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Jun. 23, 2006 - CONTRA COSTA TIMES - East Bay NEIGHBORS Trainer
focuses on baby boomer fitness ANTIOCH -- Brentwood resident Jeanne Mikelonis stands on a squishy half-sphere in the middle of Karel Nunnink's training studio on Sunset Drive. It takes a pointed kind of concentration for her to stand upright, with a constant readjusting of ankles. As if that task weren't difficult enough, she also swings a hand-weight around. Up and down, working on strength and balance at the same time. When Mikelonis, 62, started these training sessions two and a half years ago, she couldn't keep her balance on that exercise ball to save her life. Now, she's a pro, and what's more, she feels a good 10 years younger. She doesn't miss these thrice-weekly sessions for the world -- even when she broke her foot, she exercised with her cast on. "The man is amazing," Mikelonis said of Nunnink. Nunnink, 59, specializes in helping people like Mikelonis, who are in the later stages in life. His business is aptly called Over the Hill Fitness, and he's constantly looking to busy his practice. Some of the people who call him, he says, have never exercised before and want to get rid of the joint stiffness and regular aches and pains that come with getting older. What they get, however, is so much more. "It's all about activating the muscle fibers," Nunnink said. "Through strength training, we do that, and this leads to agility, balance and flexibility. Those fibers go as you age; if you don't use it, you lose it. "Also, if you concentrate on joint alignment, your aches and pains miraculously disappear. If you build up the muscles around those joints, then suddenly those joints don't have to work so hard or overcompensate." With degrees in physical education and Eastern philosophy, Nunnink links physical movement and mental activity; the concentration it takes to do his custom exercises, he says, can help a person stay sharp. "These sessions are about quieting the noise in your mind, forgetting about your problems while you concentrate and visualize as you exercise. In the beginning, it's always awkward but then those neural pathways open up and the brain is able to figure things out. If you keep at it, it becomes easier and easier, and you get stronger." His youngest client is a 19-year-old autistic boy from Danville, and his oldest is an 84-year-old East County resident. A former marathon runner, Ironman Triathlon competitor, masters ski racer and an all-around good athlete, Nunnink is tall and muscular. At almost 60 years old, he's in better shape than many 20-somethings. He talks excitedly about his craft, darting from one side of the studio to another to demonstrate for onlookers. Born in Switzerland to Dutch parents, Nunnink then lived in Indonesia until he was 10, with baby tigers as pets and no television to distract him from outdoor exercise and healthy eating. The family later moved to Holland and then to Vermont, where he fell in love with skiing. He coached the sport at West Point between 1969 and 1971. Eventually, he made his way to California, where he began to study anatomy and body mechanics at San Fernando College. It was then that he discovered the importance of balance while performing other tasks -- like juggling or lifting small weights. Sometimes the movements are quick and staccato-like. Other times, they are slow and deliberate, with hits of tai chi. He's been training in some form or another for the past 35 years and has received numerous awards as a trainer. Recently, he was featured on Channel 7 ABC's "Forever Young" segment, and plans to release a book and DVD with a focus on baby boomer fitness. His wife, Francel, is a chiropractor, and Nunnink's training studio is in the same building as his wife's practice. He said the two businesses are a perfect combination and clients often use both services. The two live in Southeast Antioch, and have a 6-year-old daughter, Sarah. For more information: www.overthehillfitness.com. Or call 925-777-1584. -- Tanya Rose © 2006
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