Beating back age with iron and will

Three years ago, Georgia Ellison was facing the same prognosis that she has watched her mother suffer with for decades. The progressive osteopenia would someday develop into osteoporosis, bringing on devastating broken bones and pain.

“My mother is 93 now, and I’ve watched her suffer so much; I just don’t want that to happen to me,” Ellison said.

Medication to strengthen her bones never produced significant results, and after years of taking them, she decided to try a new course of action.

Following the recommendation of a friend she signed on with Elite Strength and Fitness of Winter Park and began following a twice-weekly strength-training regimen designed to increase her muscle mass and bone density.

At her next DEXA scan to measure density, Ellison’s doctor noticed a big change and she was able to stop taking her medication.

Success stories like Ellison’s don’t come easy though; it took months of intense workouts with the guidance of personal trainers to get there.

At 64, Les Rinehart, one of Elite’s trainers, knows the challenges his clients face.

After 33 years in the fitness industry, the former strength coach for the Charlotte Hornets retired in 2007, only to come out of retirement a few years ago to join Elite because, he said, he saw the value in what they offered their clients.

“The equipment here is top of the line and the techniques produce results like no other,” Rinehart said.

At Elite, education is as important as the equipment. Before clients spend anytime working out, they share their medical history, goals and concerns with trainers who develop a plan that covers time inside and outside of the gym.

“Clients’ needs are evaluated and we give them a detailed analysis of what they need to do, especially at home, to accomplish their goals,” said owner Monte Mitchell.

Homework might include keeping food and exercise journals to learn more about their habits, especially if weight loss is a goal.

The gym also offers a 12-week group nutrition workshop to their members, guaranteeing results for their clients, provided they follow all the recommendations made during their consultation.

70-year-old physician Dr. Maria Bors has been a client of Elite for seven years and finds that training there fits quite nicely into her busy lifestyle.

“The 20-minute workouts are easy for me to fit in and I find them easy to commit to,” Bors said.

Rather than working out with sweaty, bulked-up gym rats, Elite’s clients find an almost Zen-like atmosphere, with trainers attentive to their every motion.

Speaking in tones of calm assurance, trainers offer equal parts encouragement and challenge, pushing clients to new levels.

The workouts are physically demanding, but not in the way one might expect. Motions are slow and intensely controlled, demanding maximum effort from muscles while barely breaking a sweat.

“Many clients don’t even change out of office clothes,” Rinehart said. “They simply don’t need to.”

Before beginning with Elite, Bors suffered from daily back pain, but after just a few months in the gym, she experienced a noticeable change in pain levels and now rarely suffers at all.

“It’s been remarkable for me,” she said. “I can feel how strong I am, especially when I am traveling carrying luggage. I have a strength I never had before.”

“The strength training is very good for preventing bone loss,” said Bors, “which is something we all need as we age.”