Wright stuff: Binkowski purchases Wright's Athletic Club
Date: 08-05-2007
Posted by: Anabolic Info TeamUnited States |
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Local fitness trainer Raymond Binkowski will now have even more opportunities to help area residents get in shape.
Binkowski recently purchased the Wright Athletic Club in Sycamore from previous owner Paul Wright. Binkowski has worked as a personal trainer at Wright Athletic Club for about six years. He said he has been planning to purchase the business from Wright for several years.
“It is something that Paul and I had discussed years ago,” Binkowski said. “When Paul had expressed an interest to get out of the business, I had expressed an interest in buying it.”
Binkowski said he does not plan to make any major changes to the business in the near future. He said he just wants to provide a comfortable atmosphere for residents to work out.
“We don't want to upset the existing membership. There are clients who have been members, in some cases, for 20 years, so changes will be gradual,” Binkowski said. “The initial changes will be cosmetic in nature, some new paint, new colors and new logo. After that, the community can expect that we will get more involved in the community, that will lead the way for health and fitness.”
Binkowski said, in the future, he may reestablish some group exercise classes. He said he also may develop some programs with Northern Illinois University.
“Right now, it's just discussion. There's nothing formal,” Binkowski said.
Wright Athletic Club features various types of exercise equipment including cardiovascular exercise machines, treadmills, weight machines and free weights. The athletic club also offers a personal training service to its members. Binkowski said the personal trainers work closely with the clients to help them meet their fitness goals.
“We've had men and women, routinely, lose four to six pounds of fat in six to eight weeks,” Binkowski said. “All they have to do is come in and ask for help. We'll set them up with a personal trainer and a training program, and we'll get them going on some lifestyle changes and some changes for their wellness and fitness.”
Wright Athletic Club also offers nutritional supplements, protein bars and energy drinks for clients to purchase. The training facility also includes two tanning beds for members who want to add some color to their skin.
“We're not out to compete with the tanning salons. We're selling health club memberships. What we're really selling is the health and fitness experience,” Binkowski said. “Stuff like tanning beds are a convenience thing for our members. We want them to come in and feel like they're part of the gym and that this is their gym. We know their name when they come in. They can come in and exercise, and they can tan if they want.”
Binkowski said employees at Wright Athletic Club work hard to provide a clean atmosphere for their clients to train and work out.
“This is the cleanest club I have ever been in. I've been in health clubs in Hong Kong, China, Mexico, Canada and all over the United States. There's no club under the sun like this one,” Binkowski said. “I bring competitive bodybuilders in from Wisconsin. They walk in the door, and they've never seen any place like this.”
Binkowski said the number of clients who have trained at Wright Athletic Club has remained steady during the past few years.
“I think the American population, as a whole, is more aware of health clubs or places to go to exercise, but I don't think that correlates with more of them joining this gym or any other gym in the country,” Binkowski said.
Throughout his career, Binkowski has worked with local athletes, police officers, business owners and pageant competitors. He also has trained professional bodybuilders, marathon runners and martial artists.
Binkowski also has participated in several bodybuilding competitions in Rockford and Chicago and has helped promote a local bodybuilding competition, which is held at the Egyptian Theatre each year. Binkowski has been featured in several bodybuilding magazines and has been a guest speaker at NIU, Kishwaukee College and Harper Community Community College.
Binkowski became interested in physical fitness training while trying to lose weight himself.
“I had purchased a suit, had it tailored, and then a few months later, I tried putting that same suit on and couldn't button the pants, and that's what made me think, ‘Holy cow, I have gained a lot of weight here,' so that was the biggest thing,” Binkowski said. “I never had six-pack abs until I was about 24 years old, and what that taught me was if I can do it, anybody can do it.”
Wright Athletic Club is located at 2686 DeKalb Ave. in Sycamore. The athletic club is open from 5 a.m. to 9:30 p.m., Monday through Friday; 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Saturday, and 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Sunday. For more information about Wright Athletic Club call (815) 756-1188 or log on to http://www.WrightAthletic.com.
Get in shape
There are several steps residents can take to get into shape and to establish a regular exercise schedule, according to Raymond Binkowski, owner of Wright Athletic Club.
Binkowski said the first step to establishing a regular fitness routine is to join a gym or health club and hire a professional trainer.
“Industry statistics say 75 percent of the people who hire a trainer the day they join a gym continue to remain a gym member a year later,” Binkowski said. “If you don't hire a trainer, that means you're more likely to quit.”
Binkowski advises people who want to get into shape to exercise at least three to four hours a week.
“A lot of people think, ‘I don't have time for that.' I own three businesses. I'm very busy, yet I find time, four hours a week or so, to exercise,” Binkowski said. “So be prepared to commit three to four hours a week.”
Binkowski said he currently is working with a client who attends Northern Illinois University, works at a bar in downtown Chicago and has a part-time job with an accounting firm and still finds time to exercise several hours a week. He said, during the past three months, the client has lost about eight pounds of fat.
“She's going to school, works two jobs, neither of which are in this county, yet she has time, two or three days a week, to put in about an hour,” Binkowski said.
According to Binkowski, the best time to exercise is in the morning when people's schedules are usually less hectic. He said people who work out in the mornings usually maintain a regular exercise schedule.
“It's not that the results are better. It's because they can control that time,” Binkowski said. “You get off from work and you go home, by the time you do something with the kids, have dinner and do yard work, it's 7:30 p.m. You're not going back out again. Or Maybe you're a student and you're working a part-time job. You've gone to class all day. You go to work for a few hours. Forget it, you have homework and maybe some other stuff to do around your apartment or maybe you're involved in some extra curricular college activities.”
Binkowski said people should participate in an exercise activity that they enjoy. He said he worked with a client who lost 80 pounds by playing tennis.
“He went and joined a tennis club and started playing tennis a few days a week,” Binkowski said. “He is 80 pounds lighter and is in the best shape of his life.”
Binkowski said it also is important for people to add some weight training to their exercise routine.
“Weight lifting builds muscle. Muscle raises metabolism. Weight training also increases bone density, which is great for our aging population. It helps prevent osteoporosis,” he said.
Binkowski said it never is too late for someone to start exercising. He said people can lose weight if they make the appropriate choices.
“There's a right way to do things. There's an intelligent approach to health, nutrition, well being and weight loss,” Binkowski said.
