Sentao. Kids also get their groove on during six-week Zumbatomic sessions that utilize tot-appropriate beats to boost metabolisms and encourage the confidence necessary to excel on math tests and beat back bullies with nothing more than a perfectly executed musical number.

At his two gyms in Bloomingdale and Rockford, Elite Defense Systems' chief instructor Matt Numrich leads practical, defense-oriented classes focused on jeet kune do, the hybrid martial art and philosophical system developed in 1965 by Bruce Lee. Jeet kune do focuses on efficiency and personal development, guiding students through a mixture of more than two dozen arts.

Though Elite Defense Systems offers one-on-one training, group lessons for men, women, and children are recommended for their sense of community, their varied sparring partners, and their chances for students to combine into a five-piece battle robot. Including Matt, the gyms have a staff of only three instructors and three assistants, allowing for a closer student-teacher relationship.

Tyler Fagan founded Rockford Fitness with the goal of fostering a welcoming environment focused on his members' results rather than just generating memberships. He and his devoted team of personal trainers work to build a community of support and camaraderie, motivating patrons to get in shape with fitness routines that suit each of their needs and goals, from trimming excess pounds to increasing strength in day-to-day activities, such as walking up stairs and lifting boxes of sumo wrestlers. Eschewing rows of treadmills and gym machines, Rockford Fitness is stocked with ropes, pull-up bars, suspension equipment, and kettlebells for varied fitness regimens. Inspiring clients to sweat and build muscle with this equipment, the trainers develop a custom total-body workout based on functional movements to restore range of motion in joints and strengthen core muscle groups.

Beneath the lofty ceiling at Carlson Ice Arena’s year-round rink gleams 17,000 square feet of well-groomed ice. Rented skates clasp guests’ ankles as they slice across its frozen surface during public skate sessions, and pupils in hockey and figure-skating classes learn to deftly maneuver blades to score slap shots, land lutzes, and scrawl cursive love notes for Zamboni drivers. Chilly fingers defrost as guests lounge in the 600-seat spectator stands, and iceless recreation areas such as the soft, three-level Sapora Playworld or the Tiny Tots Playspace host troupes of carousing kids.

A triple board-certified anesthesiologist, Dr. Footerman draws from more than 20 years of medical experience to steer patients toward healthier lifestyles. Because Dr. Footerman believes that obesity causes many modern health problems, he's concocted comprehensive weight-loss programs that help patients shed pounds while improving their overall well-being. During an initial consultation, a body-composition analysis measures how much of the body's mass is composed of fat, muscle, and fruit roll-up. Bearing in mind the patient's medical history and weight-loss goals, the doctor tailors a customized program based on eating real foods and cultivating healthy habits. As a supplement to lifestyle changes, periodic injections of vitamin B-12 simultaneously increase metabolism and deplete the doctor's reservoir of Scooby Doo band-aids. Patients can shed up to 28 pounds in one month, and weekly weigh-ins monitor their progress.

The experts at LA Weight Loss understand the full breadth of the weight-loss process. Their counselors fuel clients’ drive to lose pounds—from the initial push to the last few difficult pounds—with moral support and custom diet plans that incorporate real, healthy foods instead of frozen dinners or icicle cocktails. In-store counseling helps clients tackle unhealthy habits head-on, and online support and chat rooms are always available to provide encouragement. The program’s metabolism-sparking beverages, lifestyle guides, and multivitamins sail directly to doorsteps faster than an Olympic runner hopped up on soy smoothies. A full palette of healthy recipes are complemented by nutritious meal bars and supplements packed with vitamins and minerals. Meanwhile, food scales, monthly diaries, and a portion-control kit help clients keep track of their eating habits and maintain accountability in their own homes.