Here’s how Mandel JCC helps our entire community—including you—get in shape and stay in shape
By Mitch Allen
We all know the importance of exercise. It improves energy, reduces stress, extends our lives and prevents disease better than any pharmaceutical ever made—yet we still don’t do it.
Look, I have an expensive elliptical at home in my basement and, honestly, it sits there gathering dust while I’m on the sofa binge-watching Netflix, remote control in one hand and a bag of potato chips in the other.
Hey, that doesn’t make me a bad person. It just makes me human.
A key characteristic of being human is our tendency to gather. Just as beavers build dams, people build community. We crave togetherness because our ancestors were far more likely to be trampled by a wooly mammoth when they were alone as opposed to when they assembled and were working together.
And modern humans are no different, especially when it comes to fitness. It’s why personal training, group fitness and small group classes like those found at the Mandel JCC are so popular. There is someone by your side, someone to motivate you—someone to miss you if you don’t show up.
Get Started Now...Together
Of course, the downside of any group activity is the initial awkwardness we feel when we first get started, when we don’t yet know what we’re doing. That’s why choosing the right fitness center is essential. And that’s why membership at Mandel JCC comes with two free personal training sessions.
They actually want you to show up.
“At the very beginning we teach you how to use our equipment and discuss your personal fitness goals,” says Kate Toohig, The J’s Fitness, Wellness & Recreation Director.
“Our goal is to help you become not just comfortable but confident with all aspects of our fitness center and to develop a fitness routine tailored specifically to you and your goals.”
The best exercise is the one you’ll actually do and that’s what makes Mandel JCC stand out. Unlike boutique studios with a single answer to all fitness goals, there are many diverse options at The J for virtually every age, interest, shape, size and fitness level. This makes it easier to discover workouts you’ll do—and enjoy.
Voted “Best Fitness Center” five years in a row, The J offers a comprehensive approach to fitness and community programs. In fact, its yearly Winter Program Guide isn’t some single-sheet flyer; it’s a 32-page magazine. So whether you’re a first-timer or looking for a first-class gym, The J can help you get in shape or lose weight with state-of-the-art facilities featuring miles of cardio, tons of weights and plenty of exciting new equipment.
With dozens of different group classes, Spin, Pilates and Yoga studios, an indoor walking/running track, and racquetball, basketball and pickleball courts, you’ll easily be able to discover your niche. And to help you relax, The J features whirlpools, saunas, steam rooms, deluxe locker rooms—and even massages.
Get Moving!
The J’s group fitness classes are so varied that it’s impossible to list them all here. They include Yoga, Spin, HIIT, Zumba, Pure Sculpt, Barre, Tai Chi, and kickboxing, plus dozens more creative classes.
“We offer group classes for all interests and fitness levels,” Kate assures. “Most of our classes are free with your membership so you can drop in and try any class until you find the ones you enjoy and that give you the results you want.”
Extra Attention!
For those who thrive in a smaller, more supportive setting, The J features some of the area’s most talented and highly-educated personal trainers. The J also offers small group training classes, including TRX, rowing and—coming in February—boxing.
One of the most popular offerings is “Roll and Release,” which teaches self-massage techniques using a foam roller. Roll and Release is ideal for anyone with aches, pains, stiff muscles, or tightness…and that includes nearly all of us.
Get in the Swim of Things
“We also have one of the most comprehensive swim programs in the region,” Kate says, “from low-impact and arthritis exercise classes to high-intensity water aerobics. We even offer classes specifically designed for MS patients. We teach hundreds of kids and adults how to swim each year and we are known for our Red Cross-Certified swim lessons and lifeguard and Water Safety Instructor classes.”
Bring the Kids
There’s a reason The J was also voted “Best Family-Friendly Gym.” In addition to the kid-friendly basketball courts and swimming pool, nearly all of the equipment in the fitness center is open to youth ages 10 and older.
“Not only do we teach kids at a young age about fitness and wellness, we also have special classes and personal training that provides sport-specific training for young athletes,” Kate adds.
For the youngest kids, The J offers attentive, on-site babysitting so parents can work out without any worries.
Child Care and Summer Camps
Fitness isn’t the only world-class experience at The J. Its childcare and preschool programs, for children ages 18 months to PreK, received the highest rating—Five Star Step Up to Quality by the State of Ohio. And award-winning J-Day Camps and Camp Wise overnight camp (for kids ages three years old through grade 11) are second to none.
From swimming, boating and playing sports to climbing the ropes course, parents are assured their kids will have fun, learn new skills, and gain independence and confidence at The J’s Geauga County and Beachwood camp sites.
As a non-profit community center, creating a healthy community truly is their goal, and that includes the entire community. Membership is open to all ages, races, religions, and fitness levels.
“We want you to succeed,” says Kate.
“That’s our goal: to help make the entire community more healthy and fit. The benefits of exercise are far-reaching and immediate. Study after study is demonstrating that exercise helps improve strength, balance and flexibly, and reduces the risk of many illnesses, not to mention, it also reduces stress.”
And no remote control or potato chip can do all that.
The Mandel Jewish Community Center offers month-to-month memberships with no contracts. The J is open 362 days a year to all ages, races and religions. Find it at 26001 South Woodland Road in Beachwood. For more information, call 216-831-0700, ext. 0 or visit MandelJCC.org/Rates to check out their affordable rates and to take a 30-second video tour.